Week 3-The Walters Awards

1. What is the background to the Walters Prize?

The Walters Prize is New Zealand's most prestigious contemporary art prize. This biennial award recognises an artist who has made an outstanding contribution to contemporary art in New Zealand in the two years prior. Named in honour of artist Gordon Walters, it was established by founding benefactors and principal donors Erika and Robin Congreve and Dame Jenny Gibbs to make contemporary art a more widely recognised and debated and prominent feature of New Zealand cultural life.

http://www.aucklandartgallery.com/whats-on/events/2010/july/the-walters-prize-2010

2. List the 4 selected artists for 2010 and briefly describe their work.

Dan Arps: Explaining Things shown at Gambia Castle, Auckland (7-24 December 2008).

Dan Arps work consists of works created using objects one would see on a day to day basis to show the simplicity of each piece.

Fiona Connor: Something Transparent (please go round the back) shown at Michael Lett, Auckland (15 April – 16 May 2009)

Conners work was a architectural piece that consisted of two doorways separated by roof supports attached to the ground. The sterile white structure was made out of wood and bolts, a very neat and tidy work.

Saskia Leek: Yellow is the Putty of the World shown at Ivan Anthony Gallery, Auckland (25 November - 23 December 2009)

Leeks work consisted of several paintings that were pastel colored with geometric shapes creating buildings and objects.

Alex Monteith: Passing Manoeuvre with Two Motorcycles and 584 Vehicles for Two-Channel Video shown at ST PAUL St, Auckland (19 June - 7 July 2008

Alex Monteith's work was a video of two motorbikes illegally driving through congested traffic. One bike filmed the front bike while the front bike had a camera facing backwards at the second bike. this two angled video was a very interesting piece.

3. Who are the jury members for 2010?

Jon Bywater : - Programme Leader, Critical Studies at Elam School of Fine Art, The University of Auckland.

Rhana Devenport : - Director, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth
Leonhard Emmerling: - Visual Arts Adviser, Goethe Institute, Munich,
Germany, former Director, ST PAUL St, AUT University
Kate Montgomery : - Director, Physics Room, Christchurch

4. Who is the judge for 2010 and what is his position in the art world?

Vicente Todoli will judge the Walters Prize 2010 and announce the award winner on 8 October. Vicente was director of London's Tate Modern from 2003-2010. He was a prime mover in the Tate's global success - now the most visited modern art museum in the world. From 1989-96 Todolí was artistic director for The Valencia Institute for Modern Art (IVAM), Spain, and before it opened he was their Chief curator. Throughout his distinguished career he organised and curated internationally renowned exhibitions of work by contemporary artists, making him the perfect choice to be this years judge.

References:

http://www.thebigidea.co.nz/news/industry-news/2010/apr/68823-walters-prize-2010-finalists

http://www.aucklandartgallery.com/whats-on/events/2010/july/the-walters-prize-2010

http://cadiblog2010.blogspot.com/2010/08/week-3-walters-prize-2010.html