Finalists for 2017 National Contemporary Art Award announced
19 May 2017
The finalists of the 2017 National Contemporary Art Award have been decided with 50 artworks by 48 artists from across New Zealand selected.
This year’s judge, Elizabeth Caldwell, Director of City Gallery Wellington, assessed the 236 entries for this year’s National Contemporary Art Award.
Finalists were selected through a blind judging process where Caldwell reviewed artists’ statements, images and optional video works online without seeing the identity of the artist.
“Faced with a tremendous number of submissions and a great variety of media with the entries – jewellery, ceramics, painting, photography, moving image – the preliminary judging has certainly been a challenge,” she says.
“While I’m looking forward to seeing the exhibition, I don’t think the task of selecting award recipients will be easy as there is some terrific work!”
This is the 18th year of the National Contemporary Art Award, managed by Waikato Museum.
Waikato Museum Director Cherie Meecham says the calibre of this year’s entries was exceptional.
“Narrowing the large number of entries down to a selection of finalists seems to get more difficult every year,” she says. “I wish to thank all of this year’s entrants for their contribution to raising the standard of contemporary art in New Zealand, and congratulations to all of the finalists.”
The finalists for the 2017 National Contemporary Art Award are:
View – Sarah Smith, Auckland
Levitation Lesson – Wanda Gillespie, Auckland
The Artists Encumbrance – Robyn Gibson, Auckland
Transmuting the Improbable – Sue Reidy, Auckland
Objectmemory – Hannah Valentine, Auckland
Settled In the Soil – Vonney Ball, Auckland
See, Look, Sea – Judith Lawson, Auckland
Promontory – Emma Smith, Auckland
Red House – Frances Rood, Auckland
Great North Road - Tiger Murdoch - Auckland
“Only Love can Hurt Like This” – Luise Fong, Auckland
Back to Work: stooks – Margaret Feeney, Auckland
Written in the Bone- West Coast Woman – Naomi Roche, Hamilton
In place of totems – Julien Dyne, Auckland
Lost in translation – Sean Beldon, Auckland
Te Whare Tapa Wha – Anthony Cribb, Auckland
South Pacific Timber –Ishmael Lotawa, Auckland
'One in Four' – Rhiannon James, Christchurch
Braso Verdi – Thomas Hancock, Christchurch
Flux – Clara Wells, Christchurch
Parallel Lines: A state of being in disguise of a cloud – Ina Johann, Christchurch
Constellations - drawing strength – Edwards & Johann, Christchurch
High Country Weather – Donna-Marie Patterson, Christchurch
Lake Lyndon - Waterlog - 140mls – Stefan Roberts, Christchurch
Slow Inward Fall – Justin Spiers, Dunedin
The Economy of Law – Justin Spiers, Dunedin
In the Kitchen of L$D Fundraiser – Justin Spiers, Dunedin
Fame In Oats: A Manifesto - Manuscript Preparation – Mia Stefano, Dunedin
Trying to be more Maori: Attempt #1 – Aroha Novak, Dunedin
'the meaning of ethics' – Kim Pieters, Dunedin
Insidious pervasion – Tony Nicholls, Hamilton
Gas Station #3, 23/3/17 – Mark Purdom, Hamilton
What Are The Chances? – James Sutherland and Jeremy Mayall, Hamilton
Still Life – Susan Mabin, Hastings
Presentation Porker – Gemma Baldock, Invercargill
Frame and Line – Mel Ford, Levin
Reading Between The Lines – Mel Ford, Levin
Nested Bowls MELISSA – Anett Pilz, Mount Maunganui
Pietà II – Richard McCoy, Nelson
The line of descent – Andrew Davie, New Plymouth
The Hidden – Scott Boardman, Otumoetai
Chrysalid – Sebastien Jaunas, Paekakariki
Signs of life. Vanity Suite 2017 – Kristin Peren, Queenstown
Korro Korro by Thomas Tooi 1818 – Jo Torr, Tauranga
Leftovers reconfigured – Stuart Forsyth, Wellington
Miss – Vicki Payne, Wellington
Balustrade – Daniel Rose, Wellington
Still, I Found All the Pieces – Claudia Latisnere, Wellington
Hypo-Tension – Alexis Neal, Wellsford
Raw – Debbie Hahn, Whanganui
The winner and merit award winners of the National Contemporary Art Award will be announced at the opening ceremony on Friday 28 July at Waikato Museum. The exhibition will open from Saturday 29 July until Sunday 5 November 2017.
All of the 2016 sponsors are returning this year, with the winner to receive $20,000 from the major sponsors, Chow Hill and Tompkins Wake. Three merit awards of $1000 each will be awarded from the Friends of Waikato Museum, Random Art Group and David’s Emporium.
For more information contact:
Dan Silverton
Partnerships and Communications Manager
07 838 6956
021 056 9810