Winner of National Contemporary Art Award announce

27 August 2005

Winner of National Contemporary Art Award announced

Sriwhana Spong has been chosen as the winner of the 2005 Trust Waikato National Contemporary Art Award for her video work ‘Nightfall’.

Judge Heather Galbraith will make the announcement at the gala opening at the Waikato Museum tonight. [27 August 2005]

This is the first time the award has been given to a video work.

‘Video is an incredibly important medium for contemporary artists (with a history of over thirty years of experimentation) and the selection of video in this year’s entries was particularly strong.’ says Galbraith

Galbraith describes the work as ‘haunting and mesmerising, taking us on a nocturnal journey around a garden, where torchlight stumbles across and illuminates exquisite assemblages on the ground’

The work, set to Cat Steven’s ‘Here Comes My Baby’, elicits flashbacks to cinematic experiences from The Blair Witch Project, to David Lynch’s films ‘Blue Velvet’ and ‘Twin Peaks’.

For her achievement, Spong receives a $10,000 prize and recognition as one of New Zealand’s top contemporary artists.

Spong’s work and that of the other 44 award finalists are available for public viewing until 24 October at the Waikato Museum. The public will also have the opportunity to submit reviews of the artists’ work. These reviews will be published in the Waikato Times over the course of the exhibition.

Art Award committee chairperson Rosie Morrison says the public review process is a valued aspect of the art awards.

‘It is important that people feel comfortable expressing their opinion on the art works, whatever that opinion may be. This open review gives the public an opportunity to have their say and feedback gained through this is a great addition to the award process.’

ENDS

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