A $10,000 prize was split between three artists at the Gala Opening of the National Contemporary Art Awards in Hamilton. Congratulations to Donna Sarten, Joanna Chow and Geoffrey Heath three extremely dissimilar artists with only the prize in common.

Joanna's work, "The Honeycomb Reticulum" transformed internal castings of cow's stomachs into sculptural elements. The second winner Geoffrey Heath, used eighties iconography in his work "Blind Date. Blind date. (Touch me in the Morning)" while the final winner, Joanna Chow, paid homage to five unjustly executed men in "Lest we forget".

Image: Geoffrey Heath's "Blind Date. Blind Date (Touch me in the Morning)"A $10,000 prize was split between three artists at the Gala Opening of the National Contemporary Art Awards in Hamilton. Congratulations to Donna Sarten, Joanna Chow and Geoffrey Heath three extremely dissimilar artists with only the prize in common.

Joanna's work, "The Honeycomb Reticulum" transformed internal castings of cow's stomachs into sculptural elements. The second winner Geoffrey Heath, used eighties iconography in his work "Blind Date. Blind date. (Touch me in the Morning)" while the final winner, Joanna Chow, paid homage to five unjustly executed men in "Lest we forget".

Image: Geoffrey Heath's "Blind Date. Blind Date (Touch me in the Morning)"Judge Sophie McIntyre said the decision to split the award was a result of the high calibre of entries. Ms McIntyre said that the exhibition was a reflection of "the diversity and the exceptional artistic talent in New Zealand".

Contemporary Art continues to be associated with what is fresh and new but also with controversy. By holding the Art Awards the WSA continues a long tradition of placing contemporary art in the laps of Hamiltonians that stretches back through their seventy-year history. Controversy is traditionally associated with these awards but as Rosie Morrison, Art Awards Assistant to the WSA puts it " controversy keeps life interesting and keeps art exciting".

The Trust Waikato National Contemporary Art Awards is run annually in Hamilton, a city more famous for its passion for red, yellow and black rugby jerseys than its love of Glitter Carpets.

Museum Director Kate Vusoniwailala said "this exhibition provides an excellent opportunity for young and upcoming artists to exhibit their work alongside well-established and recognised artists". The Waikato Museum of Art and History continues to host the exhibition and enjoys showcasing contemporary work in a city that has seen a dramatic turnaround in it's enthusiasm for the arts in recent years.

The exhibition's online catalogue is available at www.ncaa.co.nz