The pulling power of Auckland Art Gallery's current Maori contemporary art exhibition has the judges of New Zealand's first portraiture award for emerging Maori artists hoping it will also be a drawcard when the entries head out on tour. The Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award has a $25,000 prize attached. Moving image artist Lisa Reihana, who's represented New Zealand at the Venice Biennale, is one of the three judges and she's looking forward to seeing conventional and unconventional portraits. She says the award encourages Maori artists to explore their whakapapa and comes at a time when there's genuine public interest in Maori art.
7 Feb 2021
