Top New Zealand object artists to be awarded today

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Top New Zealand object artists to be awarded today

Auckland, Friday 12 October 2012 - The winner of New Zealand’s premiere object art award will be announced at 6:00pm today and Auckland Council, which produces the event as part of the Southside Arts Festival, say that the popularity of the annual awards is growing.

Leisa Siteine, Festival Coordinator says, “Southside Arts Festival is a fantastic opportunity for New Zealand artists to showcase their talent. Every year we are getting more and more people entering and participating in the various events on offer, including the Objective Art Awards.”

“As a council we are so pleased to be supporting New Zealand’s arts industry through Southside Art’s Festival,” added Siteine.

There were more than 80 submissions into this year’s objective art awards which, now in its sixth year, attracts entries from the very best object artists in the country.

Award winning contemporary jewelry artist Areta Wilkinson, who has exhibited throughout New Zealand and overseas, was this year’s guest judge. Wilkinson says that the top three works selected this year are of exceptional quality.

“The top three are confident and considered pieces of art work that still manage to be playful,” says Wilkinson.

“They negotiate a high level of technical skill and artistic acumen while maintaining a really nice poetry,” added Wilkinson.

This year’s winner of the prestigious award will win a share of $9,500 in prize money.

The exhibition will be open for the duration of the Southside Arts Festival, which opens today and runs until November 11.

For more information about the Objective Art Awards 2012 and Southside Arts Festival go to: www.southside.org.nz

ENDS

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