Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate Siân Stephens has been announced the winner of the 2022 Parkin Drawing Prize.
Siân’s work, Liam Cutting His Hair After An All-nighter, in coloured pencil, ink and acrylic, was chosen as the winner from a record 588 entries nationwide and 76 finalists at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts’ Academy Galleries on Monday 1 August.
It was Siân’s first time entering the Parkin Drawing Prize and she says the award win is still sinking in. “This has made my whole life!
“I certainly was not expecting to win so I am feeling completely overwhelmed with happiness. I am so grateful to the judging panel for considering my work and of course Liam for cutting his hair off as this win wouldn’t have happened without him!”
Liam Cutting His Hair After An All-nighter was created whilst Siân was sick with COVID-19.
“My partner Liam and I were isolating and going stir crazy at home. Liam is a musician and during our isolation period he decided to stay up all night, make music and drink coffee. He had really long hair at the time and decided to wake me up to tell me he was cutting it off.
“Liam is a person who continuously inspires and surprises me, whose drive to make work and live spontaneously is both enriching and completely fascinating. Him cutting off his characteristically long hair on no sleep is an act I had extreme emotional responses to, so I wanted to pour that and my admiration for him into this drawing.”
Siân works full time at City Gallery Wellington as Visitor Services Host and is also a volunteer Director at Meanwhile Gallery which helps give emerging art school graduates an opportunity to feature in an exhibition.
Siân completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts with First Class Honours at Massey University in 2019.
The Parkin Drawing Prize exhibition runs until 11 September at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts Academy Galleries, Queens Wharf, Wellington. All the artworks will be for sale giving admirers and collectors the opportunity to purchase some wonderful pieces.
For the first time, the previous Parkin Drawing Prize winners’ works will be showcased in an exhibition next to the 2022 finalists, to mark the 10th anniversary of the award.
