LAUREN LYSAGHT
Honourable Mention
15 September – 4 October
Preview: Sunday 15 September, 2 – 4PM
I have only ever won two things in my entire life. One of those wins was a gold medal, the other win was a meat raffle in a pub. Being a semi-vegetarian Butcher’s daughter, I didn’t consider that such a win!!!
Winning, succeeding, striving is so much part of our society. The magazines are full of positive thinking, the streets are full of billboards and blackboards telling us we can “do it”. We are now even subjected to seeing “wise” advice in our homes - you know the sort - “dance like nobody is watching”, “love like you have never been hurt” (yeah right) - “Dream Big”.
Well I am tired of it! My new work is a tribute to all the people who tried - all the so-called losers. “If there were no losers there would be no competition".
I am reversing the "reward” system. In my world, the bronze awards are best and the Honourable Mentions are even better.
Lauren is one of New Zealand's foremost socially conscience artists and has exhibited extensively in New Zealand and internationally since the early 1980s. She was the Gold Medal Award Winner of the Art Addiction Annual Exhibition in Venice, Italy and has been awarded a Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council Grant and Creative New Zealand funding. Her work is held in numerous private and public collections including Te Papa Tongarewa and the Chartwell Collection.
