Voting on the exhibition of work from 35 emerging artists has just come to a close.

Autumn: call and response was curated by artist and visual arts lecturer Kim Paton.  Paton’s vision was to answer the question, “what can an artist add to this site that will be more beautiful, more interesting or more engaging than what is already present in the natural environment.” 

In a shift from previous exhibitions held at The Sculpture Park, emerging artists only were invited to exhibit.  The 35 artists selected by Kim Paton for Autumn: call and response were asked to create new, site specific works – sculpture, installation, ephemera, performance or conceptual  – that wrestled and engaged with the physical environment, environmental issues and/or the conceptual environment of The Sculpture Park.

As part of the submission process, six artists had the opportunity to win an ‘Ebbett Prestige Environmental Award’ and to receive financial assistance to create their work.  Visitors voted for their favourite work throughout the exhibition so that one artist would win ‘The People’s Choice Award’ sponsored by Calder & Lawson House of Travel.

Votes have been counted and the winner, Sam Tuimauga collected his award from Paul Forward of Calder & Lawson House of Travel this weekend.  Sam’s work is an intriguing interactive sculpture that captured visitors’ attention as they could engage with it.  Just by turning a handle gears were set in motion and weighted ping pong balls moved through the air in waves. 

The Sculpture Park@ Waitakaruru Arboretum, 207 Scotsman Valley Road, Tauwhare, near Hamilton has successive exhibitions and is open every day.  The current exhibition is the Winter Collection. Visit www.sculpturepark.co.nz for more information.