Announcing The Panel

We've managed to get some of the leading lights of NZ art and literature to agree to be on our Panel. These wonderful people will meet in the first week of May to choose the work for the exhibition and performance. Here is a little bit about them:

John Pule

Born in Niue, John Pule moved with his family to Auckland, New Zealand at the age of two. Mythology and history are of specific interest to John as he weaves fish, people and birdlike creatures into a very personal response to the colonisation of the Pacific. While his work is Pacific in subject and style he collects ideas and motifs voraciously and incorporates all into a rich network of interlacing imagery that, through its intimacy, touches on a more universal humanity. John Pule has exhibited extensively throughout New Zealand and the Pacific notably at the Seventh Festival of the South Pacific, Western Samoa 1996, the Asia Pacific Triennial, Queensland Art Gallery, and In Other Words at Te Papa, Wellington 1999. He is an accomplished writer having published two novels The Shark That Ate the Sun (Penguin 1992) and Burn my Head in Heaven (Penguin 1998) plus several volumes of poetry. Among many awards and honours, in 2004 he was honoured with the prestigious Laureate Award from the Arts Foundation of New Zealand.

Evan Woodruffe

Evan Woodruffe has worked for over 20 years at Studio Art Supplies, and now heads it as Gordon Harris Ltd’s professional fine arts division. Studio Art Supplies has a strong relationship with the majority of art and design schools in Auckland providing creative and technical support. Evan is represented by Oedipus Rex gallery and has been exhibiting in galleries throughout New Zealand for over ten years.

Simona Albanese

Simona Albanese has a BA with Honours in Conservation Heritage Studies, Italy and a MA with Honours in Art History from the University of Auckland. She has worked in the art gallery of Palazzo Venezia and Palazzo Barberini in Rome. Simona is also the new Senior Curator of the James Wallace Arts Trust Gallery.

CK Stead

CK (Karl) Stead was one of the new New Zealand poets of the 1950s and '60s, and earned an international reputation as a literary critic. He has published twelve collections of poetry, two collections of short stories, six books of literary criticism, and edited a number of other books. He was Professor of English at the University of Auckland for twenty years, retiring in 1986 to write full-time. Among many other honours he is a member of the Order of New Zealand.

Genevieve McClean

Poet, writer, actor, singer and performance artist, Genevieve's work defies labelling. Her style constantly changes and intrigues. She represented NZ overseas in Slam Poetry back when most of us weren't even aware there was such a thing as slam poetry. She has worked in theatre, TV and feature films, and despite her status as a veteran artist, is still one of the youngest members of our (immensely young at heart) panel!