Whakatāne’s Molly Morpeth Canaday Award 3D is warming up
Over the past few months, Whakatāne has become a focus of the New Zealand contemporary art world. Over 230 works of art have been submitted to the 2018 Molly Morpeth Canaday 3D Award from across the country, and judging is officially underway. That exciting process will culminate in the opening reception and award ceremony on Saturday, 17 February at Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi – the Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre.
Coordinated by Arts Whakatāne and the Whakatāne Museum and Arts Team at Whakatāne District Council, the Molly Morpeth Canaday Award has grown over the past decade to become one of New Zealand’s major art awards and a stepping stone for creative talent from Invercargill to the Bay of Islands.
This year’s three judges – Scott Eady, Jasmine Te Hira, and Guest Judge Deborah Crowe – have been working to review the entries and have selected the most promising 56 works of three-dimensional art for exhibition and awards consideration. Participating artists, who include sculptors, craftspeople, and mixed-media and conceptual artists, have been notified.
To begin the 2018 programme, a free Public Preview is planned for Saturday, 17 February from 10 am to 2 pm. The exhibition will remain open to the public until Sunday, 8 April. Artworks featured during the seven-week exhibition will be available to purchase, providing an opportunity for people to select a favourite piece from a diverse range of contemporary New Zealand art practice.
Tickets for the 2018 Molly Morpeth Canaday 3D Opening Reception and Award Presentation will be available from 7 February at The Good Life (located on The Strand in Whakatāne). A series of free talks by judges and artists, focusing on contemporary art in New Zealand, is also planned. See Molly Morpeth Canaday's website for details about upcoming programmes and events.
The 2018 Molly Morpeth Canaday Award 3D is made possible by the generous support of the Molly Morpeth Canaday Trust, established by Frank Canaday in memory of his wife Molly Morpeth Canaday. The trust has been a major supporter of the arts in Whakatāne for over 25 years. The awards programme and exhibition is also made possible by generous sponsors and local businesses, a team of dedicated volunteers, and Whakatāne District Council.