Parihaka Pulls In Prizes

It's been a week of accolades for the landmark Parihaka project......the book - Parihaka - The Art of Passive Resistance - has been shortlisted for the Montana New Zealand Book Awards, announced yesterday. And the Parihaka advert has won seven awards at the annual Axis 2001 Awards, the premier creative awards for the advertising industry.

Sharon Crosbie, convenor of the Montana judging panel commented: "Parihaka is a beautiful and unusual book to look at and handle but its contents leave the reader in no doubt as to how powerfully the Parihaka story has influenced NZ art, literature and politics. Excellent."

The 200 page book was co-edited by Te Miringa Hohaia of Parihaka, and Lara Strongman and Gregory O'Brien of City Gallery Wellington, and jointly published with Victoria University Press. It explores the art history, poetry and cultural traditions of Parihaka, as well as the historical, political and spiritual significance of the place. City Gallery Wellington has published a number of award-winning books and catalogues, but this is the first appearance in the prestigious Montana New Zealand Book Awards. The book was shortlisted in the History & Biography category. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner in Napier on 31 July.

The highly innovative Parihaka television advertisement, which featured the words 'Parihaka' being buffeted by colonial forces in the shape of a giant Union Jack, has also been honoured. Saatchi & Saatchi's Len Cheeseman won a Gold award in the Art Direction and Typography category, at the Axis 2001 Awards. The advert scooped a Silver for excellence in the Television/Cinema SFX/Animation category (awarded to local production company Oktobor) and a Bronze in the Soundtrack category (awarded to White Noise).

The print version of the advert won four awards: a Bronze for excellence in illustration and photography (Saatchi); a Bronze for excellence in art direction and use of original typography (Saatchi); a Bronze in the Press Leisure category (Saatchi) and a Highly Commended award in the Television Leisure category (Saatchi).

City Gallery Wellington's long-standing relationship with Saatchi & Saatchi has resulted in a number of national and international awards for outstanding exhibition advertisements, including awards for The Exhibition of the Century and Eyecons.

The Axis Awards, announced last week, are run by the Communication Agencies Association (CAANZ). "Gold, Silver and Merit Awards are highly sought after and Gold winners invariably go on to win Gold Awards in many international programmes," said a CAANZ spokesperson.

The exhibition Parihaka - The Art of Passive Resistance was a partnership project between City Gallery Wellington and Parihaka Pa Trustees. Generously supported by: New Zealand Millennium Office; The New Zealand Lottery Grants Board; Creative New Zealand Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa; Wellington City Council; Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa; Taranaki Museum. Generously sponsored by: Bell Gully Barristers and Solicitors; Wakatu Incorporation; Tohu Wines; Parininihi Ki Waitotara Incorporation; The Dominion; The Evening Post; Saatchi & Saatchi; City Gallery Wellington Foundation. City Gallery Wellington is managed by the Wellington Museums Trust with major funding from the Wellington City Council.

ENDS

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