Stag Party Wins 2012 Whanganui National Best in Show

Stag Party Wins 2012 Whanganui National Best in Show

A small framed mezzotint wins the Best in Show Award at the 2012 Whanganui National Art Exhibition. By Esmee McAuley of Whanganui, the playful work grabbed the attention of the judges with its velvet blacks, the standard text of skulls and mortality, and an addition of a tiara. As the title of the work implies, Stag Party is one for the boys that conveys the drunken hungover morning haze of tiaras, strip clubs, and a mysterious woman's panties in the jacket pocket. How do I explain this to the missus? Dead man walking!

Congratulations to prize winners of the 2012 Whanganui National Art Awards

2012 Whanganui National Art Awards Best in Show winner

Stag Party, Mezzotint, by Esmee McAuley, Whanganui

2012 Whanganui National Art Awards Certificates of Merit

Chica's Soul, Mixed Media, by Andria Pablo, Wellington

The Propitious Emergence of Interminable Weirdness, Glicee Print, by Elijah Lamont, Whanganui

For the fourth annual awards show, 50 artists entered from around 12 regions around New Zealand. The conveners, the Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Award Trust, are very pleased with the number of entries submitted, and the quality of the works.

Judges

Aaron Potaka (Whanganui) - Printmaker

Pat Cush (Whanganui) - Painter and Printmaker

Sheyne Tuffery (Wellington)- Printmaker

Sponsored by Creative Communities Wanganui District, Optiv101 Fine Arts and Multimedia Studios, Pub Charity, The United Lodge of Wanganui No.468, Whanganui Community Foundation, and Mickey's Superliquor.

The Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards promotes the fine arts in New Zealand. As a leading city in training and nurturing it's artists, Whanganui takes its place as one of the movers and shakers in contemporary New Zealand art with the annual Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards.

Established in 2009, the Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards has all works for sale and a cash award is given to the artist with the Best in Show as judged by a selection panel.

The competition is open to all artists living and working in New Zealand, and offers an array of styles and tastes. The Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards aims to promote New Zealand artists and New Zealand contemporary arts, and to bring new arts experiences to the city.

The 2012 Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards, August 24 to September 14, 2012 at the Wanganui Community Arts Centre, 19 Taupo Quay, Whanganui