As an annual update on the state of ceramic practices in Aotearoa, the Portage Ceramic Awards provides insights on current directions and future possibilities. Established in 2001, the awards are a hallmark event for the New Zealand ceramics community, showcasing some of the best contemporary work, and serving as a platform for dialogue about developments in the ceramics field.
This year’s Portage Ceramic Awards is judged by American artist Bari Ziperstein. Ziperstein is at the forefront of a thriving ceramic scene in Los Angeles. As well as gallery-based exhibitions and site-specific public installations, Ziperstein also produces functional ceramics through her company, BZippy & Co. Ziperstein will select finalists and winners for this prestigious event, organised and hosted each year by Te Uru in Titirangi with support from The Trusts Community Foundation.
Te Uru is pleased to announce local Henderson duo Sang-Sool Shim and Keum-Sun Lee as the Premier Award Winners in the 2018 Portage Ceramic Awards, for their piece, In the Beautiful Dream. Ziperstein also presented three Merit Awards to artists Jim Cooper (Dunedin), Andrea du Chatenier (Whanganui) and Rick Rudd (Whanganui). A further five Honourable Mentions were awarded to Brendan Adams, Jinho Jeong, Peter Lange, John Roy and Susan St Lawrence.
The Portage Ceramic Awards finalists for 2018 are: Brendan Adams, Stephen Bailey, Christopher Barham, Greg Barron, Michele Beaufoy, Blue Black, Thomas Blackstock, Maak Bow, Hayley Bridgford, Maria Brockhill, Phil Brooks, Annette Bull, Madeleine Child, Jim Cooper, Natasha Cousens, Julie Cromwell, Bridgit Day, Michael de Haan, Ian Drury, Andrea du Chatenier, Grancy Fu, Jacquelyn Greenbank, Ann Griffith, Kumiko Jacolin, Jinho Jeong, Chuck Joseph, Sheryl Keogh, Ted Kindleysides, Peter Lange, Simon Leong, Paul Maseyk, Pauline McCoy, Aimée McLeod, EM Mertens, Michael Michaels, Gaeleen Morley, Rebecca Neal, Ann O’Sullivan, Michael Page, Sung Hwan Bobby Park, John Parker, Rosie Parsonson and Richard Darbyshire, Jo Raill, Aidan Raill, Robert Rapson, Naomi Roche, Vivian Rodríguez, John Roy, Rick Rudd, Aaron Scythe, Jacqueline Seymour-Hall, Morag Shaw, Duncan Shearer, Sang-Sool Shim and Keum-Sun Lee, Janet Smith, Susan St Lawrence, Christine Thacker, Lynda Wilson, Pip Woods and Helen Yau.
The winner of the 2018 People’s Choice award was Greg Barron, for Altered Form
For Portage-related information and events, visit the Portage homepage or follow the Portage Facebook page. Visit the Auckland Festival of Ceramics Facebook page for information on further festival events.