Initiative allows artist to develop
Church Road says wine making and art have more in common then you think
As Church Road Winery announces its 2023 Prestige Collection, the wine makers decided it was the perfect time to announce the Church Road Art Initiative, their partnership with MTG Hawke’s Bay.
The art initiative is a multiyear partnership between the winery and art gallery to help New Zealand artists’ careers and add to the cultural vibrancy of the region.
Each year an emerging or mid-career New Zealand artist will be awarded the Church Road Art Initiative.
The initiative supports the recipient through the acquisition of an original piece for the MTG Foundation.
Winning the award will also provide the artist with the opportunity to have their artwork displayed at the gallery as part of its permanent collection.
Additionally, the selected artist will have the opportunity to join the talent lineup of Semi Permanent Aotearoa as part of the Wellington-based creativity and design festival this November, giving an onstage talk about their artistic process.
Following an extensive list of artists compiled against the selection criteria, the three Church Road Art Initiative judges - Church Road chief winemaker Chris Scott, MTG Hawke’s Bay curator Toni MacKinnon and editor-in-chief of New Zealand art magazine The Art Paper, Becky Hemus will each submit suggestions of artists that fit the criteria.
Broadly, the criteria is that the artist be:
• From, or based in, New Zealand;
• At an emerging or emerging mid-career, level of their profession, having professionally exhibited work for less than 10 years;
• Employing paint as their primary medium. This may be any form of paint (oil, watercolour,
gouache, pastel, etc) but should be the defining medium used to describe the artist’s practice.
Chief winemaker Scott said the winery was proud to be supporting the career of a young artist to further enable their own original expressions of artistry through the Church Road Art Initiative.
“We approach winemaking as equal parts science and art, requiring a detailed knowledge of the process and ingredients in addition to a creative approach that allows us to deliver something special.”
Scott said the idea of the Church Road Art Initiative came about as it celebrates the winery’s ethos that every wine they create is an original expression of artistry, and the intention is to bring that to life in a real, tangible way that can be enjoyed and appreciated for many years to come.
“Our Hawke’s Bay home is also incredibly important to us, and is one of the key
distinguishing features of our wines, so to be able to give back to the local community through this partnership feels very special,” he said.
The chief winemaker believes that there are many links between winemaking and art, as they are both combinations of creative expression, instinct, science and materiality.
Curator Toni MacKinnon said MTG was thrilled to be partnering with Church Road on such an exciting initiative.
“It is a great opportunity to propel the career of a young New Zealand artist and to continue building the Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust collection held on behalf of the region.”
The MTG art gallery had been building up its trust collection since 1859 and through donations and purchases had about 90,000 pieces in its current collection.
Church Road Art Initiative winners’ artwork would be added to the MTG’s trust collection.