NZ Painting & Printmaking Award 2019

The 2019 New Zealand Painting and Printmaking Award (NZPPA) had a wonderful opening night on Thursday the 28 of February, in Wintec’s The Atrium. The weather was fine, and we received an excellent turn out of Waikato Society of Arts members, a substantial number of finalists who had travelled from far and wide to attend and several new faces. 

Sam Cunnane (representing Wintec, our major partner for the award) opened the evening before handing over to Kim Paton (our 2019 judge from Object Space in Auckland). Kim had three awards to deliver and began with the Print Award (valued at $1,000), generously sponsored by the Print Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, which was awarded to Basia Smolnicki for her work At the End of the Day. Following, Kim delivered Wintec’s Merit Award (valued also at $1,000) which went to Telly Tuita for his work Expulsion from Paradise. Finally, Kim delivered the main prize, generously sponsored once again by the Vela Family Trust. This award, valued at $20,000, went to Claudia Kogachi for her work Mom wait up. 

The Award was open to the public for three full days (from Friday through to Sunday) and included a floor talk by the judge on the Saturday morning. During this time, exhibition visitors had the opportunity to vote for their favourite work, giving the artists an additional chance to win the People’s Choice Award which was generously sponsored by Gordon Harris Art Supplies (an award to the value of $750). The Gordon Harris People’s Choice Award was taken with a very high majority, by Heather Campbell for her work Deported Mugshot, 1928, Sydney. 

Thank you once again to everyone who came along in support of the 2019 NZPPA, our judge, Kim Paton, our incredible sponsors, and of course to all of the outstanding artists who entered.