History of the National Contemporary Art Award
In its beginnings, the National Contemporary Art Award was initiated and administered by the Waikato Society of Arts (WSA). The exhibition has always been held at Waikato Museum, but it wasn't until 2006 that the administration of the award was handed over to Waikato Museum.
Formerly known as the Trust Waikato National Contemporary Art Award and the Bold Horizon National Contemporary Art Award, the award is now known as the National Contemporary Art Award. Trust Waikato were very generous sponsors until 2009 and the Trust Waikato Collection boasts many works by winners and finalists.
2010 heralded a change and Bold Horizon, a brand development and marketing firm, sponsored the awards for two years.
In 2012, the well-known Waikato philanthropist and farmer, Barry Hopkins sponsored the award. Despite being very unwell, he was able to attend the award ceremony and purchased one of the finalist's works, Meet me inside #2 by Natalie Guy.
2013 saw the return of the founders of the award. The WSA generously donated the first prize of $15,000.
In 2016 the prize for the award increased to $20,000 thanks to joint sponsors Tompkins Wake and Chow:Hill, and three merit awards of $1,000 each were added to the prize pool.
The award was not held in 2020 due to disruption caused by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Leading New Zealand law firm Tompkins Wake became principal sponsor in 2023, providing the cash prize of $20,000 in its entirety and celebrating 10 years of continuous support for the National Contemporary Art Award. The Hugo Charitable Trust also increased their support, with the Runner Up prize growing to $7,500 from $5,000 in previous years.
Following the 2023 award, it was announced that the National Contemporary Art Award will be moving to a biennial competition, occurring every two years from 2025.
Below are the years in chronological order and the winners, and with it the judges who have chosen the best of contemporary art for another year in Aotearoa.
YEAR |
WINNING WORK |
ARTIST |
JUDGE |
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2000 Sponsored by Trust Waikato Initiated and administered by Waikato Society of Arts. Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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The Oval
Photograph, 2000 |
Gregory Burke Director, Govett Brewster Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand |
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2001 Sponsored by Trust Waikato Administered by Waikato Society of Arts Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Perfect Pitch (detail) Photographic assemblage 2001, |
Mary Barr and Jim Barr Art writers, critics, and collectors, Wellington, New Zealand |
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2002 Sponsored by Trust Waikato Administered by Waikato Society of Arts Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
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Hyperreal Toolbox for the Reinvention of a Transglobal Empire in a Parallel Universe Installation 2002 |
Zara Stanhope Director, Adam Art Gallery 1999 - 2002, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand |
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2003 Sponsored by Trust Waikato Administered by Waikato Society of Arts Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
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To the Moon and Back Acrylic on canvas 2003 |
Tobias Berger Director, Artspace, Auckland, New Zealand |
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2004 Sponsored by Trust Waikato Administered by Waikato Society of Arts Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
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Blind Date Photograph installation, 2004
Photographic installation, 2004
Honeycomb Reticulum Scultpural installation 2004 |
Sophie McIntyre Director, Adam Art Gallery, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand |
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2005 Sponsored by Trust Waikato Administered by Waikato Society of Arts Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
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Nightfall DVD 2005 |
Heather Galbraith Senior Curator, City Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand |
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2006 Sponsored by Trust Waikato Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
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A Library to Scale, Part II, Marshland Hill, F.B. Butler Collection, Puke Ariki, New Plymouth Video animation 2006 |
Mercedes Vicente Senior Curator, Govett Brewster Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand |
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Sponsored by Trust Waikato Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
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Resonance Air-drying clay, acrylic, audio speakers, recording 2007 |
Leonhard Emmerling Director St. Paul Street Gallery AUT, Auckland, New Zealand |
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Sponsored by Trust Waikato Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Untitled Found Pinex board, 2008 |
Natasha Conland Curator of Art, Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand |
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Sponsored by Trust Waikato Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Collateral In-situ installation by WM Staff by Proxy - discarded freight wrappers and labels, 2009 |
Charlotte Huddleston Senior Curator of Art, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand |
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Sponsored by Bold Horizon Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
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Lozenge of Dawn Paper, acrylic, 2010 |
Rachel Kent Senior Curator of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA),Sydney, Australia |
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Sponsored by Bold Horizon Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Blue Poles Acrylic el Fresco, 2011 |
John Hurrell Independent curator, artist, critic and Director of EyeContact Site, Auckland, New Zealand |
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Sponsored by Barry Hopkins Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Parallel of Life and Art In-situ installation with ready-made bus stop 2012 |
Caterina Riva Director, Artspace Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand |
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Sponsored by Waikato Society of Arts Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
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Morrison Drive, Hobsonville Pigment inkjet
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Jon Bywater
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Sponsored by Tompkins Wake and Ebbett Audi Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Tell Someone if Something Happens Mixed Media |
Simon Rees Director, Govett Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand |
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Sponsored by Chow:Hill and Tompkins Wake Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
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Pioneer City Flag Mixed media installation |
Head of School at Ilam School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury
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Sponsored by Tompkins Wake and Chow:Hill Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Good Kisser 3D printed vases |
Misal Adnan Yildiz Director, Artspace Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand |
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Sponsored by Tompkins Wake and Chow:Hill Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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The Meaning of Ethics Mixed media on board |
Elizabeth Caldwell Director at City Gallery Wellington |
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Sponsored by Tompkins Wake and Chow:Hill Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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You and Me. The Weight of History Acrylic paint skins |
Reuben Friend Director at Pātaka Art + Museum |
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Sponsored by Tompkins Wake and Chow:Hill Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Nana’s Birthday (A Big Breath) Acrylic on plywood Ayesha Green (Kaai Tahu, Ngaati Kahungunui) |
Fiona Pardington Internationally-renowned New Zealand artist, MNZM, Doc FA |
Please note: The award was not held in 2020 due to disruption caused by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
| 2021
Sponsored by Tompkins Wake and Chow:Hill Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Palmolive Single channel video |
Judge: Karl Chitham Director, The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt, Wellington |
| 2022
Sponsored by Tompkins Wake and Chow:Hill Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Red Handed Acrylic paint and charcoal on MDF board with collage |
Judge: Reuben Paterson Internationally renowned New Zealand artist |
| 2023
Sponsored by Tompkins Wake Administered by Waikato Museum Exhibition at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato |
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Scenes from a Victorian Restaurant Reclaimed wood, enamel/acrylic paint
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Judge: Melanie Oliver Acclaimed arts curator and commentator
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