Being awarded the Order of New Zealand is a big deal in NZ terms. Only 20 living people at any one time can hold the order. While it doesn’t carry a title it is New Zealand ’s top honour.
Ralph Hotere is, of course, one of New Zealand ’s best known and loved artists. His works mostly had biographical or political origins. Much of it has a dark palette. Some of the ones I like include:
"There are very few things I can say about my work that are better than saying nothing." - Ralph Hotere
To see another post aboutNew Zealand art click here
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The other current holders of the honour are (in order of appointment):
Lady Blundell
Dame Miriam Dell
Margaret Mahy
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
Sir Miles Warren
Jim Bolger
Ken Douglas
Cliff Whiting
Mike Moore
Cardinal Thomas Williams
Jonathan Hunt
Sir Lloyd Geering
Sir Kenneth Keith
Sir Don McKinnon
Sir Murray Halberg
Helen Clark
Sir Bob Charles
Ralph Hotere takes one of the spots left vacant as a result of the deaths of Ivan Lichter, Dame Doreen Blumhardt and Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan. I didn’t even know who 2 of these people were! Talk about flying below the radar – Ivan Lichter was a surgeon specialising in palliative care and Dame Doreen was a potter and art educator.
Thanks for the link! Interesting award and blog! Will be sure to follow. Michelle
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