Fieldays No 8 wire awards to be judged by Methven metal artist Hannah Kidd

Hannah Kidd with some of her sculptures.

Methven-based metal artist Hannah Kidd will judge this year’s Fieldays No 8 Wire National Art Award.

The annual award, hosted by Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato and supported by the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, challenges artists to turn the iconic Kiwi farming wire into art.

Waikato Museum’s director of museum and arts Liz Cotton says the museum was proud to be associated with the “iconic” Fieldays through the No 8 Wire Award.

Kidd's sculptures often depict human and animal subjects. Photo / Janna Dixon

“We’re thrilled to have Hannah on board as her sculpture practice has [a] strong connection to agriculture and its function in our natural environment. She has first-hand knowledge of the ingenuity required to create art from unusual and unruly materials,” Cotton said.

Kidd is renowned for her large-scale constructions made of welded steel which often depict human and animal subjects. She has held numerous exhibitions since 2002, also showcasing her work overseas in Australia, Vienna and Denmark and winning several awards, including the Australian Montalto Sculpture Prize in 2010.

The award finalists and winners of a share of $8500 in prizemoney will be selected in a blind judging process, which keeps the artists’ names secret.

James Allen, the president of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, says the awards are a unique nod to the society’s agricultural roots, while providing opportunities for the wider arts community.

“Each year of the awards brings new, creative and dynamic interpretations of the humble agricultural material of No 8 wire, and I expect this year to be no different,” Allen said.

Previous award judges include Rotorua-based multi-disciplinary artist Eugene Kara, Auckland sculptor Virginia King and Clevedon steel artist James Wright.

This year’s winner will receive $7000, with prizes of $1000 for the second and $500 for the third place. There will also be prizes for People’s Choice and President’s Choice.

Entries for the 2023 competition opened last week and close at 1pm on Friday, April 14. To find out more or enter the awards visit the Waikato Museum’s website.

The award will culminate in a free exhibition at Hamilton’s ArtsPost Galleries & Shop. This exhibition will open on May 26.