Thirty-four in the frame for arts award
Thirty-four finalists have been selected for this year’s National Contemporary Art Award, the competition that frequently challenges – and occasionally confounds – perceptions of what art can or cannot be.
Finalists were selected through a ‘‘blind’’ judging process where judge Misal Adnan Yildiz reviewed artists’ statements, images and optional video works online without seeing the identity of the artist.
The award, hosted each year by Waikato Museum, has an eyebrow and headline-raising history of having some unusual and quirky artworks selected as the winner. In 2014 it was a shelf with a fluorescent tube delicately perched on its edge. In 2012 it was a creamy-coloured bus shelter. And in 2009 the top work was packaging from other award entries that the artist instructed gallery staff to throw together as his exhibit.
The winner will 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.
Originally from Turkey, Yildiz is the director of the ArtspaceNZ gallery. The former artistic director of Kunstlerhaus Stuttgart has curated and collaborated on numerous art projects internationally and has held many solo exhibitions.
The winner and merit award winners will be announced on Friday, September 2 at Waikato Museum. The exhibition will open from September 3 until December 4.
‘‘We’re excited about the calibre of this year’s entrants and I would like to thank all those who entered. It’s a tough competition,’’ museum director Cherie Meecham said.
Two Waikato-based artists are among the finalists: Tony Nicholls and Clara Wells.
For more details, check out the award’s Facebook page.
The selected artworks and artists are:
1. Push Me Pull You – Cachemaille and Bowmast, Motueka 2. The Formation of Jupiter – Yoon Tae Kim, Auckland 3. Radiance and Colour – Oliver King, Warkworth 4. Watchers (George Bolt Memorial Drive) – Brendon Sellar, Auckland 5. To a willing person, injury is not done – Douglas Stichbury, USA 6. LITEWEIGHT (The Holy Trinity Of Muscle or Last Minute Tips For 11th Hour Abs) – Gary Mac- kay, Auckland 7. Good Kisser – Sorawit Songsataya, Auckland 8. The Essence of Art – Part 1 – Tony Nicholls, Hamilton 9. A Brighter Future – Tiger Murdoch, Auckland 10. Envelope – Matt Arbuckle, Auckland 11. Sacred Valley -Mark Bolland, Dunedin 12. Random – Susan Mabin, Hastings 13. Phablet 3.0 – Charlotte Imogen Benoit, Auckland 14. Departures – D Milton Browne, Dunedin 15. Drugs on Toast – Justin Spiers, Dunedin 16. Nest Number Four – Justin Spiers, Dunedin 17. An Informal Evening – Daegan Wells, Christchurch 18. A Booth with Ocean Views (Self Portrait) – Christopher Ulutupu, Wellington 19. Fountain is a Copy? – Ella Sutherland and Matthew Galloway, Dunedin 20. Monochronic – Clara Wells, Hamilton 21. Moon Deed Set in Concrete – Wendelien Bakker, Auckland 22.Paramount – Alex Miln, Tauranga 23. Rosa Drive-In – Alex Miln, Tauranga 24. The Oil Fields – John G Johnston, Auckland 25. The Briefcase – Jason McCormick, Nelson 26. Maquette for a Monument to Global Capitalism and the Free World – Matt Ellwood, Auckland 27. Floor Work I – Rohan Hartley Mills, Oratia 28. It Could Not Possibly Happen Here, Could It? – Peter McLaren, Dunedin 29. Four Colours Only – Peter McLaren, Dunedin 30. Blind:HI-FI – Jonathan Organ and Jessica Pearless, Auckland 31. Liberte – Paul Handley, Melbourne 32. The Order of Things – Mike Ting, Wellington 33. Pillar of Cloud – Brit Bunkley, Whanganui 34. Pa¯rekereke – Seedbed – Elliot Collins, Auckland