Pāpāmoa artist Tawhai Rickard (Ngaati Uepohatu, Ngaati Porou) has won the prestigious $20,000 National Contemporary Art Award for a “nuanced and generous” installation titled ‘Scenes from a Victorian Restaurant’.

The winning work was selected from an unprecedented 427 entries, by Melanie Oliver, highly respected arts curator and judge for the 2023 National Contemporary Art Award at Hamilton’s Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga O Waikato.

Tawhai’s work is made from reclaimed wood, and enamel and acrylic paint.

Tawhai Rickard’s winning entry for the $20,000 National Contemporary Art Award. Photo: Supplied.

He says it is a visual ode to the bicultural relationship between Māori and non-Māori.

“‘Scenes from a Victorian Restaurant’ is an installation that partially examines the cultural nuances of Aotearoa, New Zealand from a social and political perspective.

“The setting is a Victorian restaurant with wall hangings that feature scenes pertinent to our country’s cultural landscape. These are presented in an anti-chronological nature promoting historical and contemporary characters and narratives.

The aesthetic integrity of my work aligns with our country’s bicultural foundations through the use of Victorian baroque elements combined with the figurative painting style of my ancestral house Hinetapora circa 1896.”

Tawhai Rickard speaking at the 2023 National Contemporary Art Awards ceremony at Hamilton’s Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga O Waikato on Friday July 28. Photo: Supplied.

Tawhai says the title of his work transpired during the conceptual process, being influenced by one of progressive rock’s musical classics.

“The song’s storyline and two main characters are decontextualised in accordance with the eventual breakdown of our country’s bicultural foundations and the abiding invitation to return to it.”

Tawhai’s prize was announced at an awards ceremony held on Friday July 28.

“Rickard’s work ‘Scenes of a Victorian Restaurant’ invites viewers to take a seat at the table, challenging us all to engage in a discussion on the bicultural foundations of Aotearoa,” says Melanie.

“It is a provocation that is nuanced and generous, prompting us to think about the ongoing impacts of colonisation, and our failings in terms of Te Tiriti. This work clearly speaks to the most pressing issues of our time.”

2023 National Contemporary Art Award judge Melanie Oliver. Photo: Supplied.

Through the National Contemporary Art Award’s traditional blind-judging process which conceals the artist names from the judge, ‘Scenes from a Victorian Restaurant’ was chosen from an unprecedented volume of entries, with more than 420 works submitted by New Zealanders based here and overseas.

The 41 finalist works are now on exhibited at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato until November 12 with free entry.

“Melanie Oliver has selected a truly extraordinary work from a selection that reveals the talent, depth, creativity and bravery of our contemporary arts sector” says Waikato Museum Director of Museum and Arts Liz Cotton.

“My congratulations go to all award winners and finalists, and deep appreciation to our award sponsors, without whom we would not be able to offer this award, and to our wonderful judge.”

The National Contemporary Art Award was launched in 2000 by the Waikato Society of Arts and has been facilitated and hosted by Waikato Museum since 2006. Leading New Zealand law firm Tompkins Wake is the principal sponsor and has supported the competition since 2014.

Tania Lewis-Rickard sharing a celebratory moment with husband Tawhai Rickard at the awards ceremony. Photo: Supplied.

The prize winners announced at the awards ceremony are:

2023 National Contemporary Art Award, $20,000 prize sponsored by Tompkins Wake

• Tawhai Rickard for Scenes from a Victorian Restaurant (reclaimed wood, enamel/acrylic paint).

2023 Runner Up and winner of the $5,000 Hugo Charitable Trust Award

• Sung Hwan Bobby Park for BTM Ancestor Portrait (digital photograph).

2023 Friends of Waikato Museum $1,000 Merit Award winner

• Hannah Ireland for Stained Cheery Wine (watercolour, ink and acrylic on found window).

2023 Random Art Group $1,000 Merit Award winner

• Sara (Hera) Tautuku Orme for Darling, Tēnei Au (photograph).

The Campbell Smith Memorial People’s Choice Award, worth $250, is sponsored by the Smith family as a tribute to the former Waikato Museum Director, artist, playwright and poet. It will be presented to the winner of the most votes by the visiting public just before the Award exhibition closes in November. 
 

Tawhai Rickard’s winning work ‘Scenes from a Victorian Restaurant’ is a visual ode to biculturalism and has won the $20,000 National Contemporary Art Award. Photo: Supplied.

The finalists for the 2023 National Contemporary Art Award are:

• Brett a'Court, Northland Te Tai Tokerau 
  Thomas Kendall’s Affair (oil on prepared woollen blanket on canvas support)
• Rachel Hope Allan, Dunedin Ootepoti 
  Tuesday (photograph)
• Colleen Altagracia, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  A kiss (electric cable, embroidery thread, magnet, crocodile clips, air)
• Naomi Azoulay, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Tehlor II (oil on stretched canvas)
• Debbie Barber, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  When I rub the rocks on my jeans they polish differently. (clay, denim)
• Jordan Barnes, New Plymouth Ngaamotu 
  Adam (after Michelangelo) (graphite on paper)
• Tori Beeche, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  The Daily Cosmic Order (oil on linen)
• Deborah Body, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  The remains of the day. (acrylic and oil on unstretched canvas)
• Emily Brown, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Final Fantasy (toner print on silk)
• D Milton Browne, Dunedin Ootepoti 
  Recycle Day (photograph - archival giclée inkjet print)
• Esther Bunning, Greytown Te Hupenui 
  The gilded shift (photograph)
• Cathy Carter, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Liquid Gold (Fujiflex Crystal Archive C-type silver halide photographic print)
• Cathy Carter, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Plunge, Klein Blue (giclée print on Hahnemühle Ultra Smooth paper)
• Katherine Claypole, Whanganui
  Tears of Gabrielle (hand stitched metallic thread on painted stretched canvas)
• Antony Densham, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  C15.2023 (acrylic on canvas)
• Kim Fifield, Tauranga
• Alastair Floyd, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Heavy Industries (acrylic paint, pigment ink, acrylic ink on Fabriano Artistico acid-free cotton rag)
• Hannah Ireland, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Stained Cheery Wine (watercolour, ink and acrylic on found window) 
  Merit Award winner
• Bena Jackson, Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara 
  Flipping skateboards (pale) (mosaic - ceramic tiles, cement board, adhesive, grout, steel)
• Reece King, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Se’i ou va’ai (oil and enamel on canvas)
• Cecelia Kumeroa, Whanganui 
  Manu Tioriori (digital media)
• Theo Macdonald, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Light of the Pacific (digitised 16mm film)
• Leanne Morrison, Hastings Heretaunga 
  11 (acrylic and enamel on canvas, stretcher, wooden sticks)
• Ella Grace Nicol, Hamilton Kirikiriroa 
  Tears of Ranginui (Dew on the Emerald Dagger Moss) (glass beads, sterling silver, palladium, pewter, nylon thread)
• Shannon Novak, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Two Lovers in Fiordland (digital print on paper)
• Mark O'Donnell & Cameron Rey, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Cheese and Onion (yellow plastic, black foam, clear adhesives, pins, paint, varnish)
• Sara (Hera) Tautuku Orme, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Darling, Tēnei Au (photograph) 
  Merit Award winner
• Maria O'Toole, Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara 
  Poems to Oceania: Vanuatu, April 2023 (crayon on Fabriano paper)
• Sung Hwan Bobby Park, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  BTM Ancestor Portrait (digital photograph) 
  Runner Up - 2023 National Contemporary Art Award
• Marilyn Rea-Menzies, Westport Kawatiri 
  Lichen 2 (handwoven tapestry)
• Tawhai Rickard, Tauranga 
  Scenes from a Victorian Restaurant (reclaimed wood, enamel/acrylic paint) 
  Winner - 2023 National Contemporary Art Award
• Naomi Roche, Hamilton Kirikiriroa 
  Cold Comfort for the Contemporary Human (textile)
• Warisara Thomson, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  I think I’m homesick (single channel, moving image)
• Jenny Tomlin, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  All my ghosts (photograph)
• Hannah Valentine, Tauranga 
  New Routine (If there’s pleasure in action, there’s peace in stillness) (cast bronze and cord)
• Anja Vallis, Taupoo 
  Granny’s trippin’ (wool and acrylic yarn mix, black calico)
• Rīhari Warnock, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Moemoea (ink on Arches cold press, 600gsm paper)
• Amanda Watson, Raglan Whaaingaroa 
  In the sun near the kohekohe (ink, pigment, and glue size on canvas)
• Siniva Williams, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Nanna’s wairua (digital photograph, digitally painted on Hahnemühle German Etching 310gsm Textured Matte paper)
• Benjamin Work, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  I look above to where my help comes from (acrylic on canvas)
• Cora-Allan, Auckland Taamaki Makaurau 
  Kai Paraoa (whenua (pukepoto and karangahape blush) on hiapo)

Details of the exhibition, which runs until November 12, are available on the Waikato Museum website waikatomuseum.co.nz/NCAA. All artworks in the exhibition are available for sale and entry is free.