Awards
Sculpture in the Gardens offers three awards to its exhibiting artists:
The McConnell Family Supreme Award
This prestigious award is presented to the artist selected by the curatorial panel as creating a work that is truly outstanding.
The winning sculpture for the 2021–2022 exhibition was Taiki e! United in Purpose! by The Indigenous Clay Artists Collective.
The Friends of the Auckland Botanic Gardens Acquisition
A unique feature to this exhibition is the acquisition by the Friends of the Auckland Botanic Gardens of one sculpture for the Garden’s permanent sculpture collection.
The 2021–2022 recipient of this award was Richard Mathieson for his sculpture Reservoirs.
People’s Choice Award
The People’s Choice Award is the highly coveted ‘stamp of approval’ from exhibition visitors.
Visitors to the exhibition were encouraged to vote for their favourite sculpture during the exhibition.
The 2021–2022 recipient of this award was Glen Colechin for his work Serenity.
Past winners
The McConnell Family
Supreme Award
2007 – Barry Lett Big, Rock Dog
2009 – Christine Hellyar, After the Flood
2011 – Lucy Bucknall, Big Man
2013 – Louise Purvis, Alterations
2015 – Jamie Pickernell, Keep
2017 – Louise Purvis, Gravid
2019 – Marté Szirmay, Contained and Protected
The Friends of the Auckland Botanic Gardens Acquisition
2007 – Peter Lange, Camp site
2009 – Colleen Ryan Priest, Caught in the Act of Losing You
2011 – Jim Wheeler, Object of Devotion
2013 – Bing Dawe, Tuna
2015 – Marté Szirmay, Seek; and James Wright, Ratiti Mya
2017 – John Edgar, Font
2019 – Chris Moore, Entwined
View other acquisitions by the Friends of the Auckland Botanic Gardens:
People’s Choice
2007 – Virginia King, Pupu Harakeke
2009 – Bing Dawe, Wishing for St. Francis
2011 – Jamie Pickernell, Bird Lady
2013 – Jamie Pickernell, Oh Crabby I do believe we're rather lost!
2015 – John Ferguson, Khulu?
2017 – Lucy Bucknall, Howling Together
2019 – Jane Downes, BeeHaven