Two distinguished voices in New Zealand’s arts sector will take their place to judge entries in the second-ever ILT Murihiku Arts Awards.
Toni Mackinnon and Lauren Gutsell were named as the judges for this year’s event, with winners set to be announced at an invitation-only awards evening at He Waka Tuia on Friday, 10 October.
He Waka Tuia Manager Sarah Brown said it was exciting to have judges of Mackinnon and Gutsell’s calibre selecting the successful artworks in this year’s awards.
“Last year was the first time the ILT Murihiku Art Awards were held, so they are still in their infancy. To be able to have Toni and Lauren come on board as judges for 2025 is really fantastic,” she said.
"We’re really excited to shine a light on the incredible talent we have here in Southland and across Aotearoa. The awards highlight a vibrant mix of mediums and voices, and it’s a privilege to be able to share that creativity with our community. We were thrilled to see such strong entries again this year, and know the judges have a very challenging task ahead of them selecting the winners."
This year, the awards received 155 entries, with the judges having selected 67 works as finalists, Brown said.
Mackinnon, Director of the Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū in Nelson, has held key roles across the gallery and museum sector throughout Aotearoa, including as Director at Hastings City Art Gallery, and Curator Art at MTG Hawke’s Bay.
Her work had spanned artist-led projects, collection-based exhibitions, and public programming, with a strong focus on place, community connection, and increasing access to the arts. Her early career, as a secondary and tertiary visual arts educator, laid the foundation for her enduring interest in education, inclusion, and audience development.
Mackinnon said the awards were an important opportunity to celebrate arts practitioners, from Southland and beyond.
“Recognising and celebrating artists matters, because art helps us make sense of the world. Artists give form to things that are often hard to express, and that is brave. It can be quite scary to share personal ideas, but having the support of their community makes that possible for artists,” Mackinnon said.
Meanwhile, Ōtepoti Dunedin-based art historian and curator Gutsell – a curator at Dunedin Public Art Gallery – had an emphasis on collaborative curatorial practice and women’s art histories.
Her work extended across both contemporary and historical art, here in New Zealand and internationally. Working as part of the team responsible for the Dunedin Public Art Gallery’s ambitious and dynamic exhibition, publishing, and residency programmes, her recent exhibitions and publications included Shireen Taweel: 5364 nocturne, Marilynn Webb: Folded in the hills and Joanna Margaret Paul: Imagined in the context of a room.
Gutsell said the arts played a crucial part in the world we lived within.
“As a curator and art historian, I am a strong believer in the power of art. Art fosters critical conversations and highlights issues facing the world, art can interrogate the past, present and future, art can inspire, educate, and offer new perspectives and ways of thinking. Art evokes emotions, it can bring people together and can help us understand time, place, and context.”
The awards exhibition would open to the public on Saturday, 11 October.
