Something out of the orbinary

CHRIS HILLOCK/The Waikato Times

WINNING COMBINATION: Wattie Watson, centre, collected the National Contemporary Art award on behalf of winner Locust Jones in Hamilton last night. She was pictured with judge Rachel Kent, right, and the winning orbs.

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Four handmade papier-mache orbs have won a contemporary art award in Hamilton known for controversial winners.

Christchurch-born artist Locust Jones has won the Bold Horizon National Contemporary Art Award 2010 with his work `Lozenge of Dawn', and $15,000 in prize money.

Mr Jones was announced as the winner at an exhibition preview and award ceremony at Waikato Museum last night. The winning work is being exhibited there with the other 32 finalists until January next year.

The artwork features four orbs – three comprising strips of paper with world news headlines referring to internet news stories of climate change, rising sea levels, and unmanned planes used in search of terrorists.

The fourth orb features collaged imagery of politicians, protestors and soldiers.

Mr Jones, who is in Korea, said his work was inspired by world events, and he scoured websites and other information sources for inspiration.

Award judge Rachel Kent said she was drawn to the use of materials, and the work's political message.

"I am drawn to the handmade, tactile quality of Locust's work and its transformation of drawing into three-dimensional, sculptural form," she said.

"Playfulness and tactility are contrasted with the more ominous nature of the information represented. Its imperfect, fragile appearance suggests our planet in a time of massive change; and its proliferation of headlines and imagery convey a world of information saturation, with no clear winners or losers."

The award, formerly known as the Trust Waikato National Contemporary Art Award, has become renowned for the challenging and often thought-provoking entries it attracts.

Past winners include an abstract of a giant vagina and an installation of six crates of home brew.

Last year was especially controversial when a pile of rubbish took the title. Artist Dane Mitchell's piece was an arrangement of the discarded wrapping from his competitors' entries.

Mr Mitchell had not seen his work before he won the award – Waikato Art Museum staff put the entry together according to his instructions.

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