13 September 2018
Adriano Pedrosa, Artistic Director at the globally renowned São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP), Brazil, has been appointed as the international judge for this year’s Walters Prize, the ninth iteration of New Zealand’s premier contemporary art prize.
Pedrosa is an eminent Latin American writer and critic and internationally recognised for his curatorial work across significant biennial platforms, including São Paulo, San Diego/Tijuana (inSite) and Istanbul. He will announce the winning artist at the Walters Prize award dinner to be held on Friday 2 November 2018.
The Walters Prize 2018 exhibition showcasing the work of the four finalists – Ruth Buchanan, Jacqueline Fraser, Jess Johnson and Simon Ward, and Pati Solomona Tyrell – is currently open at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.
Auckland Art Gallery Director Rhana Devenport ONZM says she is delighted to announce Pedrosa as the Walters Prize 2018 judge.
‘We are privileged to have Adriano Pedrosa as our judge and to be able to connect him with New Zealand’s dynamic art community, continuing our work to forge strong relationships across the Global South. As an active and highly innovative curator of international regard, Pedrosa has an exceptional reputation and is a leader in contemporary art in South America and beyond.’
‘Pedrosa continues a legacy of high-calibre judges for the Walters Prize since its inception in 2002', says Devenport.
Previous judges have been Harald Szeemann (2002), Robert Storr (2004), Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev (2006), Catherine David (2008), Vicente Todolí (2010), Mami Kataoka (2012), Charles Esche (2014) and Doryun Chong (2016).
The four finalists were nominated by an independent jury for the following works:
- BAD VISUAL SYSTEMS, 2016, by Ruth Buchanan, exhibited at the Adam Art Gallery Te Pātaka Toi, Victoria University of Wellington, 2 October – 22 December 2016
- The Making of Mississippi Grind 2017, 2017, by Jacqueline Fraser, exhibited at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 20 May – 15 October 2017
- Whol Why Wurld, 2017, by Jess Johnson and Simon Ward, exhibited at Carriageworks, Sydney, 30 March – 25 June 2017
- Fāgogo, 2017, by Pati Solomona Tyrell, exhibited at ST Paul Street Gallery, Auckland, 8 June – 21 July 2017
The winning artist, as judged by Pedrosa, will receive $50,000 in addition to the finalist award for each artist of $5,000.