02 Jun 2009
Moyra Elliott awarded Creative New Zealand
Craft/Object Art Fellowship
Ceramic lecturer, curator, ex-maker and writer Moyra Elliott has been awarded this year’s Creative New Zealand Craft/Object Art Fellowship.
The Creative New Zealand Craft/Object Art Fellowship worth $65,000 is open to established practitioners, curators and writers working in both traditional applied arts and contemporary practice, to work on a project and/or programme of activities that will take one year to complete.
Moyra Elliott has written widely about New Zealand ceramics. Her proposed project for the fellowship is a book covering the current practice and recent history of studio ceramics in New Zealand since 1980. This book will continue the story of New Zealand ceramics from where her last project in collaboration with Damien Skinner, Cone Ten Down- a history of studio ceramics 1945-1980 ends. (Cone Ten Down- a history of studio ceramics 1945-1980 is published by David Bateman Ltd and will be released in June this year)
Chair of the Creative New Zealand Arts Board Alan Sorrell says Moyra Elliott’s selection reflects the importance of critical writing as a resource for the arts.
“Encouraging critical writing about craft/object art will give the whole ceramics sector profile and provide wider benefits for all the makers who will be featured in the book. Moyra has the credentials and experience to carry out this ambitious project and we are delighted to offer her the opportunity of the Creative New Zealand Craft/Object Art Fellowship”.
For Moyra Elliott the fellowship is a humbling experience, “I feelmost honoured to be offered this prestigious fellowship and also gratified that contemporary ceramicsin New Zealand be considered deserving of recording.I view my year of research and writing with bothtrepidation and anticipation - a marvellous opportunity tolearn, developand hone skills with, hopefully, a useful outcome.I am so grateful to all concerned for the support and for the honour and willdo my bestto meet my own, and others hopes and expectations”.
Past recipients have been Malcolm Harrison (2004), Peter Lange (2005) and Rangi Kipa (2006). From 2009, the fellowship will be offered biennally.
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