headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF WAIHEKE ISLAND announces a record number of artists selected for the 2011 exhibition

headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF WAIHEKE ISLAND announces a record number of artists selected for the 2011 exhibition

Waiheke Island, Auckland... headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF WAIHEKE ISLAND 2011 is excited to announce a record forty artists have been selected for the fifth biennial exhibition. New Zealand's leading outdoor sculpture exhibition, headland 2011, will showcase the new contemporary sculptures along Waiheke's spectacular coastal walkway from 28 January to 20 February 2011.

The selected artists for 2011 are Matt Akehurst, Diane Atkinson, Chris Bailey, Ali Bramwell, Julie-Anna Child/Peter Mrost, Chiara Corbelletto, Paul Cullen, Judy Darragh/Rachel Shearer, Scott Eady, John Edgar, Gina Ferguson, Stuart Forsyth, Marcel Grosse, Mia Hamilton, Verena Jonker/Bryony Matthew, Virginia King, Gregor Kregar, Peter Lange, Suza Lawrence ( Multi media Suza), David McCracken, Shane McGrath, Chris Meder, Kazu Nakagawa, Christian Nicholson, Brett Oakes, Denis O' Connor, Grant Palliser, Phil Price, Paul Radford, Christina Read, Timothy Sang, Duncan Sargent, A D Schierning, Marcus Tatton, Roger Thompson, Jeff Thomson, Leon van den Eijkel, Fletcher Vaughan, Ruth Watson and Carolyn Williams.

Artists from all over New Zealand will be exhibiting with several collaborations. For the first time international artists have been selected including German artist, Marcel Grosse, and Marcus Tatton, who was born in New Zealand and is now resident in Tasmania.

"Artist submissions increased by fifty percent for the 2011 event and our selectors, Heather Galbraith, Trish Clark and James McCarthy are delighted to have carefully chosen forty from the many entries, nearly double the number of works selected for previous exhibitions," says Juliet Monaghan, director, headland 2011.

"One of the unique factors of headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF exhibition is that all work is especially selected for the exhibition. The record number of entries was both exciting and challenging for the selectors. All the 2011 selectors' panel have national experience, and bring considerable rigour to the selection process. They not only critique the submissions but also use their expertise to choose sites which will best showcase each of the selected works."

headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF has an exceptionally high approval recognition and commendation from visitors. "The 2009 visitors' exit poll recorded over eighty percent of visitors saying they 'loved it', ranking their visit to the exhibition walkway with the highest approval, "says Monaghan. "2011 is shaping up to be one of the best and an outstanding exhibition for New Zealand's contemporary art and Waiheke."

The coastal exhibition walkway on Waiheke Island makes this one of the most spectacular settings for contemporary sculpture with a backdrop of huge horizons of sea, sky and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF features world-class inspiring works and always delivers an element of surprise.

www.sculptureonthegulf.co.nz

Background:

headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF WAIHEKE ISLAND 2011

is the fifth biennial exhibition. Previously exhibitions were held in Jan/ Feb 2003, 2005, 2007 & 2009.

is an initiative of the Waiheke Community Art Gallery

Auckland's iconic temporary sculpture exhibition. Stages for three weeks including two long weekends. Visitors flock to Waiheke to enjoy the sculptures and the island.

Why the popularity? The site's spectacular natural beauty and the sculptures in turn energise and transform the landscape.

headland 2011 selectors are Trish Clark, Chairperson for the Advisory Panel for Public Art; Heather Galbraith who is Senior Curator Art, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and James McCarthy, Executive Director of Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts.

In 2009 26 artists were selected to exhibit at headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF WAIHEKE ISLAND.