Celebrating art for wine’s sake
Wine and art have been reasonably affectionate bedfellows ever since someone first learned how to stomp a grape. Dionysus – the Greek god of wine – also happens to be the god of theatre and ritual madness.
There is an art to making good wine, and a craft to making good art. Which is why a brand-new art competition, one that celebrates both the artistic and winemaking talents of the top of the south, has recently been unveiled.
The Wine is Art competition is being run in conjunction with
Casa del Vino and Parker Gallery in Nelson for 3D artists/sculptors living in the top of the south.
The contest is only open to artists living in Nelson, Tasman & Marlborough, creative minds matured and marinated in the wine-growing region. All submissions are for a threedimensional artwork or sculpture with a $3000 prize awarded to the winner.
Submissions close on March 23, but before you start pulling out that chisel and hammer, judges only require plans for artwork to be submitted, not the finished piece itself. Only the successful applicant will have the opportunity to bring their idea to life.
The overarching theme of the competition is wine, but as the statement for the competition outlines:
‘‘There are many interpretations of the myriad of aspects of wine, ranging from the visual beauty to the history, flavours, and traditions. Other aspects of wine as a theme to consider are the social implications and effects of wine … Art that incorporates humour, or thought-provoking messages, movement (kinetic), or visually stunning technique is encouraged. Fun and irreverence toward wine is also encouraged.’’
The winning piece will then be commissioned to take pride of place in the front window at Casa del Vino on Nelson’s Hardy St for two months, before moving to the Parker Gallery. So not only is there a chance for a welcome fiscal windfall, the artist will also receive some valuable wider exposure.
Nelson boutique wine shop Casa del Vino supports smaller local wineries at the top of the south, and owner Glenn Cormier says that philosophy of championing local talent also extends to the completion:
‘‘While promoting wine, the main impetus is to support the arts, and make people more aware of how great the artists are here at the top of the south. There’s so many good ones.’’
‘‘Nelson and Marlborough are really famous for their wines, and so are many of the artists here. The two go hand-in-hand. We are smaller community in New Zealand and we want to promote our community. I think people know the artists are there, but I just wanted to create a little more excitement for art in the region.’’
Jason Hale Tillman. who lives at Rarangi Beach in Marlborough, is a full-time as an artist, designer and craftsman who is planning to make a submission to the competition. Tillman is a 3D artist working mainly with metals, and has been making waves in recent years for his meticulously designed sculptural works which reflect the natural world.
Originally from the USA, he and his wife moved to Marlborough for the wine business. Tillman worked in the industry for a spell with his wife at Seresin Estate before settling into his role as a full-time artist:
‘‘I did a bit of everything at the winery, so I really got to learn about the process of making wine. It’s like my work - from planning, to design, to detail and finished product, there is a whole process to art and winemaking.
Tillmansays his submission will reflect his own experiences and environment:
‘‘I love rust. I’ve always been attracted to metals. I work a lot with steel, stainless steel and copper. But I just love that rustic, naturalistic feel which is key to a lot of my work here.’’
Tilman says his background growing up in the urban jungle of New York City has had a significant influence on his artistic output.
‘‘You should see some of the photography I did in Brooklyn from the old days, the old rusted rail yards … I was always attracted to decay, something that has been affected by time. Rather than brand new, and shiny.’’
But Tillman says that his move to New Zealand has certainly altered his approach. Like a fine wine, you could certainly say that an artist is a product of their environment:
‘‘I used to have my own thing – something that was formed by architecture. Something that much more mechanical. But when I got here, a lot of that changed,’’ he says.
‘‘People, used to ask me if I was influenced by my surroundings, and I used to say: ‘Oh no, I’ve got my own aesthetic.’ And that has shifted now, and I have noticed a big change over time since I came to NZ. I’m much more influenced by the seaside, the bush and decaying logs. And most recently, a lot of influence from the earthquakes.’’
‘‘For the competition, I think I’m going to stick to my aesthetic – using naturalistic forms. But the possibilities are endless. The brief is pretty wide open,’’ he says.
‘‘You can do not only grapes, and wine but the industry itself. I think they could be interested in something a bit more ‘cheeky’, perhaps something with a social commentary,’’ Tilman says.
Casa Del Vino owner Cormier says that, if successful, they plan on making the competition an annual affair.
‘‘There’s a purity to the varietals here,’’cormier says about New Zealand wine.
‘‘The terroir here, is very unique to the climate and soil, of course. And I guess you could say the same about the artists here too.’’
For more information about the competition and your submission head to: casadelvino.co.nz/wp/ competition
"The terroir here is very unique to the climate and soil, of course. And I guess you could say the same about the artists." Glenn Cormier