National Contemporary Art Award 2023
29 July - 12 November 2023
Open daily 10am to 5pm
Free entry
Brave, colourful, and never shy. The art of now.
Each year the National Contemporary Art Award brings the best in Aotearoa contemporary art to the Waikato. The finalists on display are selected via a blind-judging process by the annually appointed judge.
Prize winners
The winner of the 2023 National Contemporary Art Award was announced at the opening gala by this year's guest judge, highly respected arts curator and commentator Melanie Oliver.
- 2023 National Contemporary Art Award, $20,000 prize sponsored by Tompkins Wake
Tawhai Rickard for Scenes from a Victorian Restaurant (reclaimed wood, enamel/acrylic paint). - 2023 Runner Up and winner of the $7,500 Hugo Charitable Trust Award
Sung Hwan Bobby Park for BTM 조상 초상화 Ancestor Portrait (digital photograph). - 2023 Friends of Waikato Museum $1,000 Merit Award winner
Hannah Ireland for Stained Cheery Wine (watercolour, ink and acrylic on found window).
- 2023 Random Art Group $1,000 Merit Award winner
Sara (Hera) Tautuku Orme for Darling, Tēnei Au (photograph). - 2023 Campbell Smith Memorial People’s Choice Award
Cora-Allan for Kai Paraoa (whenua (pukepoto and karangahape blush) on hiapo).
Finalists
From a record-breaking number of entries, 41 artworks were selected as finalists for the 2023 National Contemporary Art Award by this year's judge, Melanie Oliver.
Brett a'Court ▪️ Rachel Hope Allan ▪️ Colleen Altagracia ▪️ Naomi Azoulay ▪️ Debbie Barber ▪️ Jordan Barnes ▪️ Tori Beeche ▪️ Deborah Body ▪️ Emily Brown ▪️ D Milton Browne ▪️ Esther Bunning ▪️ Cathy Carter ▪️ Katherine Claypole ▪️ Antony Densham ▪️ Kim Fifield ▪️ Alastair Floyd ▪️ Hannah Ireland ▪️ Bena Jackson ▪️ Reece King ▪️ Cecelia Kumeroa ▪️ Theo Macdonald ▪️ Leanne Morrison ▪️ Ella Grace Nicol ▪️ Shannon Novak ▪️ Sara (Hera) Tautuku Orme ▪️ Mark O'Donnell & Cameron Rey ▪️ Maria O'Toole ▪️ Sung Hwan Bobby Park ▪️ Marilyn Rea-Menzies ▪️ Tawhai Rickard ▪️ Naomi Roche ▪️ Warisara Thomson ▪️ Jenny Tomlin ▪️ Hannah Valentine ▪️ Anja Vallis ▪️ Rīhari Warnock ▪️ Amanda Watson ▪️ Siniva Williams ▪️ Benjamin Work ▪️ Cora-Allan
Judge's Talk
This public event with guest judge, Melanie Oliver, was recorded on the opening day of the National Contemporary Art Award 2023 exhibition. It also features the National Contemporary Art Award 2023 winner, Tawhai Rickard.
Exhibition catalogue
Download a PDF copy:
National Contemporary Art Award 2023 exhibition catalogue [PDF file, 6MB, 32 colour pages]
Media Releases
Reawakened tradition wins People’s Choice Award - 26 October 2023
Visual ode to biculturalism wins $20,000 National Contemporary Art Award - 28 July 2023
Finalists selected from record-breaking number of entries - 24 May 2023
Entries close soon for National Contemporary Art Award - 24 April 2023
Respected arts curator to judge cutting edge National Contemporary Art Award - 22 February 2023