Walters Prize

The Walters Prize is New Zealand's largest contemporary art prize.

Held biennially since 2002, the prize aims to 'make contemporary art a more widely recognised and debated feature of cultural life'. The prize is named in honour of New Zealand abstract painter Gordon Walters and the founding benefactors and principal donors are Erika and Robin Congreve and Dame Jenny Gibbs.^[1] The prize is organised by and held at Auckland Art Gallery.

Four artists are nominated each year by a panel of four New Zealand-based jurors for a work or body of work exhibited in the previous two years. The four artists are invited to install the nominated works (or version of their nominated show) at the Auckland Art Gallery in a public exhibition. The prize is awarded by a visiting international judge.^[2]

The winner receives $50,000 and a residency in New York. The prize attracts significant media coverage every year.

The 2016 nominees were considered notable, as three of the four nominees are of Māori descent.^[3]

Recipients and finalists

2016

Judge: To be announced

Jurors: Emma Bugden, Peter Robinson, Lara Strongman, Nina Tonga

Finalists:

• Joyce Campbell for Flightdream (2015)
• Nathan Pohio for Raise the anchor, unfurl the sails, set course to the centre of an ever setting sun! (2015)
• Lisa Reihana for in Pursuit of Venus [infected] (2015)
• Shannon Te Ao for Two shoots that stretch far out (2013–2014)^[4]

2014

Judge: Charles Esche

Jurors: Tina Barton, Anna-Marie White, Peter Robinson, Caterina Riva.

Finalists:

• Luke Willis Thompson for inthisholeonthisislandwhereiam (winner)^[2][5][6][7]
• Maddie Leach for If you find the good oil let us know
• Simon Denny for All You Need is Data
• Kalisolaite 'Uhila for Mo'ui tukuhausia

2012

Judge: Mami Kataoka

Jurors: David Cross, Aaron Kreisler, Kate Montgomery, Gwynneth Porter.

• Kate Newby for Crawl out your window (winner)^[8][9][10]
• Simon Denny for Introductory logic video tutorial
• Alicia Frankovich for Floor Resistance
• Sriwhana Spong for Fanta Silver and Song

2010

Judge: Vicente Todolí

Jurors: Jon Bywater, Rhana Devenport, Leonhard Emmerling and Kate Montgomery.

• Dan Arps for Explaining Things (winner)^[11][12][13]
• Alex Monteith for Passing Manoeuvre with Two Motorcycles and 584 Vehicles for Two-Channel Video
• Fiona Connor for Something Transparent (please go round the back)
• Saskia Leek for Yellow is the Putty of the World

German-based New Zealand artist Michael Stevenson was also nominated for his 2008 exhibition Persepolis 2530 shown in Bristol, but the Auckland Art Gallery stated that 'due to accommodation and budgetary constraints it was not possible to exhibit' the work and therefore while the nomination stood it was not eligible for judging.^[14]

2008

Judge: Catherine David

• Peter Robinson for ACK (winner)^[15]
• Edith Amituanai for Déjeuner
• Lisa Reihana for Digital Marae
• John Reynolds for Cloud

2006

Judge: Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev

• Francis Upritchard for Doomed, Doomed, All Doomed (winner)^[1][16]
• Stella Brennan for Wet Social Sculpture
• Phil Dadson for Polar Projects
• Peter Robinson for The Humours

2004

Judge: Robert Storr

• et al. for restricted access (winner)^[17][18]
• Jacqueline Fraser for <<Invisible>>
• Ronnie van Hout for No Exit Parts 1 and 2
• Daniel von Sturmer for The Truth Effect

2002

Judge: Harald Szeemann

• Yvonne Todd for Asthma and Eczema (winner)^{[19] [20]}
• Gavin Hipkins for The Homely (1997-2000)
• John Reynolds for Harry Human Heights (2001)
• Michael Stevenson for Call Me Immendorff (2000)

References

1. Herrick, Linda (3 October 2006). "Doom and gloom scoops $50,000 Walters Prize". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
2. "Walters Prize 2014". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
3. "Three Māori artists finalists for Walters prize". Mana Magazine. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
4. "Four artists announced for the Walters Prize 2016". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
5. "Walters Prize awarded to Luke Willis Thompson". Stuff.co.nz. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
6. Gifford, Adam (19 July 2014). "Walters Prize contenders: Living rough and a taxi to nowhere". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
7. Daly-Peoples, John (6 August 2014). "The Walters Prize: clever work if you can find it". National Business Review. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
8. Gifford, Adam (13 October 2012). "Walters Prize: Lots of travel, lots of talking". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
9. Pryor, Nicole (21 October 2012). "Walters art prize goes to Newby". Auckland Now. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
10. "Walters Prize 2012". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
11. Herrick, Linda (8 October 2010). "Auckland artist wins $50,000 Walters prize". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
12. "Dan Arps – Walters Prize 2010 awardee". Auckland Art Gallery Blog. 11 October 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
13. "Walters Prize 2010". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
14. Daly-Peoples, John (29 April 2010). "Emerging artists in line for Walters Prize". National Business Review. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
15. "Walters Prize 2008". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
16. "Walters Prize 2006". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
17. "Et al. NZ artists for Venice Biennale 2005 win prestigious NZ Award, The Walters Prize". e-flux. 25 November 2004. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
18. "Walters Prize 2004". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
19. Herrick, Linda (17 July 2002). "Yvonne Todd wins $50,000 Walters art prize". NZ Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
20. "Walters Prize 2002". Auckland Art Gallery. Retrieved 21 June 2015.