New Zealand Artist’s International Success

New Zealand Artist’s International Success

Freeman White, the winner of the 2006 New Zealand Portrait Gallery’s 2006 Adam Award, has become the first New Zealander to be represented in the prestigious Portrait Gallery of Scotland’s permanent collection.

“This is a huge boost to Freeman White’s career” said Avenal McKinnon,
Director of the NZ Portrait Gallery. “Until now the only New Zealand connection has been through a small work by Nerli, the Italian- born painter and teacher of Frances Hodgkins, who lived here for a time” she said. “Freeman is the first New Zealand born painter to achieve this honour.”

After selecting his work as the 2006 Adam Portraiture Prize winner, judge James Holloway, director of the Scottish Portrait Gallery , invited White to Edinburgh where he was commissioned to paint portraits of a number of well-known people including Holloway, and the leading architect/sculptors Ben and Jill Tindall. He is currently doing a residency in the Mosel Valley in Germany before returning to New Zealand in March next year.

“Winning the Adam Portraiture Prize was definitely the catalyst to Freeman White’s subsequent success” Avenal McKinnon said. “The competition is an important forum for New Zealand portrait painters and all New Zealand portraitists should consider competing for the $15,000 cash prize”.

Entries for the 2008 award close on December 10 and will be judged by Dr Lilly Koltun, director of Musee du Portrait du Canada. The exhibition will run from February 21 to the end of March in Wellington’s Shed 11.

www.portraitgallery.nzl.org

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