Black & White Spider Awards™| The Jury

13TH ANNUAL JURY

NPR VISUALS - Washington DC

Nicole Werbeck - Senior Supervising Editor

Nicole Werbeck is Senior Supervising Editor at NPR Visuals. Nicole was formerly senior photo editor at National Geographic where she worked with photographers and editors to conceive story ideas and commissions photographers to cover stories for the National Geographic website. Deputy news editor and photo editor at the Washington Post; adjunct professor teaching graphics and photography at the University of Maryland; news and sports editor at the News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina; copy editor and designer for sports at the Greensboro News & Record; and sports slot, copy editor, and designer at the Shreveport Times. Werbeck has a BS in science and journalism from Kent State University.

MCCANN - Singapore

Peter Hibberd - Creative Director

Peter is currently Creative Director at McCann working on brands like Microsoft, OCBC and Mastercard. Internationally awarded at Cannes and The One Show, Peter's work not only delivers outstanding results to clients but also work deemed by his peers as best in class. With over 10 years hof experience at some of the best advertising agencies in Australia, working in the classic writer / art director team capacity, he feels comfortable working alone and has also lead teams in an Associate Creative Director role from time to time under Creative Director and Executive Creative Directors. His work covers nearly all media types from the traditional TV, print, radio, outdoor to the online variety in online display, web and UX design, video and online gaming and has won internationally for traditional and online categories.

MWWM - New York

Wes Phelan - Creative Director

Wes Phelan is Creative Director and founding partner of MWWM in New York City. Before launching his latest venture with long time creative partner Matt Edwards, Wes worked at Johannes Leonardo across a number of the agency's accounts, most notably on Adidas Originals and TripAdvisor. His work on these brands resulted in significant business growth and impact as well as a successful international awards tally with multiple Cannes Lions, including the first Grand Prix awarded in the new Music Entertainment category in 2017 for the Adidas 'Original is never finished' campaign. Most recently he had focused his efforts on the Adidas Originals business, where he oversaw all global creative communication for the brand. In Adweek's "2017 top 100", Wes was recognized as one of the top 22 creative directors "who is completely reimagining what's possible". Wes has been featured in the Cannes Game Changers book and exhibition, celebrating 60 years of advertising that has transformed the landscape of the creative industries. Phelan has an intense passion for film and has directed several commercials, short films, and music videos. Prior to joining Johannes Leonardo, his provocative ideas and talent saw him quickly rise to be one of South Africa's youngest creative directors at WPP company, MetropolitanRepublic in Johannesburg, where he was instrumental in acquiring the MTN Telecommunications' account throughout Africa. Wes is foremost committed to winning hearts, rather than trophies and is continuously striving to connect the audience with the brand in a unique and memorable way.

AEROPLASTICS CONTEMPORARY - Brussels

Jerome Jacobs - Director

Since 1998 AEROPLASTICS contemporary has been an unconventional gallery in Brussels and alternates between extensive group and monographic exhibitions including a important part with photography. Gallery director and curator Jerome Jacobs encourages confrontation between both established and emerging artists, giving preference to works with a direct language and immediate visual accessibility. During an age dominated by neo-conceptual aesthetics, Aeroplastics_Jerome Jacobs differs markedly in its programming by focusing on the image and the panoply of challenges this presents.

CONNY DIETZSCHOLD GALLERIES - Cologne | Hong Kong | Sydney

Conny Dietzschold - Director

Conny Dietzschold is the Curator and Director of Conny Dietzschold Galleries, Cologne, Sydney and Hong Kong and curates exhibitions for art institutions, writes for art magazines and lectures at museums on art and values in Germany and Australia. The gallery expanded in 2013with the Conny Dietzschold Gallery Project Room. Ms. Dietzschold is a member of the selection committee of Art Central Hong Kong (Art Fair) and a freelance academic lecturer on motivation and creative innovative thinking and professional practice at COFA, University of NSW. Actively involved in the international visual art scene, the gallery attends major international art fairs in Cologne, Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong and Seoul.

GALLERI RAMFJORD - Oslo

Elisabeth Ramfjord - Director

Galleri Ramfjord was founded 16 years ago by Elisabeth Ramfjord. Centrally located in Oslo, our premises hold three exhibition spaces constituting more than 4,300 sq. ft. in total area. Historically, the gallery's primary focus has been emerging artists, and it is still our mission to champion newcomers. However, since the artists who joined our stable 16 years ago have now made names for themselves, we currently also represent well-established artists. A dynamic exhibition venue in downtown Oslo, Galleri Ramfjord is known for its frequent cross-disciplinary events and artistic stunts. While now a well-established gallery in Norway, we consider ourselves "up-and-coming" on the international art scene. Over the past two years, we have collaborated with partner venues in New York, Amsterdam and Copenhagen. Our very first entry onto the international art fair circuit occurred at Art Copenhagen in August 2013 and proved a great success, attracting much attention both to the gallery and to the represented artists. As one of very few fair exhibitors, Galleri Ramfjord was featured in primetime on Danish National Television. We also participated at SCOPE during Art Basel Miami week in December 2013 with great success.

SILVAN FAESSLER FINE ART - Zurich

Silvan Fässler - Director

Leading positions in international art trade since 1994, amongst others in the position of director of a renowned European art gallery for Classic Modern and Russian avant-garde, as well as specialist of Post War and Contemporary Art at Christie's International. Foundation of Silvan Faessler Fine Art in Zug/Switzerland, in spring 2006. Member of the Swiss Art Trading Association since 2007, member of the board since 2012. Member of CINOA. Engagements to cultural operating foundations in the position of conservator and exhibition curator, member of art foundation boards and art prize juror. Publications of articles specialized in art of the 20th Century. Co-author of the biographic encyclopedia of Swiss Art edited by the Swiss Institute for fine arts Zurich.

ARTFACTORY CLUB - Vienna

Dr. Stefan Kallinka - Director

The ARTFACTORY CLUB is a contemporary art gallery in Austria and was established in 2014. It is dedicated to the promotion of Avant-Garde Art of contemporary European artists, providing original fine art to established and emerging collectors. The ARTFACTORY CLUB is specialized in the world-famous artists Gerhard Richter, Franz Gertsch and Helmut Ditsch. Their works stand out for the high quality and impressive power they perform on the viewer. An important characteristic of the ARTFACTORY CLUB is the realisation of exhibitions at public spaces with free entry to provide art to all interested people, regardless of their social background. Therefore the art gallery organized the Gira Nacional in cooperation with Helmut Ditsch in 2014, an exhibition tour which the Argentinian artist originally started in 2010 in his home country. During the tour his paintings were shown in several cities in the interior of Argentina with hundreds of thousands of visitors. After a successful first year the ARTFACTORY CLUB decided to open a second branch in Vaduz, Liechtenstein in 2015. In 2016 the ARTFACTORY CLUB started exhibiting at international art fairs.

BACKLIGHT PHOTO FESTIVAL - Finland

Tuula Alajoki - Curator & Festival Director

Tuula Alajoki, M.A. is a Finnish curator focusing on photography and lens based art. Her educational background is in visual art (B.A.) and she has a Masters degree in Art from the Aalto University, School of Art and Design. She has completed her studies with art history and theory at the University of Helsinki and she currently lectures and teaches analogue photography in Tampere. As a curator Alajoki has collaborated with numerous emerging and established artists, institutions and photo festivals in Europe. In 2012 she was appointed director of the international photography triennial Backlight Photo Festival in Tampere, Finland.

ROSLYN OXLEY9 GALLERY - Sydney

Roslyn Oxley - Director

Established in Sydney in 1982, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery has a rich history of supporting contemporary art, having fostered the careers of some of the most influential Australian artists working today, including Tracey Moffatt, David Noonan, Fiona Hall, Patricia Piccinini, Bill Henson and Dale Frank. Gallery artists have consistently been selected for biennales and significant international survey exhibitions. Thirteen gallery artists have represented their country at the Venice Biennale, including: Tracey Moffatt (Australia, 2017); Fiona Hall (Australia, 2015); Bill Culbert (New Zealand, 2013); Hany Armanious (Australia, 2011); Michael Parekowhai (New Zealand, 2011); Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro (Australia, 2009); Callum Morton (Australia, 2007); and Patricia Piccinini (Australia, 2003); Bill Henson (Australia, 1995); Jenny Watson (Australia, 1993); Imants Tillers (Australia, 1986); Rosalie Gascoigne (Australia, 1982). Four gallery artists have been exhibited in dOCUMENTA including Fiona Hall (2012), Destiny Deacon (2002), Tony Clark (1992) and Imants Tillers (1982). Dale Frank was selected for the Venice Biennale Aperto in 1986. Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery has been exhibiting at international art fairs for more than 25 years and is committed to presenting a diverse schedule of exhibitions by international artists. The gallery program includes presentations by Mark Newson, Pierre et Gilles, Erwin Olaf, Robert Mapplethorpe, the Young British Artists, Moriko Mori, Elmgreen and Dragset, Tracey Emin, Hernan Bas, Michael Bell-Smith, Isaac Julien, Yayoi Kusama, Wim Delvoye, Tatzu Nishi and Jim Lambie. The gallery continues to foster the careers of younger artists whilst maintaining a dynamic exhibition program that represents established and international artists.

GALERIE HUBERT WINTER - Vienna

Natascha Burger - Director

Natascha Burger studied art history in Vienna, Munster, and Aix-en-Provence. She has been executive director of the Estate Birgit Jurgenssen since 2009 and is director of Galerie Hubert Winter, Vienna. Responsible for the entire archive, she is involved as curator and editor in the upcoming comprehensive Birgit Jurgenssen retrospective Ich bin / I Am at the Kunsthalle Tubingen, Germany, with subsequent showings at the GAMeC in Bergamo, Italy, and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark. Born 1980 in Vienna, Austria. Lives and works in Vienna, Austria.

HARPER'S BAZAAR - UK

Frances Hedges - Associate Editor

A graduate of Oxford University, Frances began her career as the editor of the journal for the Royal Society of Arts. She is currently an associate editor at Harper's Bazaar UK, where she writes features on all aspects of the visual arts, with a focus on championing emerging female artists. This November, she will co-curate the ING Discerning Eye exhibition at London's Mall Galleries, showcasing artists at different stages of their careers.

YOUNG & RUBICAM - Lima

Beto Noriega - Creative Director

Beto Noriega is a Creative Director and Art Director with 14 years of experience in leading advertising agencies including: MAYO DraftFCB, JWT, Y&R, DDB and TBWA.

VELOCEBELLA - Chicago

Diane Ruggie - Partner/Creative Director

Hair, skin, eyes, legs, breasts, feet, clothes, food, phones, cars, computers, credit cards, cleaning supplies, tax returns, antiperspirant, anti smoking, dinosaur bones, crown jewels, French fries, memory loss and chocolate. These are a few of the categories in which Diane Ruggie has award-winning brand experience. Juries from The New York Festivals to Cannes, Clios to London International have recognized her work with every metal made, and a few with special judges awards for writing excellence. After more than 25 years at DDB Chicago and long known for contributing her female point of view in that big agency pond, Diane established Velocebella in 2012. Velocebella ("fast and beautiful" in Italian) is a creative and compassionate, independent agency that specializes in ideas that click, quick, with women.

ANTHEM WORLDWIDE / MARQUE BRANDING - Sydney

Marcel Wijnen - Creative Director

Marcel has over 20 years experience advising companies to challenge their sectors, reinventing change their brands and creating new iconic identities and new engaging experiences. His career spans across Asia, Europe and Australia, where he has helped a broad spectrum of companies from airlines, banks, telcos, retailers, FMCG, industrial, governments and fashion brands. Marcel is currently located in Sydney where he is Creative Director of Marque Branding Consultants and Anthem Worldwide. Previously, Marcel was in Singapore, where he was the Executive Creative Director, South-East Asia at Interbrand - one the world's largest and leading brand consultancies.

STUDIO HANSA - London

Gary Roberts - Art Director

DAVID CLARKE - London

David Clarke - Curator, Fine Art Photography Specialist

David Clarke has been a fine art photography professional for over 30 years. Head of Photography for the Tate Gallery from 1994 to 2014, he oversaw management of 11 staff at 5 Tate sites and the implementation of his main objective, to digitize and publish all works of art in the Tate Collection. The Collection consists of over 90,000 paintings, sculptures and works on paper. David was also ultimately responsible for all photography carried out at Tate, including scientific, press, promotion and the image management systems which make the images accessible to staff and public alike. Mr Clarke's personal work has been exhibited at galleries and museums from London to Beijing. He is also a founding member for the Association for Historical and Fine Art Photography which is an international membership organization founded to support and promote fine art photography.

PAOLA ANSELMI CONTEMPORARY ART - Perth

Paola Anselmi - Curator and Arts Writer

Paola Anselmi is an Australian-based Independent Curator and Arts Writer. Over the last 20 years, Paola has been a regular reviewer and contributor to a wide range of Australian arts publications on contemporary art practice, exhibitions catalogues and artist publications. Since 1990 Paola has undertaken numerous public and private collection development projects as well as held curatorial and research roles at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Royal Perth Hospital Art Collection, City of Fremantle Collection, The Centre for Contemporary Art Luigi Pecci, Prato, and until recently was the Arts and Cultural Development Coordinator at The City of Perth. As a major supporter and advocate of photo-media practice in Australia, Paola has been appointed to the Exhibition/Public Programs Committee for the Perth Centre for Photography. She has regularly curated the work of Western Australian photo-media artists since 1993, and in 2013 completed research into the last 21 years of the Perth Centre for Photography, which led to the exhibition Momentum.

GOLDSMITHS, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

Conrad Hechter - Correspondent

Conrad Hechter studied film-making and photography in Sydney where he ran a school for foreign students and revelled in the exceptional light quality of Terra Australis. Moving to USA Conrad worked as Gallery Director at Michael Shapiro Gallery, San Francisco and David Aden Gallery in Santa Monica. He was the Business Director of FotoFactory Press and helped curate numerous catalogues and shows. He was correspondent for Studio Magazines (Black + White and Blue) and is currently based at Goldsmiths, University of London.

FRATELLI ALINARI PHOTOGRAPHY MUSEUM - Florence

Andrea de Polo - Cultural Heritage Consultant

Andrea joined Alinari in 1994 and was responsible for developing its new technology department. He became Head of the Photographic Conservation and Supervisor of the Digital Workflow and responsible for aggregating new content and scouting for new potential photographic partner agencies, worldwide. By working at Alinari, the oldest photo archive in the world with over 5.5 million images from 19th and 20th century, Andrea has been involved in projects in thematic research topics: IPR and content protection, digital rights management, intelligent visual search, best practice digitization and preservation issues, integration and content sharing across large multilingual networks and digital libraries. Andrea has been a member of many affiliate groups including the Appraiser Association of America, Inc., IEEE, IS&T, PMA, PIEA, I3A, American Institute of Conservation, CEPIC, IPTC-Photo metadata group and Society of Imaging Science and technology. Andrea has a Museum Studies certificate in photo conservation and a BFA Fine Art, RIT University, Rochester, USA.

FORUM AUCTIONS - London

Justine Gruser - Photographs & Photobooks

Justine Gruser is Specialist in Photographs & Photobooks at Forum Auctions. Justine was formerly at Bloomsbury Auctions from 2013 where she was lead specialist for auctions of Photographs and Photobooks. Justine studied for a Business (CESEM) degree spending 2 years in both Reims, France and Breda, in the Netherlands. After graduation Justine completed an MA in Art Business at Sotheby's Institute of Art and thereafter worked in the Impressionist and Modern Art department at Artcurial, Paris.

TI MEDIA - London

Dean Usher - Group Art Director

Art director with over 15-years experience in consumer news-stand and contract magazine publishing. Dean has undertaken multiple new launches and relaunches in a variety of sectors including technology, photography, food & drink, Formula One, travel & country lifestyle. Currently Group Art Director of the award winning weekly magazine, Country Life as well as Horse & Hound, The Field and the rest of TI Media's country portfolio.

LEO BURNETT - Istanbul

Ozan Demir - Senior Art Director

Over 12 years experience as Art Director. Working with many advertisement agencies including Manajans/Thompson, MedinaTurgul/DDB and Leo Burnett Istanbul.

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL - Melbourne

Al Cossar - Associate Artistic Director

Al Cossar is Associate Artistic Director for the prestigious Melbourne International Film Festival in Australia, the Southern Hemisphere's largest and longest running film festival, which delivers a program of 350 films across 18 days every August and within this setting he curates a wide diversity of contemporary and retrospective film across a variety of disciplines, as well as virtual reality curation. He has worked in screen culture in a variety of settings, including as Festival Manager for Flickerfest, Program Director for the Portable Film Festival, Programmer for the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival; as well as at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and within post production supervision for film and broadcast in New Zealand. He was previously a film critic for ABC News Breakfast in Australia.

VICTORIA FILM FESTIVAL - Canada

Donovan Aikman - Festival Programmer

MARLBOROUGH FINE ART - London

Stephanie Schleiffer - Director

CONTRASTO GALLERIA - Milan

Alessia Paladini - Director

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE - London

Suzanne Dean - Creative Director