Finalists announced for FUAM Graduate Art Prize Show 2017
Finalists announced for FUAM Graduate Art Prize Show 2017
BA Fine Art graduates Zoë Carlon and Olivia Loker have been shortlisted for this year’s FUAM Graduate Art Prize which showcases the work of four recent art students from the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies and the School of Design.
Now in its fifth year the FUAM Graduate Art Prize, supported by the Friends of University Art & Music (FUAM), rewards the artistic excellence of the top students completing studies in Fine Art and Design at the University of Leeds in 2017. The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery will host an exhibition showcasing the work of this year’s four finalists, which will preview on Tuesday 8 August 2017 at 6pm.
Degree shows at the Schools of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies and the School of Design took place around the University of Leeds campus in June 2017. After visiting these, a panel of three judges from around the Yorkshire region selected four graduating students as finalists for The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery’s prestigious FUAM Graduate Art Prize Exhibition 2017.
The judging panel was made up of Nathalie Levi (curator, formerly of The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery and Yorkshire Sculpture Park), David Salinger (chair of FUAM (Leeds) and former member of staff of the School of Mathematics) and Jane Winfrey (Picture Specialist at Bonhams).
The finalists for 2017 are: Zoë Carlon and Olivia Loker (School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies); Lucy Davidson and Miranda Jones (School of Design).
In September, the judges will return to select the overall winner of the FUAM Graduate Art Prize for 2017. The ‘Best in Show’ graduating student artist of the year will receive £250. Each of the runners-up will receive £100 each to aid them in their developing career as artists. The prizes will be awarded by FUAM in an award ceremony on 27 September 2017.
Zoë Carlon and Oliva Loker both graduated earlier this month in BA Fine Art. Their work was exhibited in June across the studio and project spaces within the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies as part of this year’s BA/MA Fine Art Degree Show, entitled So What of the Future.
Zoë Carlon’s practice explores transitory spaces and states of being typical of the ‘non-place’ through the medium of paint.
Olivia Loker’s work consists of a set of digital prints. Her work explores the use of collage and visual connections to comment on contemporary issues and whether collage can be as powerfully captivating and expressive compared with paintings or sculpture.
Chris Taylor, Deputy Head of the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies, and Senior Lecturer in Fine Art, said:
“The judge’s selection from this year’s BA/MA Fine Art Degree Show represents just a small part of the diverse range of work being produced and types of media explored across the BA Fine Art programme.
“Zöe and Olivia’s work highlights the quality and level of engagement that all of our students achieve, and it is testimony to the commitment and teaching of the School academic and technical staff.”
Work by all four finalists will be on show in the Stanley and Audrey Burton Gallery to 4 November 2017.
