Announcing the Peoples Choice Award Winner: ‘Velvet Stampede’ by Neville Parker
Craigs Investment Partners and KPMG Peoples Choice Award, at the Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum.
After a worrisomely stormy day the skies cleared and accompanied by a light, refreshing breeze, guests arrived and the annual Craigs Investment Partners and KPMG Peoples Choice Award ceremony got underway.
This year’s winner is a superb work, ‘Velvet Stampede’ by South Island artist Neville Parker. This column of butterflies soars upward gently unraveling as it reaches for the sky. Made from steel, Neville cut and carved this work from scratch, a three-month marathon.
In his own words, "The idea of carving, (an ancient process,) in a modern medium, something natural and as light as butterflies in something as heavy as a half ton steel pipe is just too mad to resist".
We are grateful for Neville’s ‘madness’ and it is clear than many people have responded positively to his work. The Park has seen over 3000 visitors during this exhibition. This award is truly the ‘peoples choice’; votes cast for their favourite piece by those seeing the exhibition.
The exhibition of which Neville’s work is a part, finishes on Sunday 28th February to make way for the Waikato Sculpture Trust’s next major summer event, E: Scape, Sculpture in the Landscape. This will run from the 14th March to 31st May.
‘Velvet Stampede’ will continue to be available for viewing over the next three months as it is to remain at the Park as part of E: Scape.
The Park is open everyday from 10.00am till dusk at 207 Scotsman Valley Rd., Tauwhare, entry $10.00 per person, children under 12 free. For further details visit www.sculpturepark.co.nz
High-resolution copies of the award ceremony photos are available on request from: Sarah Anderson
Arts Administrator/Curator
The Waikato Sculpture Trust
07 8240 757
0274267847