Premier Ceramic Award’s Finalists on Show

Premier Ceramic Award’s Finalists on Show

Works from some of the country’s best ceramic artists will be on show at ‘The Silos’ in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter from 12 - 20 October.

The 2013 Portage Ceramic Awards attracted more than 200 entries from clay artists all over the country, the best of which were selected for the exhibition. This year’s Award’s judge, Canadian artist and academic, Amy Gogarty said the role of narrowing down the list of entries, while difficult, was a pleasure that will remain with her.

“I am first and foremost impressed by the number and quality of entries,” says Mrs Gogarty.

The 60 finalist works selected for exhibiting at ‘The Silos’ vary in size from fingernail minute to multi-piece, metre-high installations and range in colour from porcelain white to eye-popping psychedelic.

“In all of the work, I looked for ambition—something that went beyond ordinary studio/gallery work and that seemed to appreciate this is a premier award.

“I’ve chosen a lot of work that is “quirky,”—strange forms, odd colour, playful rather than literally “meaningful. I also was attracted to functional work that appeared to comment in some way about its status as functional work—in how it was arranged or displayed. In the sculptural work, I looked for a level of sophistication in the perceived meaning and the realization as form.”

Mrs Gogarty, who has convened arts awards worldwide, commented that the finalist works were of a similar calibre to that selected for exhibition internationally.

“The state of ceramics in New Zealand is strong and will only grow stronger as its artists continue to make good work, to travel and absorb new influences and to take steps onto the international stage, where they surely belong.”

The exhibiting artists compete for the coveted Premier Portage Ceramic Award which carries a prize of $15,000. The winner will be announced at a ceremony held in ‘The Silo’s’ from 8.00pm on Friday 11 October.

In addition to the Premier Portage Award, two inaugural, international residencies will be announced. A one month residency at the International Ceramic Research Centre in Guldagergaard, Denmark and another to Medalta, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

Three merit awards and a People’s Choice Award will also be given this year. Entry forms for the public to vote for this Award are available at the exhibition.

Tickets to the ceremony are available for purchase. Go to www.lopdell.org.nz for details.

The Awards event features the supremely talented Opera Trio, Sol3 Mio - three Samoan Kiwis - Darren Pene Pati, Amitai Pati and Moses Mackay – who are rapidly rising in popularity around the world.

Ticket holders will also be treated to a stand-out audio visual display projected onto The Silos, by well known experiential designers, Perceptual Engineering.

Established in 2001, The Portage Ceramic Awards are New Zealand’s premier showcase for the ceramic arts. Administered by Lopdell House Gallery and funded by The Trust’s Community Foundation, the awards are the country’s best known barometer identifying our finest ceramic artists.

These annual awards and exhibition provide a vital platform to showcase the diversity of ceramic artists nationwide.

ENDS

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