Canberra Glassworks and Adelaide’s JamFactory have announced the winners of the 2024 FUSE Glass Prize.
The non-acquisitive $20,000 cash prize was awarded to Tom Moore for his installation Dandy Lion among the Antipodes (Handsome Duckling, Sweet Boots, Quadravian Cyclops, Dandy Lion & Kohl Canary), 2022 & 2023.
Originally from the ACT, Moore is based in Adelaide, SA, working in blown glass between JamFactory, University of SA as Adjunct Research Fellow, and his home studio. His recent touring exhibition, JamFactory ICON Tom Moore: Abundant Wonder, was shown at Canberra Museum and Gallery late 2022.
“Tom is an established artist at the height of his creative powers. He has long been recognised as a leading proponent of traditional Venetian glass-blowing techniques, but in this virtuosic composition of beguiling characters, he has taken his work to new levels of intrigue and refinement. The chromatic gradation across the group and the multi-layered play with symmetry and absurdity give the work a compelling quality. The longer you look the more Moore you see!” the judges commented.
The David Henshall Emerging Artist Prize was awarded to Emeirely Nucifora-Ryan for neon work, Processed, July 2023, 2023. Based in the ACT, Nucifora-Ryan is an honours graduate of the ANU School of Art and Design, with her artistic practice in neon developed after she participated in Canberra Glassworks Neon Green Futures Masterclass with Richard Wheater. She receives a $5,000 cash prize plus a professional development opportunity at JamFactory valued at $5,000.
The works of twelve established and six emerging artists were selected as finalists by the 2024 judging panel, which included Canberra Glassworks Artistic Director, Aimee Frodsham, Queanbeyan-based 2022 FUSE Glass Prize winner, Matthew Curtis as well as representatives from JamFactory, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and Art Gallery of South Australia.
“It was incredible to see such strong and diverse works in the 2024 Fuse Prize. The standard of works was truly inspiring making judging extremely difficult,” said Aimee Frodsham.
“All the works presented could easily have taken out the prize. In the emerging catalogue, Emeirely’s neon work shows the future of glass making in Australia and is both conceptually considered and technically strong.”
“I would like to personally congratulate each finalist for their exceptional work, passion for the material and dedication to glass making in Australia,” said Frodsham.
The judges selected the finalists from 101 high quality and diverse entries received from artists across Australia and New Zealand. The judging panel announced the winners at the opening event of the finalist exhibition now showing at JamFactory.
The FUSE Glass Prize 2024 exhibition will showcase the winning artworks by Tom Moore and Emeirely Nucifora-Ryan alongside prize finalists. This includes Canberra Glassworks established and emerging artists, Annette Blair (NSW), Hannah Gason (ACT), Katie-Ann Houghton (ACT), Kirstie Rea (ACT), Mel Douglas (ACT), Carman Skeehan (SA), and Madeline Cardone (NSW).
The FUSE Glass Prize is a biennial non-acquisitive prize for Australian and New Zealand glass artists and Australasia’s richest prize for glass. It provides a platform for artists to push themselves and their work to new limits and focuses public attention on the importance of glass as a medium for contemporary artistic expression.
Finalists of the FUSE Glass Prize is currently on show at the JamFactory, Adelaide until 7 July, followed by a tour to the ANU School of Art & Design Gallery, Canberra from 8 August – 6 September and Australian Design Centre, Sydney from 3 October – 13 November 2024.
For more information about the FUSE Glass Prize, visit: www.fuseglassprize.com for details.
Images: Tom Moore, Dandy Lion among the Antipodes. (Handsome Duckling, Sweet Boots, Quadravian Cyclops, Dandy Lion & Kohl Canary), 2022 & 2023, glass, silver leaf and HXTAL epoxy to attach the stoppers to the bottle toppers. 1300 x 230 x 405 – photo by Grant Hancock | Emeirely Nucifora-Ryan, Processed, July 2023, 2023, glass, neon, transformers. 2100 x 120 x 1500 – photo by Brenton McGeachi