The Walters Prize is an award given to prominent contemporary NZ artists. It was set up in 2002 by Erika and Robin Congreve and Dame Jenny Gibbs. Named after the artist Gordon Walters, it was created to promote contemporary art and make it a bigger part of NZ culture.
The past winners have been Yvonne Todd (2002) Et Al (2004), Francis Upritchard (2006) and Peter Robinson (2008).
The Four selected artists are:
Dan Arps: Explaining Things shown at Gambia Castle, Auckland (7-24 December 2008)
His work is basically things he found on street. It is based around the sense that you can explain things through a diagram (his words), and how one object might explain another object. He wanted to alienate audience, and make them feel uncomfortable.
Fiona Connor: Something Transparent (please go round the back) shown at Michael Lett, Auckland (15 April - 16 May 2009)
Fiona Connor describes herself as an installation artist, and that even in 2D works the context is situational. The idea behind ‘Something Transparent (please go round the back)’ was for people to renegotiate something they already knew, especially by using content that’s already there.
Saskia Leek: Yellow is the Putty of the World shown at Ivan Anthony Gallery, Auckland (25 November - 23 December 2009)
Saskia Leek says way she makes work is idiosyncratic; and doesn’t know how it’s going to turn out. She looks at odd images as starting point, ‘follows [her] nose’, and works intuitively with the spatial and colour relationships of her paintings. They are complete and expansive at the same time.
Alex Monteith: Passing Manoeuvre with Two Motorcycles and 584 Vehicles for Two-Channel Video shown at ST PAUL St, Auckland (19 June - 7 July 2008)
Alex Monteith describes herself as a project dependant artists, and works mostly with performance and video art. She was interested in Adrenaline Culture, and her work revolved around the issue of lane splitting. Her piece was actually illegal to make because of filming requirements- inspirational haha.
The jury members for 2010 are Jon Bywater, Rhana Devenport,
Leonhard Emmerling, and
Kate Montgomery
The Judge for 2010 is Vicente Todoli. He was the director of London’s Tate Modern, the most visited modern art museum, as well as over 10 years being an art director and curator.
I would nominate Saskia Leek for this years Walter’s Prize, mostly because I am old fashioned and like art that I can recognize as art. I find it very clever but completely unpretentious. I like the colours in her work, particularly the idea behind them that the "bleached palette" represents the ambiguous nature of memories. I think she’s succeeded in making her work dynamic even though it’s small. I like that her works manage to be modern and vintage at the same time. I wouldn’t go near oil paints so I admire artists who do. I think maybe Alex Monteith’s work is better (more polished at least), but I still prefer Leeks.
REERENCES:
(n.a, n.d.) ‘The Walters Prize 2010’ from
http://www.aucklandartgallery.com/whats-on/events/2010/july/the-walters-prize-2010
Tamaki, T. ‘Walters Prize 2010 ‘ (n.d) retrieved 16th August 2010 from
http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2010/jul/auckland-cbd/walters-prize-2010
Hi i agree with you about Saskia Leek she is my favorite too. Her work is an artistic but at the same time when i'm looking at it i see something peaceful like an exotic island maybe it's because of the pastel colors .
ReplyDeleteOn my view, Saskia Leek for this years Walter’s is not exactly interest because painting is hard to dsicriminate that wich one is better if we don't know any idea behind. Therefore, my favorite work is "Something Transparent " of Fiona Connor result from it fully creative design and practical use. This kind of work, such as spatial design or interior design, is easier to judge that which one is the most suitable for the prize.
ReplyDeleteNice posting Laura! I had not realised meaning behind Leek's series of paintings that pastel colour tones are actually representing ambiguity of memories. I like her style in painting like layering colours,use some geometric shapes to represent the subjects and expecially her colour tones. It is really nice to look at some brightly coloured paintings among big, sharp-looking, difficult-to-understand artworks from recent exhibits. One of the things that were difficult to read idea behind is Dan Arp's installation. I guess it was the exact thing what he wanted from audience (unexplained things) but I found it is too random, irrelevant things juxtaposed in the same place. I wonder who would get the Walters Prize for this year.
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