Kereama Taepa, Bicultural Dialogue I, 2017. 2017 Rotorua Museum Art Awards Supreme Award Winner. Photo/Natascha Hartzuiker
Kereama Taepa, Bicultural Dialogue I, 2017. 2017 Rotorua Museum Art Awards Supreme Award Winner. Photo/Natascha Hartzuiker
Highlighting the exceptional talent of artists from the Bay of Plenty, this exhibition showcases winners and selected entries from the 2017 Rotorua Museum Art Awards.
Kereama Taepa has won out over 154 other entries from across the Bay of Plenty to take out the $10,000 Rotorua Museum SupremeArt Award with his work Bicultural Dialogue I. Judge Emma Bugden said what set this work apart for her was its simplicity; superbly executed, smart and funny which drew her in and held her attention.
"While the sculpture tackles big subjects-the complexity of cultural identity and the changing nature of craft in a digital era-it does it with cheek and humour. The legacy of tradition is seen through a contemporary lens, simultaneously throwing light on the past and the future."
The $1000 Toi Ohomai Innovation in Art Award went to Jill Fleming for her work Ascension and Cheyenne Rose was named as Friends of Rotorua Museum Emerging Artist for her work Legs.
The Rotorua Museum Art Awards Exhibition of Finalists 2017 displays these three award winning works alongside 45 specially selected entries at Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre until 6 October 2017.
While the exhibition is on display people can vote for their favourite artwork either in the gallery or via the Rotorua Museum Facebook page. This year the More FM People's Choice Award will offer $500 to the artist whose work receives the most public votes in the gallery and $500 for the work with the most online votes by the end of the exhibition (6 October 2017).
Entry to the exhibition at Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre is free and will be open daily between 10am - 4pm from 9 September until 6 October 2017.
For the first time this year Rotorua Museum will be displaying works that were not chosen for the finalist exhibition in a Salon des Refusés. This exhibition will be hosted at Rotorua Library (1238 Pukuatua Street, Rotorua) from 14 September until 7 October 2017 (during normal library opening hours).
All artworks from both exhibitions will be on sale to the public throughout the exhibition period.
For further information please contact Rotorua Museum, phone 07 350 1814 or email rotorua.museum@rotorualc.nz.
