Walters Prize
The Walters Prize is New Zealand's largest contemporary art prize.
Held biennially since 2002, the prize aims to 'make contemporary art a more widely recognised and debated feature of cultural life'. The prize is named in honour of New Zealand abstract painter Gordon Walters and the founding benefactors and principal donors are Erika and Robin Congreve and Dame Jenny Gibbs.[1] The prize is organised by and held at Auckland Art Gallery.
Four artists are nominated each year by a panel of four New Zealand-based jurors for a work or body of work exhibited in the previous two years. The four artists are invited to install the nominated works (or version of their nominated show) at the Auckland Art Gallery in a public exhibition. The prize is awarded by a visiting international judge.[2]
The winner receives $50,000. The prize attracts significant media coverage every year.
The 2016 nominees were considered notable, as three of the four nominees are of Māori descent.[3]
Recipients and finalists
2021
Jurors: Allan Smith, Nathan Pohio, Melanie Oliver, Charlotte Huddleston.[4]
Finalists:
- Mata Aho Collective and Maureen Lander for Atapō (winner) [5]
- Fiona Amundsen for A Body That Lives[6]
- Sriwhana Spong for The painter-tailor[7]
- Sonya Lacey for Weekend[8]
There was some controversy over conflict of interest with this iteration of the Walters Prize, as two of the selected works had been in exhibitions curated by jurors.[9]
2018
Jurors: Stephen Cleland, Allan Smith, Lara Strongman, Megan Tamati-Quennell[10][11]
Finalists:
- Ruth Buchanan for Bad Visual Systems (winner)[12]
- Jacqueline Fraser for The Making of Mississippi Grind 2017
- Jess Johnson & Simon Ward for Whol Why Wurld
- Pati Solomona Tyrell for Fāgogo
2016
Judge: Doryun Chong
Jurors: Emma Bugden, Peter Robinson, Lara Strongman, Nina Tonga
Finalists:
- Shannon Te Ao for Two shoots that stretch far out (2013–2014) (winner)[13]
- Joyce Campbell for Flightdream (2015)
- Nathan Pohio for Raise the anchor, unfurl the sails, set course to the centre of an ever setting sun! (2015)
- Lisa Reihana for in Pursuit of Venus [infected] (2015)[14]
2014
Judge: Charles Esche
Jurors: Tina Barton, Anna-Marie White, Peter Robinson, Caterina Riva.
Finalists:
- Luke Willis Thompson for inthisholeonthisislandwhereiam (winner)[2][15][16][17]
- Maddie Leach for If you find the good oil let us know
- Simon Denny for All You Need is Data
- Kalisolaite 'Uhila for Mo'ui tukuhausia
2012
Judge: Mami Kataoka
Jurors: David Cross, Aaron Kreisler, Kate Montgomery, Gwynneth Porter.
- Kate Newby for Crawl out your window (winner)[18][19][20]
- Simon Denny for Introductory logic video tutorial
- Alicia Frankovich for Floor Resistance
- Sriwhana Spong for Fanta Silver and Song
2010
Judge: Vicente Todolí
Jurors: Jon Bywater, Rhana Devenport, Leonhard Emmerling and Kate Montgomery.
- Dan Arps for Explaining Things (winner)[21][22][23]
- Alex Monteith for Passing Manoeuvre with Two Motorcycles and 584 Vehicles for Two-Channel Video
- Fiona Connor for Something Transparent (please go round the back)
- Saskia Leek for Yellow is the Putty of the World
German-based New Zealand artist Michael Stevenson was also nominated for his 2008 exhibition Persepolis 2530 shown in Bristol, but the Auckland Art Gallery stated that 'due to accommodation and budgetary constraints it was not possible to exhibit' the work and therefore while the nomination stood it was not eligible for judging.[24]
2008
Judge: Catherine David
Jurors: Jon Bywater, Elizabeth Caldwell, Andrew Clifford and Rhana Devenport[25]
- Peter Robinson for ACK (winner)[26]
- Edith Amituanai for Déjeuner
- Lisa Reihana for Digital Marae
- John Reynolds for Cloud
2006
Judge: Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev
Jurors: Tina Barton, Andrew Clifford, Wystan Curnow and Heather Galbraith[27]
- Francis Upritchard for Doomed, Doomed, All Doomed (winner)[1][28]
- Stella Brennan for Wet Social Sculpture
- Phil Dadson for Polar Projects
- Peter Robinson for The Humours
2004
Judge: Robert Storr
Jurors: Tina Barton, Dr Deidre Brown, Greg Burke and Justin Paton[29]
- et al. for restricted access (winner)[30][31]
- Jacqueline Fraser for <<Invisible>>
- Ronnie van Hout for No Exit Parts 1 and 2
- Daniel von Sturmer for The Truth Effect
2002
Judge: Harald Szeemann
Jurors: Robert Leonard, Justin Paton, Anna Miles and William McAloon[32]
- Yvonne Todd for Asthma and Eczema (winner)[33][34]
- Gavin Hipkins for The Homely (1997-2000)
- John Reynolds for Harry Human Heights (2001)
- Michael Stevenson for Call Me Immendorff (2000)
References
- ^ a b Herrick, Linda (3 October 2006). "Doom and gloom scoops $50,000 Walters Prize". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ a b "Walters Prize 2014". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Three Māori artists finalists for Walters prize". Mana Magazine. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ "The Walters Prize 2020: Nominees announced for New Zealand's foremost contemporary art prize". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "Atapō". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "A Body That Lives". ST PAUL St Gallery. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "Leah Reynolds on Sriwhana Spong's Ida-Ida | Contemporary HUM". contemporary-hum. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "SOLO 2018". The Dowse Art Museum. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "Walters Art Prize judging above board, says gallery". RNZ. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "The Walters Prize 2018: Nominees announced for New Zealand's foremost contemporary art prize". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ Amery, Mark (25 April 2020). "The conflict over conflict of interest: On the Walters Art Prize judging process". The Spinoff. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "Ruth Buchanan wins Walters Prize 2018". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
- ^ Christie, Dionne (1 October 2016). "Winning art praised for powerful elegance". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- ^ "Four artists announced for the Walters Prize 2016". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ "Walters Prize awarded to Luke Willis Thompson". Stuff.co.nz. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ Gifford, Adam (19 July 2014). "Walters Prize contenders: Living rough and a taxi to nowhere". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ Daly-Peoples, John (6 August 2014). "The Walters Prize: clever work if you can find it". National Business Review. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ Gifford, Adam (13 October 2012). "Walters Prize: Lots of travel, lots of talking". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ Pryor, Nicole (21 October 2012). "Walters art prize goes to Newby". Auckland Now. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Walters Prize 2012". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ Herrick, Linda (8 October 2010). "Auckland artist wins $50,000 Walters prize". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Dan Arps – Walters Prize 2010 awardee". Auckland Art Gallery Blog. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Walters Prize 2010". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ Daly-Peoples, John (29 April 2010). "Emerging artists in line for Walters Prize". National Business Review. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Walters Prize 2008". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Walters Prize 2008". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Walters Prize 2006". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Walters Prize 2006". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Walters Prize 2004". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Et al. NZ artists for Venice Biennale 2005 win prestigious NZ Award, The Walters Prize". e-flux. 25 November 2004. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Walters Prize 2004". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Walters Prize 2002". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ Herrick, Linda (17 July 2002). "Yvonne Todd wins $50,000 Walters art prize". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ^ "Walters Prize 2002". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 18 June 2019.