Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award
Winner announced

Waiheke Community Art Gallery is delighted to announce Te Mata by Coromandel artist, Barbara von Seida, the winner of the Premier Award at the 2009 Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award. Merit Awards were awarded to Auckland- based Jennifer Mason for Proud and Lauraine Webb of Wanganui for Nets & Horizons.

The prestigious annual national art award for two dimensional work is highly regarded. Entries for the Walker and Hall Waiheke Art Award come from all over New Zealand. All finalists enter new work that has not been exhibited before, thus the award is a showcase of work being produced right across the country with exciting fresh developments from both new and established artists.

Leading art historian and critic, Dr. Ed Hanfling was selector and judge for the 2009 award. The wide ranging entries called for long viewing and careful re evaluation he said. “Each art work is different and the finalists were chosen for an accomplished work with a measure of originality. The works do more than display virtuosity there is also a degree of innocence.”

At the awards ceremony Hanfling nailed a decisive door shut on actually talking to art works rather taking the opposite view, letting art talk to you. “Don’t talk to art, there is no point, but let it speak to you. Artworks hang around on walls quietly. However they do have something to say. Art is not like anything else. It has no specific function. It’s not like a chair that you sit on. It can be considered just from the interior design point of view something to hang on the wall or as an investment. But neither of these are why artists make good art. Instead Hanfling says good art will reveal things you haven’t seen before. Artists respond to a personal creative vision then through talent and creativity put their vision into the real form. Achieving the original vision is the basis on which artists critique their own work.

The Walker and Hall Waiheke Art Award is the Waiheke Community Art Gallery's major annual award exhibition. Past winners have been Rebecca Wallis for 'Fold' in 2008, Kushana Bush for 'Love Painting' in 2007, and Simon Esling for his Untitled work in 2006.

The Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award exhibition runs at the Waiheke Community Art Gallery from 24 October until 18 November.

BACKGROUND

The Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award is a prestigious annual national art award hosted by the Waiheke Community Art Gallery.

This national award is highly regarded. The Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award is for New Zealand resident artists. It is awarded from submissions of two dimensional new works not previously exhibited and which have been completed in the last year.

The 2009 SELECTOR & JUDGE is Dr. Ed Hanfling
The winner receives an award of $5000

The Gala Event and Award Ceremony are a feature of Labour Weekend on Waiheke.
Monday 16th November Exhibition closes at 12 noon
www.waihekeartgallery.org.nz

ENDS

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