Two artists have taken out the top prize in the 2022 Fieldays Number 8 Wire National Art Award.
Gina Ferguson and Dale Cotton with their creation. Photo:
Auckland artist Gina Ferguson and West Coast artist Dale Cotton created the work called It never rains but it pours for the annual competition which challenges people to turn the widely recognised Kiwi farming product, number 8 wire, into art.
Ferguson and Cotton said their artwork drew inspiration from the poem, Rain, by Hone Tuwhare.
The piece relates to how our relationship to our environment informs our past, present and future, they said.
Competition judge Eugene Kara said the winning work was both beautiful and stunning and he had returned to it several times to admire it.
"The ihi, the wehi, and the mana put into that piece of work made it a full explosion of sensory experience for me."
It's the second year in a row Ferguson has won the top spot. She said she was surprised and overjoyed.
She has been working with Cotton on the creation for the last 18 months.
Ferguson also took second place with her artwork Cluster Buster Bath Bomb; Auckland-based artist Alexandra Ryan was third for Giggle!
The finalists' work will be exhibited at the Hamilton art gallery, ArtsPost, until 24 May.
