IHC Art Awards

On 27 July the 2022, IHC Art Awards winners were announced and the Top 100 Artworks showcased in a pop-up gallery on Wellington’s Willis Street. The awards provide a forum for artists with intellectual disabilities to have their talents recognised and their voices heard. The awards offer the opportunity for the artists to sell their work. NZ Post Collectables Programme and Content Manager Lynette Townsend joined the celebrations.

The range of artworks exemplifies a broad range of techniques and styles of art. I think it must have been a very difficult task to choose the winners. This year the judging was done by Libby Hunsdale, who starred in the 2021 film Poppy, sculptor Simon Lewis Wards and New Zealander of the Year Sam Johnson. They selected the following winners:

$5,000 First Place Winner - Mark Warner from Auckland with his drawing titled ‘Meeting’ $3,000 Second Place Winner - Sarah Holten from Auckland with her ink artwork titled ‘Serious Strokes’ $2,000 Third Place Winner - Emma White from Hamilton with her acrylic painting titled ‘Portrait of Lorde’ $1,500 Youth Award Winner - Helena Brocklebank from Kāpiti with her drawing titled ‘Angry’.

Libby Hunsdale at the Pop-up Gallery in Wellington. Libby starred in the 2021 film Poppy and was one of the judges for the 2022 IHC Art Awards. In addition to the judges’ selection every year there is also a people’s choice award.

The L’affare People’s Choice Award is given to one of the 30 finalists, who are selected by the judges from the top 100 artworks. This selection includes the four winners (first, second and third places and the Youth Award) and any highly commended artists. It was later announced that Helena Brocklebank, winner of the Youth Award, was also the winner of the People’s Choice Award.

It was hugely worthwhile to see the works in person at the popup gallery. The range and quality of the works are inspirational.

It was with great pride that this year our July stamp issue featured the L’affare People’s Choice Award winners from the previous four years. It was a really fabulous project, and one that I hope will enthuse stamp collectors and art lovers throughout New Zealand and around the globe.