Nineteen semi-finalists have been selected by Judge Caterina Riva for the 2012 National Contemporary Art Award.

The award, now in its 11th year, attracted 230 entries this year from emerging and established artists. Despite the large number of entries this year, Judge Caterina Riva followed a qualitative judging process and selected 19 semi-finalists as entries she believes are worthy of being considered for the prize.

"The 19 selected proposals clearly stood out from the rest of the material for the clarity of their intention and presentation. The selection I have made sees artists that either seem to master an artistic medium (painting, sculpture, photography, video), as well as its effects, or propose a way of looking laterally at fields of cultural production, combining interests which encompass different disciplines and recognise the complexity of the world we live in," she says.

The National Contemporary Art Award is sponsored by local art philanthropist Barry Hopkins and hosted by Waikato Museum. The award brings together the work of some of New Zealand's most exciting artists and has earned its place as an essential event on the New Zealand arts calendar.

The winners will be announced on 16 August at a gala awards ceremony before the exhibition opens to the public from 17 August until 18 November. The winner will receive $15,000 and there are three merit awards.

The 2012 National Contemporary Art Award semi-finalists are:

1. Adrian Jackman - Auckland 2. Ben Clement - Auckland

3. Bob Van Der Wal - Auckland 4. Deborah Erueti - Christchurch 5. Dorota Broda - Auckland 6. Jennifer Mason - Auckland

7. Jessica Pearless - Auckland 8. Meiling Lee - Auckland

9. Michael Parr, Blaine Western - Auckland 10. Nicki Wynnychuck - Melbourne, Australia 11. Oscar Enberg - Auckland 12. Roman Mitch - Auckland

13. Ruth Cleland- Auckland 14. Sam Thomas - Auckland 15. Shannon Te Ao, Iain Trengley - Nelson 16. Simon Esling - Auckland 17. Justin Spiers - Dunedin 18. Maria Walls - Auckland 19. Natalie Guy - Auckland