Elliot Collins is no stranger to making the shortlist for prestigious Aotearoa art awards.

A one-time Parkin Drawing Prize finalist, a two-time Wallace Art Awards finalist, a three-time National Contemporary Art Awards finalist and a three-time finalist for the Molly Morpeth Canaday Award (MMCA).

But on this occasion - it's third time's a charm.

He's been picked in another talent-packed field as the supreme winner of the MMCA 2024, collecting $10,000 and plenty of plaudits at the opening of this year's event at the Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre, presented by Arts Whakatāne.

Collins - who has a Ph.D. Visual Art from AUT and is a senior academic staff member at Taranaki's Western Institute of Technology - has two works in this year's finalists exhibition, but he's won the top prize for Did you get the watercress I left you?, made from Acrylic, wood and a shopping trolley.

The initial 495 entries were whittled down to 63 finalists, with Collins standing tall.

As Collins accepted the award, he remarked ”It’s a cool show to be involved in  - thank you to the sponsors - sponsoring art is an amazing thing to do, also just buying art is a really good way of sponsoring! One thing is, art brings really strange and profound people together.”

Guest Judge Andrew Clifford - the Director of Whanganui's Sarjeant Gallery - noted “This painting’s framing device, the structure that holds it all together, is an old shopping trolley bag. The kind favoured by more senior members of our community. It holds it all together but also holds it in suspension – it wants to walk away and disturb the fine balance of the elements. Who is the owner and where are they? 

"The use of colour, as the work’s description reminds us, has external associations and connects us with the landscape and its occupants, as well as with elements of space and time. Through these narrative possibilities, Did you get the watercress I left you? evokes stories, memories and time, and encourages us to consider poetic relationships with the spaces we occupy and how we share them."

Collins - whose work has been shown in Australia, London, France and all across Aotearoa in a range of public and private galleries since his first solo show back in 2007 - explains the inspiration for his award-winning work.

“Mātauranga. A beautiful kuikui who walks the beach every day, rain or shine, described the colour of the waves at a particular time of day, as worn light blue denim, and it’s changed the way I want to see the world. 

"She sometimes has her mokos' with her but sometimes she just walks the beach alone. She tells me that coming down to the sea is her medicine. But she also said, “If you see me fall over, come pick me up” - she walked away laughing and said, “Did you get the watercress I left for you?!””

The award, in its 38th year, seeks to highlight and celebrate excellence in fine art throughout Aotearoa, and the exhibition runs until 6 April, with all works available for sale.

Clifford recognised and awarded eight other artists with separate awards, which includes Toipoto artist Bridgit Day: 

Runner up ($4,000) - Till the Clock Strikes Five by Ming Ranginui

Youth Award ($2,500) - A Dollar Fifty by Jonghyun Yun

Highly Commended ($1,500) - Esk River (after Gabrielle) by Kate van der Drift

The Mayor’s Prize ($1,500) - The Belisha Beacon by Llyr Williams

Merit Award, Three-page feature in Our Place Magazine -($3,500) Beluga whales swimming in the air by Claudia Kogachi

Merit Award ($500 of Gordon Harris product) - Stardust (from my back yard) by Karen Sewell

Merit Award ($500 of Frames by Daniel product) - Tahi by Tim Wigmore

Merit Award ($500 from 4Artsake Gallery, Ōhope) - Green on Green by Bridgit Day

Another award, the People’s Choice ($500) will be decided by popular vote and announced at the end of the exhibition.