Melbourne and Netherlands-based artist James Geurts has been awarded the 2016 Georges Mora Fellowship, including a $10,000 grant, a residency at State Library Victoria, one year’s premium membership to the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA), and – for the first time – a residency at the La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre (VAC) in Bendigo.

James was first introduced to friends and supporters of the Georges Mora Fellowship at an intimate soiree at St Kilda's historic The George in June (pictured below), and publicly announced as the 2016 Georges Mora Fellow at State Library Victoria today.

Geurts’ proposed project, Floodplain consists of a series of installations at key cultural sitesalong Melbourne’s Yarra River, or Birrarung as it is known to the Wurundjeri people, which will draw out the river’s ecological currents and cultural significance. In addition to the installations, Geurts will publish a critical essay about the project and a map outlining each of the sites.