NZ School: finalist in prestigious Saatchi Gallery Art Prize

NZ school shortlisted for world-wide 2017 Saatchi Gallery Art Prize for Schools

(Wellington) Samuel Marsden Collegiate School’s artwork ‘Matariki – Māori New Year’ has been selected from more than 24,000 entries as one of the 20 finalists in the 2017 Saatchi Gallery (London) Art Prize for Schools. This is one of the most significant student art awards globally and the large collaborative work will be on display at the Saatchi Gallery in London 4 – 13 July.

The artwork was created by Year 6-8 students at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School’s Artist in Residence Workshop and through specialist classes at Marsden School led by renowned Artist Michel Tuffery. Invited students from Clyde Quay, Kilbirnie, Khandallah, St Mark’s, Hataitai and Northland Schools also contributed to the work. Consisting of paint pen drawings on see through panels of acetate the vibrant artwork celebrates Matariki, the Māori New Year, with Manu Aute or God kite forms giving tribute to past ancestors as they meet with them in the heavens.

Marsden Schools Head of Visual Arts Kaz Bartsch said “The Artist in Residence Programme at Marsden is an invigorating initiative. We bring in a working artist each year, creative and talented individuals who are experts in the arts, to extend and inspire our students. We introduce students to concepts beyond the curriculum and are pleased to share our programmes with the wider school community. This artwork is a true credit to all students involved and to Michel Tuffery for his inspirational time at Marsden School.”

Tuffery imparted the following in the students he worked with “It’s a wonderful exploration when you collaborate together, with another student or human being, it’s the unknown, a voyage of discovery and trust in each other and trying to get that synergy right that is important.”

The judging panel of the 2017 Saatchi Gallery Art Prize for Schools this year consists of Alice Anderson, Artist; Alistair Hicks, Writer and Curator; Nigel Hurst, CEO of the Saatchi Gallery; Megan Piper, Gallerist and Founder of The Line; Dea Vanagan, Curator and Director, Hauser & Wirth Somerset. The winner and runner up prizes will be announced on 4 July at the Awards evening in London.

Samuel Marsden Collegiate School has been providing quality independent education for more than 135 years. Today it has two campuses. The Marsden School Karori campus provides Preschool education for boys and girls, and education for girls from Years 1 to 13. Marsden Whitby provides education for boys and girls Years 7 – 13. Marsden School expresses its vision in terms of what it ultimately wants to achieve for its students. That is to lay the foundation for lives of meaning, accomplishment and happiness, in a rapidly changing world. Excellence in academic and co-curricular pursuits is supported, nurtured and celebrated at Marsden and its programmes are built on the pillars of Excellence, Creativity, Resilience and Giving. The school has innovative programmes that encourage students to collaborate, develop their entrepreneurship and work on cross-curricular real-life projects.

marsden.school.nz

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