Charles Ninow, in his honours year at The University of Auckland's Elam School of Fine Arts, has been awarded the largest scholarship given to student artists in New Zealand.
The 21-year-old Ninow was awarded the Henrietta and Lola Anne Tunbridge Scholarship at a recent ceremony at the University's George Fraser Gallery.Charles Ninow, in his honours year at The University of Auckland's Elam School of Fine Arts, has been awarded the largest scholarship given to student artists in New Zealand.
The 21-year-old Ninow was awarded the Henrietta and Lola Anne Tunbridge Scholarship at a recent ceremony at the University's George Fraser Gallery.The $10,000 prize is given annually to an artist who excels in the exploration of contemporary themes in watercolour. Lola Tunbridge, who died in 1999, was herself an avid watercolourist who wanted to support aspiring artists in this medium. The award is offered from the Henrietta and Lola Anne Tunbridge Charitable Trust which is administered by trustee and wealth management company Guardian Trust.
While watercolour is not so current among modern visual artists, it remains one of the important traditions in Western art. Among those who have been watercolourists are great artists from William Blake and Claude Monet to David Hockney and Louise Bourgeois.
Charles Ninow's subtle work displays the most experimental form of watercolour. In red and yellow coloured squares, it reflects the artist's experience observing mosaicists breaking and assembling tiles for their work. Commenting on the materials he used, watercolours and grid paper, Ninow delights in their accessibility and calls them "everyman's readymade". "When you create a work of art," he says "you do not associate it with competitiveness or winning". He says he was "shocked" by his award, which will go towards his continued study.
This year's judge for the award was Auckland Art Gallery Senior Curator, Ron Brownson. He notes that "all of this year's applications for the award were of a very high standard. The works in the scholarship exhibition are of exceptional merit. But the winner was outstanding".
Ron Brownson describes Charles Ninow as having "an exceptionally promising future as a visual artist". He is "an artist who has used this occasion to explore his own talent."
Charles Ninow's winning entry, and the work of the six student finalists, will be shown for a season at the George Fraser Gallery 21-30 August.
Henrietta and Lola Anne Tunbridge Scholarship Exhibition
21-30 August
George Fraser Gallery (25a Princes Street)
Wednesday - Saturday, 11am - 4pm
Free entry
For more information or to join the mailing list visit www.georgefraser.auckland.ac.nz