March 10, 2016
Maori artists lead contemporary art prize
Maori artists have made a strong showing in the entrants for New Zealand’s contemporary art prize.
Entrants for the biannual Walters Prize are chosen by an independent panel based on shows seen over the past two years and the artists then redo the work for exhibition at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki from July to October.
The winner is chosen by an overseas judge.
Works in contention are the video work of two shoots that stretch far out by Shannon Te Ao of Ngati Tuwharetoa which was shown at the 2014 Sydney Bienalle.
Ngapuhi artist Lisa Reihana’s multi-screen in Pursuit of Venus [infected], was a hit when shown at the Auckland gallery last year.
"Raise the anchor, unfurl the sails, set course to the centre of an ever setting sun!", A billboard work by Nathan Pohio of Ngai Tahu which featured in last year’s Scape public art festival in Christchurch and Wairoa artist Joyce Campbell’s video work Flightdream which was exhibited last year in Auckland’s Two Rooms gallery.
The jury says the four artworks engage with New Zealand’s history through strategies that question and re-imagine the present.
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