The Winners of the 26th Wallace Art Awards 2017

The Winners of the 26th Wallace Art Awards 2017

The James Wallace Arts Trust is pleased to announce the winners of the 26th Wallace Art Awards 2017 who were presented with their Awards at the Pah Homestead, TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre last night, September 4, 2017.

The Wallace Art Awards aim to support, promote and expose New Zealand contemporary art and artists. They are the longest surviving and largest annual art awards of their kind in New Zealand.

About the 26th Annual Wallace Art Awards 2017 Winners

Andy Leleisi’uao

Winner – The Wallace Arts Trust Paramount Award

Andy Leleisi’uao, Samoan Aotearoa born and South Auckland based, was the first recipient of the AUT School of Art and Design Pasifika Scholarship in 2000; graduating with a Master of Fine Arts with Honours in 2002. He has participated in several residencies in New Zealand and overseas (notably a Research Scholarship at Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury, and the McCahon House Artists’ Residency; Rarotonga, Taiwan, and Slovakia). Leleisi’uao’s CV presents over twenty years of practice with an extensive list of solo and group exhibitions. His work is included in many major collections: The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the Auckland Art Gallery, the Chartwell Collection, and the James Wallace Arts Trust collection.

From Andy Leleisi’uao’s artist statement:

“Much of the featured symbols found in my work derive directly from items and objects I surround myself with in my studio. At times, my work has referenced social problems: migrant factory workers, corruption in churches and other issues with political undertones, but the style of Harmonic People focuses more on community, friendship and cooperative efforts. The setting is utopian and it’s a place that invites me to share its visual language. It’s a place I am keen to explore further because it has meaning to me and it makes me happy.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media