NYLE TURUWHENUA’S
ART WINS AWARDS
A
s well as participating in the Ringa Toi exhibition, Year 11 Visual art student Nyle Turuwhenua took out two highly commended awards in two significant art competitions in 2020. She gained a merit award in the New Zealand Youth Art Awards 2020 at the awards ceremony in September. She had two works accepted for the awards, a lino print and a woven cloak. She won a merit award for her Kakahu woven cloak. Her teacher Miss Hogg recognised her skills in traditional weaving in art and entered Nyle into a course through Te Kura online learning. Her tutors at Te Kura have sought advice from university lecturers to access her work, as she is working well beyond a Level 1 student in the weaving course. The merit award confirms that Nyle’s weaving is worthy of notice and recognition. Nyle also entered the Massey University Earth Guardian Character Design Competition. From 300 entries Nyle was selected as one of the 10 prize winners. She was selected by a Weta Workshop panel led by Art Director Paul Tobin and voted by the public, gaining the Weta Workshop Rising Stars Highly Commended Award. In her artist statement Nyle describes her lino cut print of a Kereru wearing a feather cloak. She says “The Kaitiaki is represented in this artwork by a Kereru. He is the guardian of the forest and oversees the whenua (land) from his perch
high up in the trees. He is the elder within his hapu and is responsible for the passing of knowledge. Wearing the Huia headdress as a symbol of his wisdom and a reminder of his tipuna. Kaitiaki understands that the forest provides his iwi with the necessities of life. He also understands the forests mauri (life force) needs to be preserved. The korowai he wears signifies his links to the land and his connection with his whenua. The circle illustrates the spotlight he is under to pass his knowledge and wisdom onto his mokopuna just as it was passed onto him.” Nyle’s prize was to fly to Wellington and spend the day at Weta Workshop with the designers who have worked on films like Avatar and Lord of the Rings. Nyle had lunch with the designers and Sir Richard Taylor who has won Oscars for his work and runs Weta workshop. Nyle was mentored by existing designers and got to see secret current projects for upcoming movies being made. All the winners were encouraged to apply for a job at Weta workshop one day soon, highlighting how concept design is an important career pathway in the Arts. The day was concluded with a visit to Te Papa, the Van Gogh light show and glow in the dark ice cream. Congratulations to Nyle for her tenacity, hard work and for making the most of her gifts and talents.
“Bones & Xavier Wulf got me through these five years” - Liam Dickson NYLE ART | PHS YEAR BOOK 2020 | 69
