Latest news with #Waimate
Otago Daily Times
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Wāhine Māori artists take centre stage
Waimate based photographer Fiona Pardington ONZM had artwork in Webb's latest art auction focused on Wāhine Māori Artists. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED Wāhine Māori artists took centre stage in Webb's recent art auction in what gallerists say marks a "broader cultural shift" where the perspectives of Māori women are not just acknowledged, but celebrated and driving investment on the main stage. Webb's, a New Zealand auction house established in 1976, had a stellar cohort of female Māori artists leading the charge in their latest art catalogue, "Select". The auction featured works by Waimate-based artist Fiona Pardington, and artists Star Gossage, Robin White, Robyn Kahukiwa and Pauline Yearbury. Webb's South Island-based art specialist Sean Duxfield said the Select art auction was a "huge success". "We were really pleased to see wāhine Māori artists take centre stage," he said. The catalogue presented a cross-generational dialogue that speaks to identity, whakapapa and mana wāhine, Mr Duxfield said. The auction resulted in the sale of works by Fiona Pardington (Lot 39L $19,120), Star Gossage (Lot 38: $16,730), Robyn Kahukiwa (Lot 10: $7170), Robin White (Lot 35: $11,950) and Pauline Yearbury (Lot 13: $4063, Lot 14: $5497 and Lot 15: $5497). Pardington's artwork Still Life with Colin's Flowers, Lichen and Rainwater, 815 x 1090mm, from the Colin McCahon Residency 2013, sold in Webb's Select online art auction. Esteemed photographer Fiona Pardington was recently made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to photography around the same time as her artwork became part of the permanent collection in the Arts of Oceania Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Gallerist Tim Melville (Te Arawa and Te Atiawa) said the catalogue reflected a growing, critical recognition of Māori women artists not as peripheral contributors, but as central to the narrative of contemporary New Zealand art. "I think there has also been purposeful neglect, along with a Eurocentric assessment of what counts as important New Zealand art. "It's not just a case of artists needing to 'come into their own'. "Having said that, the climate is changing for the better," Mr Melville said. Mr Melville said the auction marked not only a significant moment in the art market but a "broader cultural shift", where the perspectives of Māori women are not just acknowledged, but celebrated and driving investment on the main stage. "Together, these artists challenge, reinterpret and elevate what it means to be wāhine Māori in Aotearoa today," he said. Pardington has whakapapa links to Kāi Tahu and resides in the Hunter Hills 15km northwest of Waimate. "The Fiona Pardington piece was a still life that she produced during her time as artist in residence at the (Colin) McCahon house in Titirangi," Mr Duxfield said. Among other artists included in the sale were Shane Cotton, Bill Culbert, Imogen Taylor, Bill Hammond, Matt Arbuckle, Billy Apple and Tony de Lautour.
Otago Daily Times
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Waimate artist's work in Met exhibit
Waimate-based artist Fiona Pardington at the Elephant Rocks near Duntroon in the Maerewhenua Valley. PHOTO: MEEK ZUIDERWYK Esteemed Waimate artist Fiona Pardington ONZM is riding a career high. Pardington was recently made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to photography around the same time as her artwork became part of the permanent collection in the Arts of Oceania Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The Arts of Oceania exhibit, overseen by Māori (Ngāi Tai) curator Dr Maia Nuku and curators for the Arts of Oceania at The Met, is part of a significant transformation at the museum, which houses the collections of the Arts of Africa, the Ancient Americas, and Oceania. Her work is featured among more than 650 works representing 140 cultures from around Oceania, including Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Pardington was excited to attend the official opening night of the reopening of the gallery last month. "This is kind of a big deal for a person like me. "I don't even really have words for how it makes me feel because I'm not even sure. I'm just feeling quite surprised. "A big black tie dinner and all these super-famous people and I'm going, 'oh my God'." Pardington was among seven invited Māori and Pasifika artists to attend the reopening supported by Creative New Zealand. Before the opening night she received another surprise. "You never really imagine you're going to be sitting in New York and attending something like this and then to receive an email saying you're in the New York Times today. "I mean, it's just a little mention, but it's awesome," she said. Earlier this year, the South Canterbury-based artist, a photographer of Maori (Ngai Tahu, Kati Mamoe and Ngati Kahungunu) and Scottish (Clan Cameron of Erracht) descent, was also selected to represent New Zealand at the Venice Biennale next year. She said New Zealand was "a tiny little place full of very powerful creativity" and to be selected for the biennale was a "great honour". " I am really going to do my best to uphold the honour that has been bestowed upon me." Pardington recently announced the name of her exhibition, "Taharaki Skyside". She said her work built on the content of her 2024 series Te taha o te rangi, "the edge of the heavens", which consists of photographs of Aotearoa New Zealand birds preserved as taxidermy specimens in museum collections. Pardington is known for her investigation of traditional and forgotten objects in her still-life photography and her focus on taonga, such as the hei tiki and the extinct huia. She said her relationship with birds was "very personal". "Birds can symbolise familial love, romantic attachment, ecological warnings — they can be intimations of mortality — and in my work they can also represent individual people in my life," Pardington said. In 2011, Pardington became a New Zealand Arts Foundation Laureate, and in 2016 was named a Knight (Chevalier) in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French prime minister, the first New Zealand visual artist to receive this honour. Since 2017, Pardington has represented New Zealand at the London Art Fair and Art Basel Hong Kong, participated in the 2018 major international exhibition "Oceania" at London's Royal Academy of the Arts, and was the first New Zealander invited to participate in the Sharjah Biennial 16 in the United Arab Emirates in 2024. Despite all her career successes she remains grounded and says persistence is key. "You really don't want to get a big head and start thinking that you're special, because everybody's got talents. "And people that work hard and persevere and push through — if you want to do something, you just stick to your guns and keep going."
Otago Daily Times
23-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Who has the best-tasting tap water?
PHOTO: RNZ Will a sip of pure Waitaki water take the crown or will Waimate reclaim its title from 2023? That is the question for municipal water suppliers across New Zealand as they go head-to-head in Nelson next week for the best-tasting tap water title. All municipal water suppliers in New Zealand have been invited to compete in the IXOM National Water Taste Test and submit a sample of their finest drop to the Water Industry Operations Group of New Zealand. The award for New Zealand's best-tasting tap water will be decided on May 29 at the annual water industry group conference. During judging, water samples are subjected to a blind taste test and rated according to the ''Water Tasting Wheel''. The wheel outlines some of the attributes water professionals use when assessing water such as colour, clarity, odour and taste. In the ultimate showdown, the 2025 winner will go on to represent New Zealand against Australia's reigning champion in a transtasman water taste test, in July. — APL
Otago Daily Times
15-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Fundraiser to help build new trail
Celebrating the good beginnings on the Waimate Trail are organisers (from left) Peter Patterson, Rob Smith, Peter Collins, Clare Saunders-Tack, Glenda Begg, and Jo Sutherland. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Waimate men will swap gumboots for high heels when they strut their stuff for a fundraiser next month. Money raised will go towards the construction of The Waimate Trail. Miss Waimate 2025 has attracted 10 entrants, including farmers, vets, and builders. Event organiser Jo Sutherland said the participants were from all walks of life. "All getting dressed up for a good cause." Mrs Sutherland said organisers wanted to hold the event before calving. Ticket sales had proved popular with 200 tickets selling within two to three days. Only 50 tickets remained, and Mrs Sutherland hoped the event would sell out. "That's my goal." Money from ticket sales was earmarked for stage one of the trail, from Waimate to Waihao Forks. She said construction through the gorge was nearly complete and was shaping up to be a "wonderful piece of trail". There would be stories and information boards about the old Waimate branch railway along the way, as well as interactive sculptures on fauna and flora. Organisers had divided the trail into four sections, so work on it could take place over a staggered amount of time as funding became available. As each of those sections were finished they would be usable, she said. As for the bridges, they would be reusing the abutments but new bridges would be built. Waimate Lions Club members had built one and Rotary Club of Waimate was taking charge of the other one. "All the community are getting on board." She said alongside the trail, organisers were developing a "Foot Steps of our Ancestors" sculpture trail that intertwined the narrative of the landscape and the history of its people, past and present. As the trail was constructed, a lot of tidying up was being done, too. The Miss Waimate 2025 event will be held on June 14.
Otago Daily Times
03-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Vehicle allegedly attacked with axe
An Oamaru man who allegedly attacked a vehicle with an axe — as a person sat inside — faces serious charges. Police were called to the incident in Thames St on Thursday last week. Staff used a Taser to subdue and arrest the alleged offender. Sergeant Blair Wilkinson said police received a report of a person inside a vehicle which was being attacked by a man. "To resolve the issue safely police deployed a Taser. "That allowed police to take the man safely into custody," Sgt Wilkinson said. The 35-year-old alleged attacker was charged with possession of an offensive weapon and wilful damage. He also faced a charge of assault using a blunt instrument and three charges of assaulting police following the incident, Sgt Wilkinson said. The man was remanded on bail to appear again in the Oamaru District Court on May 21 after an initial court appearance in Dunedin last Friday. A 17-year-old Waimate youth arrested for drink-driving last Friday blew 462mcg after being stopped in Balmoral St, Oamaru at 11.30pm. He received police attention for driving without headlights on. The alcohol limit for an under-20 driver is zero and the 17-year-old was later referred to police youth aid. A random breath test in Oamaru caught out a 41-year-old Omakau man this week. He returned a breath-alcohol test of 560mcg — more than twice the legal limit — just after 10pm on Tuesday. He is due to appear in the Oamaru District Court on May 21. A community reserve at Kakanui ruined by burnouts over Easter will now be shut for the winter. Kakanui Ratepayers and Improvement Society co-chairman John Laing said on Tuesday the vandalism of the reserve above Campbells Bay was discussed at the society's meeting on Monday. It had resolved to look at ways to stop the type of reckless behaviour that had ruined it for others. "We're going to chain the area off and regrass, and look at placing some deterrents in there to stop people doing it again," he said. — Jules Chin, Nic Duff, Brendon McMahon
