News
- James Yau wins the Supreme Award for his artwork Horse at the ILT Murihiku Art Awards.
- Christchurch-based curator Jane Wallace praised the simplicity and metaphysical beauty in Yau’s piece.
- The exhibition featuring 65 finalists is on display at He Waka Tuia until 17 November.
The winners of the first ILT Murihiku Art Awards have been revealed at a private opening event. The awards celebrate a new chapter in Southland’s artistic scene, replacing previous exhibitions with a combined format. This year’s Supreme Award, worth $8000, went to James Yau for his artwork Horse. The exhibition, held at He Waka Tuia, showcases all finalists, including works that are available for purchase.
Jane Wallace, a Christchurch-based curator and guest judge, praised Yau’s work for its simplicity and emotional depth. “There is such a fragile strength to this work and I felt in it a quest for something metaphysical, a belief in beauty as something transcendental and a serious road to follow,” she said. Wallace, who is originally from Southland, said it was an honour to serve as the guest judge, especially with so many strong entries.
She found the selection process challenging, narrowing down 200 entries to 65 finalists. “There were so many creative and varied entries to look through again and again to be able to make this selection of finalists. I was particularly impressed with the range of media and materials used across the entries, the quality, particularly in the Rangatahi category, and the visibility of work that was really located in the Southland region,” Wallace added.
The awards for this inaugural event included:
- Supreme Award ($8000): James Yau, Horse
- Second Prize ($4000): Daegan Wells, Because of Where I Live
- Third Prize ($2000): Yasmin Dubrau, We Do The Things That Keep Us Poor
- IPAG or SAS Membership Award ($2000): Lisa Benson, These Lungs Will Dance Forever
- Beattie McDowell Southland (in memory of Mick Hesselin) ($2000): Caitlin Rose Donnelly, Home Paddock
- Innovation Award ($1000): Paora Wiremu, Meet Me in the Greenhaus Afta Skool
- Rangatahi Award ($500): Kasey Toomey, Sunflower Sunset
This is the first time the ILT Murihiku Art Awards have been held. In previous years, the Invercargill Public Art Gallery held the Spring Exhibition while the Southland Arts Society hosted the ILT Art Awards. This year, the decision was made to merge the two events into one larger competition.
Sarah Brown, Manager of Invercargill Public Art Gallery and He Waka Tuia, said it made sense to merge the exhibitions since they were traditionally held around the same time. The exhibition will remain open until 17 November at He Waka Tuia, located on Kelvin Street. All the featured works are available for sale.