Actually Dane Mitchell should have got $20,000. The other art award held in Hamilton in the Gardens every year has that amount, not $15,000, for prize money. He was robbed.
'But Waikato Museum director Kate Vusoniwailala leapt to the defence of judge Charlotte Huddleston, saying it was "an excellent decision" which had helped achieve the objective of getting people talking about art.'
Well Kate, I don't think it necessarily got "people talking about art". Maybe it just got them talking about rubbish. Given the disrespect shown by both Charlotte Huddleston and Kate Vusoniwailala to the other contributing artists to this award, it should not be called a "contemporary" art award but a contemptuous one. If these two "visionaries" think that these comments are strictly my creative imagination, and are offensive and rubbish, would they consider forwarding a cheque in the mail to me I wonder.