Four award-winning visual artworks that embrace diversity and respond to anti-Chinese sentiment in Aotearoa will be
acquired by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa as works of national significance as part of its historical
collection.
The announcement was made this evening at the prizegiving of the Aotearoa Poster Competition. Race Relations
Commissioner Meng Foon announced the winning artists of the national competition that uses art to embrace the diversity
of Aotearoa and to combat racism.
The four winning artworks tackle issues of race, diversity and inclusion in the aftermath of Covid-19, where the Chinese
community experienced an increase in racist behaviour towards them. The winning poster artworks will be rolled out in
public spaces in cities nationwide to stimulate conversation and to reflect Asian including Chinese-New Zealand
communities as part of New Zealand society
One of the competition organisers Bev Hong describes the decision by Te Papa as “momentous”.It's an acknowledgment of
the lived experience of many Asian including Chinese-New Zealanders, and validation of the messages that these posters
convey", says Ms Hong. “It’s been such a privilege to be part of the team working in collaboration with Chinese
community groups and others in this shared kaupapa.”
“Te Papa's acquisition of the artwork means the spirit of the project and the stories told as part of it will be
preserved. The collection captures a snapshot of this moment, and this year, in New Zealand society and preserves it in
history with an everlasting stamp.”
Dr Grace Gassin, Curator, Asian New Zealand Histories at Te Papa, says they are thrilled to give support to a much
needed conversation.
“As a national institution, we are delighted to be able to signal our support for the competition’s anti-racist kaupapa.
Asian New Zealanders’ experiences of, and courageous responses to, the targeted racism they have endured during the
Covid-19 pandemic are an important part of the national conversation,” says Dr Gassin.
“Collecting the winning posters from the inaugural Aotearoa Poster Competition will allow Te Papa to record not only the
wonderful creative efforts of the artists, but also the perspectives and motivations of the organisers who set it up.”
The competition received a groundswell of support over the past several weeks. This culminated in the popular vote
category gaining over 1000 votes from the public, with Auckland artist Chloe Or taking out the top spot.
In addition to the popular vote, winners were chosen from each of the three competition categories: Young Persons, New
and Emerging Artists, and Established Artists.
A panel of expert judges selected the category winners. The judges were impressed by the diversity in approaches taken
and the time, effort, creative thought and artistic talent displayed across the competition posters. A key consideration
in the judging was the ability for the entry to stand out as a public street poster with a clear message reflecting the
themes, while also connecting to and engaging with the viewer.
Lynda Chanwai-Earle, a Chinese New Zealand award winning playwright and radio host, was part of the judging panel and
says it was no easy feat selecting just three winners from an entry pool of such a high calibre.
“As a judge I was impressed by the artistic quality of each entry, alongside the artists’ commitment to uphold the key
message of inclusiveness for all in Aotearoa.,” says Lynda.With each artist coming from a different background, each artwork tells a unique story of that person’s
worldview and their lived experiences in relation to the competition theme.
In addition to being acquired by Te Papa, the four winning artworks will also be used in a nationwide street poster
campaign sponsored by Phantom Billstickers, with an aim to further conversations about race, diversity and inclusion
throughout Aotearoa.
Michel Tuffery, an internationally-exhibiting New Zealand-based artist, was another member of the judging panel. Mr
Tuffery says that the use of posters will be an effective way to communicate to the masses. “Posters are an accessible vehicle for empowering people with a simplistic message that the public can identify with,
challenge and use to start that conversation," he says.
Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon presented the winners with their awards at the prize giving ceremony on 30
October.
Mr Foon congratulated the winners, as well as the project team for their success with the ambitious project. “I’d like to acknowledge the vision of Bev and the team for their hard work in facilitating this very important work to
eliminate racism. Give nothing to racism.
Art was the medium and this was very innovative, and of course the artists’ creations are very inspirational to all.”Category winners:
Young persons: Minna Zhu, Queenstown
New and emerging artist: Raymund Santos, Auckland
Established artist: Nicholas Reid, Wellington
Popular vote: Chloe Or, AucklandCOMMENTS AND BIOS FROM WINNERS BELOW:Winners
Young persons: Minna Zhu, City: Queenstown
Bio: My name is Minna Zhu; I’m an NCEA level 1 student (year 11) who is academically ambitious, inquisitive and has a keen
interest in all things art. I spend many days embracing my introversion by drawing in my room working on ‘the next best
thing’ instead of getting some rest.Comments from artist about the competition and why they entered:
Deciding to enter this competition didn't require a second thought. I had read the entry information on a google
classroom (thanks Mr Richards), and I felt almost compelled to enter because of how much the theme resonated with me
personally. Being someone who is passionate about racial matters, art, and who is also of Chinese descent, there wasn't
anything stopping me from translating my own enthusiasm for the subject into something physical.
So, in a sense, my poster is the product of my energy and experiences; it's personal, and has a lot of 'me' in it. I
think that's why it holds significance to me.
I don't think it's truly sunk in that I am technically a winning recipient for a national competition, or that people
have seen my poster and thought it was deserving of something. With the rollercoaster that has been 2020, the excitement
from this feels misplaced. Welcome, but misplaced. However, I do have to add that in a way, winning this has made me
hungry for more.
New and Emerging artist: Raymund Santos, Auckland
Bio: Raymund Santos is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Auckland. He is currently in his second year studying a
Bachelor of Design majoring in Communication Design at Auckland University of Technology.Comments from artist about the competition and why they entered:
“I entered because ever since highschool I have always been drawn to the topic of Arts and Culture and with this
competition I saw this as another opportunity to marry both of my interests while also at the same time contributing for
a cause that is timely and relevant in our society.
I am very grateful that I was chosen as the winner for the New and Emerging Artist Award. Having the opportunity to
share my poster in a larger platform is a privilege and I hope that through this, my art will be able to inspire New
Zealanders to appreciate our differences and celebrate diversity.”
Established artist: Nicholas Reid, Wellington
Bio: My name is Nicholas Reid and I am 23 studying graphic design at Victoria University of Wellington. I was in the navy for
four years after living high school and decided I wanted a change in career so I decided to study graphic design which
was a passion of mine since high school. I entered this competition as I though the message behind the competition was
very important, and wanted to create a strong poster which embodied these values.
Popular vote artist: Chloe Or
Bio: Chloe Or, also known by her artist handle ‘Chloe de la Lune’, is a freelance illustrator and portrait artist from
Auckland, New Zealand. She is originally from Hong Kong. She loves to tell stories with her artwork, using subjects like
people, animals and flowers with a cute or fantasy twist to intrigue and connect with the viewer. Her art is created
with a range of traditional and digital media such as oils, markers, Photoshop and the Procreate app.Comments from artist about the competition and why they entered:
“My art poster focuses on the importance of celebrating our diverse cultural communities in Aotearoa. I wanted to use
the imagery of the beautiful native bird of Aotearoa – the Tui – to symbolise the New Zealanders who have made this
country their home, especially with a focus on Chinese New Zealand communities. In the poster, the tui uses the diverse
cultures in our communities to ‘paint’ Aotearoa to make it into a more beautiful and colourful place.
As a first generation immigrant of New Zealand, the cause of the competition really resonates with me. I have made New
Zealand my home since coming here as a child, and so I feel a strong sense of belonging here. I love how it is vibrant
with so many diverse cultures, so I really want New Zealand to keep being a positive and welcoming place that embraces
our diverse cultural communities.
I am really thankful to the organisers, judges of the competition and everyone else who made this art competition
possible, and also to everyone who has voted for my poster. It’s very exciting to know that my poster will be displayed
in public and hopefully will help to make a positive change in our society.”