The Brink is a biennial award that spotlights the work of an artist who resides in Washington, Oregon, or British Columbia and is in the early stages of a promising professional career. This exhibition honors the recipient for his or her innovative work. The award-winner receives a prize of $12,500; in addition a work by the artist will be acquired for the Henry Art Gallery's permanent collection.

This year's recipient is Anne Fenton (U.S., born Saudi Arabia 1982) from Seattle. Fenton's work is not defined in terms of any specific medium and favors a collaborative, organic, process-oriented approach to art making. The work is fresh, bold, and representative of the artist's personal interests, as well as the concerns of its generation. The themes explored in Fenton's practice are varied and are clear indicators of our current state of disconnection to each other and to the world around us.

Anne Fenton received a BFA in Photography from the University of Washington and attended the Mountain School of Arts in Los Angeles.