Steel art specialist to judge Fieldays No.8 Wire National Art Award

Date: 05.04.2023

Innovative NZ sculptor Hannah Kidd will judge the 2023 Fieldays No.8 Wire National Art Award, with entries open now

The annual award, hosted by Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato and supported by the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, challenges artists to turn an iconic Kiwi farming product into art and stake their claim to a share of $8500 in prize money.

Renowned for her large-scale constructions made of welded steel, Methven-based Kidd will select the finalists and prize-winners through a blind judging process, which keeps the artist names secret.

"We’re thrilled to have Hannah on board as her sculpture practice has strong connection to agriculture and its function in our natural environment. She has first-hand knowledge of the ingenuity required to create art from unusual and unruly materials," says Liz Cotton, director of Museum and Arts, Waikato Museum.

"Fieldays is an iconic event and Waikato Museum is proud to be associated with it through the No.8 Wire National Art Award."

James Allen, president of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, adds, "Each year of the awards brings new creative and dynamic interpretations of the humble agricultural material of no.8 wire, and I expect this year to be no different.

"For the society, the award is a unique nod to our agricultural roots whilst providing opportunities for the wider arts community, which we are delighted to continue to support," he says.

Entries for 2023 close at 1pm on Friday 14 April, and the award will culminate in a free exhibition at Hamilton’s ArtsPost Galleries & Shop, opening on Friday 26 May.

This year’s winner will receive $7000, with prizes of $1000 and $500 for the second and third placegetters respectively, and further prizes awarded for People’s Choice and President’s Choice.

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