The $15,000 winner of the 2009 Waikato National Contemporary Art awards has sparked a very healthy debate around the country. As you can see in the picture, the winner was literally a pile of rubbish which will create the easiest of puns for the media. From my perspective I think it was a brilliant decision by the judge, but are we talking about the publicity it has received rather than the actual art?
The winner will probably have made his easiest payout yet after sending in the instructions by fax for the gallery staff to compile a collection of rubbish. What is even better was that the material used was actually the wrapping and paper left from of all the other artwork delivered in for the competition. Situated on the floor in the middle of the exhibition, you can see how this would have brought out the tissues. Renowned German artist Dane Mitchell probably wont have many Euros left after the exchange rate tackles into his prize, but I am sure he will be smiling over his Bavaria and pretzel tonight.
Outrage has launched the publicity to great heights with TVNZ focusing it on Close up last night. Paul Henry was in classic form as he made the Museum director say something she didn’t want to, and then replicated the idea by making his own pile of rubbish at the closing of the show. The publishers are also pumping it online and in the press, so it has engaged a very big audience across the country and overseas. This exposure can be seen as a great win for an award that apparently had lost some heat over the past few years, but the judge’s call is completely justified. Contemporary art is all about perception, Contemporary simply means "art that has been and continues to be created during our lifetimes". In other words, contemporary to you/me/us.
I guess you would be dark if you chiselled at a huge metal framework for 30 hours and then a foreigner wins by exhibiting the disposed wrapping you delivered your work in, but this is the beauty of it!
The winner will probably have made his easiest payout yet after sending in the instructions by fax for the gallery staff to compile a collection of rubbish. What is even better was that the material used was actually the wrapping and paper left from of all the other artwork delivered in for the competition. Situated on the floor in the middle of the exhibition, you can see how this would have brought out the tissues. Renowned German artist Dane Mitchell probably wont have many Euros left after the exchange rate tackles into his prize, but I am sure he will be smiling over his Bavaria and pretzel tonight.
Outrage has launched the publicity to great heights with TVNZ focusing it on Close up last night. Paul Henry was in classic form as he made the Museum director say something she didn’t want to, and then replicated the idea by making his own pile of rubbish at the closing of the show. The publishers are also pumping it online and in the press, so it has engaged a very big audience across the country and overseas. This exposure can be seen as a great win for an award that apparently had lost some heat over the past few years, but the judge’s call is completely justified. Contemporary art is all about perception, Contemporary simply means "art that has been and continues to be created during our lifetimes". In other words, contemporary to you/me/us.
I guess you would be dark if you chiselled at a huge metal framework for 30 hours and then a foreigner wins by exhibiting the disposed wrapping you delivered your work in, but this is the beauty of it!
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