Pātaka Museum Director To Judge The Inaugural Richard T Nelson Awards For Sculpture

Reuben Friend (Ngāti Maniapoto, Pākehā), director of Porirua's Pātaka Art + Museum, is to judge the inaugural Richard T Nelson Awards for sculpture.

Carla Russell, the Executive Director of the awards, is excited to have Friend as a judge.

‘We are honoured to have Reuben as the judge,’ says Carla. ‘With fifteen years of experience in the arts, he brings insight and a wealth of knowledge to these awards.’

Friend is a father, husband, artist, writer, curator and is currently the Director of Pātaka Art Gallery and Museum in Porirua. Prior to working at Pātaka he was Exhibitions Manager at Logan Art Gallery in Brisbane, Australia, and from 2009-2013 he was a Curator at City Gallery Wellington.

‘It’s a privilege to be invited to judge these awards, ‘says Friend. ‘Wellington has long prided itself as the Arts Capital of Aotearoa, and it is great to see nationally significant awards offered here in our city. We are very thankful to philanthropist and arts patron Richard T Nelson for his passion and support of small-scale contemporary sculpture. This is important for New Zealand art and I can’t wait to see the finalists. Looking at some of the names, I know my job is going to be hard.’

83 artworks from 60 finalists are up for a premier award of $15,000 and five highly commended awards of $1,000. They will all be on display at the NZ Art Show 2021, at the TSB Arena over Queen’s Birthday Weekend, June 4 – 6. The winners will be announced on Thursday June 3, at a special VIP preview of the show.

ABOUT THE AWARDS

These awards aim to recognise excellence in New Zealand sculpture and seek to foster a market for small scale sculpture, so collectors can enjoy them at home.

These inaugural awards are valued at $20,000 with a premier prize of $15,000 rewarding creative talent and craftsmanship, with five highly commended prizes of $1000 each.

The finalists will be on display and for sale at the 2021 NZ Art Show, June 4-6, Queen’s Birthday Weekend, at the TSB Arena on Queens Wharf.

https://sculptureawards.nz/

ABOUT THE NZ ART SHOW

• Held annually in Wellington at the TSB Arena over Queens Birthday weekend (4-6 June 2021) the Show is New Zealand’s largest sale of original New Zealand art works
• Beginning in 2004, 2021 sees the show celebrate its 18th consecutive year
• More than 10,000 people visit the show over the three-day show period proving that art is for everyone
• The NZ Art Show is proud to be accessible, affordable, and reputable as a true representative of New Zealand’s diverse and unique artistic community
• The NZ Art Show’s vision is to encourage New Zealanders to celebrate New Zealand culture and identity through NZ art and to promote New Zealand artists by providing opportunities to further their development
• All artists have been subject to a selection process promising an exhibition of quality and deserving participating artists
• Exhibiting around 2,000 artworks by 155 artists, attendees are free to view and purchase art in a dynamic and stimulating environment.
• Artworks are priced between $50 and $5,000, unchanged since 2004, and the average price is $650.
• Whether you are a seasoned collector or new to the world of art – there is something for everyone at affordable prices. The NZ Art Show offers a great place to start or add to a collection – and you never know what you will discover.
• Over 100 artists will be on site for attendees to meet and engage with
• The NZ Art Show is a significant contributor to many in New Zealand’s art community with many people benefiting from its operations and activities.
• Many artists have used the NZ Art show to kick start their careers. The NZ Art Show gives many emerging artists the opportunity for their work to be seen by thousands of people.

QUICK STATISTICS FROM THE PAST 17 YEARS OF THE NZ ART SHOW

• More than 4,000 NZ artists represented
• $14.5 million of art sold
• Around $13 million returned back to the artists themselves
• Around 45,000 artworks exhibited
• Around 23,000 artworks sold
• $130,000 presented to artists in award programmes
• Over 140,000 people have attended the shows

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