The Arts Foundation and Laureate Award Presenting Sponsor, Forsyth Barr, Are Very Pleased to Announce and Warmly Congratulate the 2009 Arts Foundation Laureates.

Congratulations:

Lyonel Grant (Te Arawa) is a master carver and sculptor who works in many media, including stone, wood, bronze, glass, ceramics and paint. Each of his creations has its own distinct character. Lyonel is a graduate of the Māori Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua, and he now moves between classical and contemporary practice using his own unique methods. Lyonel’s most recent work is Te Noho Kotahitanga, the marae at Unitec in Auckland.  Lyonel built the whare using classical construction methods.  Lyonel was awarded an honorary doctorate by Unitec in July 2009. He has been invited to contribute to the 2010 Expo pavilion, Shanghai, China and has new work in Roundabout scheduled for Wellington’s City Gallery in September 2010.   Link to Lyonel on our new site:  http://www.thearts.co.nz/artist_page.php?aid=3


Witi Ihimaera (Te Whānau a Kai) is one of New Zealand’s most respected writers. His fiction is written very much from a Maori perspective; Witi sees “the world I’m in as being Māori, not European”. Witi published his first collection of short stories, Pounamu Pounamu,  in 1972, followed by the novel Tangi in 1974, making him the first Maori writer to publish both short stories and a novel. Significant works since then include The Matriarch (1985) and Nights in the Gardens of Spain (1995). His 1987 novel The Whale Rider became an internationally successful feature film. Witi is now a writer of international status. He has produced work for opera, theatre, ballet and film. Link to Witi on our new site: http://www.thearts.co.nz/artist_page.php?aid=59


Chris Knox’s output is not confined to making music. He is also known for his spirited and original contributions to film, video, cartoons, writing and criticism in leading New Zealand magazines, and on radio and television. Chris is known as the “spiritual godfather” of the celebrated Flying Nun record label. As well as releasing his own music on Flying Nun, Chris also helped many bands record on the label. He also designed their LP covers and shot film clips. Chris has been a mentor to many New Zealand bands, and he has an international reputation as an influential musician. Link to Chris on our new site: http://www.thearts.co.nz/artist_page.php?aid=2


          Chris has just had an album of 32 covers of his songs released - STROKE: Songs for Chris Knox.  The album features artists from Jay Reatard doing Pull Down The Shades to Lou Barlow’s Song of The Tall Poppy.  A release/benefit gig for STROKE - Songs for Chris Knox is being held at the Kings Arms, 59 France Street South, Newton, Auckland on 20 November at 8.30pm. Artists donating their services are Dimmer, The Pajama Party, David Kilgour, The Bellbirds and Don McGlashan. Tickets, $30.00 are available on the door (no pre-sales) also gets you a copy of the CD! 
 
Richard Nunns is a living authority on ngā taonga pūoro (Māori traditional musical instruments) and is described as one of New Zealand’s most remarkable musicians. Working with the late composer Hirini Melbourne and with Nelson carver Brian Flintoff, Richard helped rediscover many traditional instruments. Richard has a strong commitment to research, as well as to presenting and performing on traditional musical instruments.  Richard was awarded a Queens Service Medal earlier this year. He will be working on three different recording projects from mid-November. His next major performing event is with Latitude 35 Degrees South which premieres at the Bay of Islands festival in February. Link to Richard on our new site: http://www.thearts.co.nz/artist_page.php?aid=57
 
Anne Noble is one of New Zealand’s most widely recognised and respected contemporary photographers. She has been described as “one of New Zealand photography’s most subtle and poetic of practitioners”. Anne is Professor of Fine Arts (Photography) at Massey University in Wellington, and was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to photography in 2003.  Anne’s series Ruby’s Room was selected by the Musee du Quai Branly in Paris as the keynote contemporary exhibition for the inaugural Paris PhotoQuai Biennale of Photography in 2007. Anne travelled to Antarctica in 2002 as part of the Artists to Antarctica scheme.  She returned to Antarctica in 2008 after winning a prestigious US National Science Foundation Artists and Writers Award.  Link to Anne on our new site: http://www.thearts.co.nz/artist_page.php?aid=1
 
          Anne Noble exhibits The Colour of Gold  to 28 November at Bartley and Company, 56A Ghuznee Street, Wellington 56A Ghuznee Street, Wellington. This is an exhibition about photography and about Antarctica – about surface and depth, beauty and toxicity, about what is shown or not shown. The title plays off the connotations of gold – its beauty and its power, seduction and lure. www.bartleyandcompanyart.co.nz
 
          Anne Noble image Spool Henge, South Pole, Antarctica was chosen from 32 proposals for the photographic billboard at Connells Bay Sculpture Park, Waiheke Island, where it is now installed.  http://www.connellsbay.co.nz/
 
Mark Adams (Marti Friedlander Photographic Award recipient), exhibits Te Wairoa-Clandon Park,Tene Waitere’s Travels, to 27 November at McNamara Gallery, 190 Wicksteed Street, Whanganui, Tuesday/ Wednesday - Saturday 11am – 3pm, often open to 6, or by appointment.  www.mcnamara.co.nz
 
In Auckland – look out for:
 
Helen Medlyn (Laureate) performing with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in Last Night of the Proms, 7.30pm, Saturday, 28 November at the ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland. www.apo.co.nz
 
Ian Wedde’s (Laureate) new collection of poems Good Business will be launched by Murray Edmond at 6pm on Monday 23 November 2009 at Unity Books, 19 High Street, Auckland City.  Please RSVP to Natalie Mason, Auckland University Press, n.mason@auckland.ac.nz or (09) 373 7528.
 
Internationally:
 
Raewyn Hill, (Award for Patronage donation recipient from Adrienne, Lady Stewart) has gone to Russia to re-stage her dance work Vespers at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Raewyn created Vespers while Artist-in-Residence at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and the work featured in the Asia Pacific Dance Platform as part of the Hong Kong International Arts Festival earlier in the year.  Raewyn takes up her new position as Artistic Director of Dancenorth in Townsville, Australia in 2010.
 
Simon O’Neill (Laureate) sings in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 - 28 and 29 November and 1 December 2009, at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Viale Pietro de Coubertin 00196, Rome www.simononeill.com
 
Madeleine Pierard (New Generation artist), performs with Welsh tenor, John Pierce, at a lunchtime song recital at 1.10pm, 24 November at the National Opera Studio, London http://www.nationaloperastudio.org.uk/pages/events.htm

Madeleine is also soprano soloist in Orff's Carmina Burana at St-Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London; New London Soloists, Barts Choir / Ivor Setterfield on 26 November 2009. http://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org