Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award
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The Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award is a biennial art award in New Zealand, hosted in Wellington by the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in partnership with the Office of the Māori Queen. The award was named for the Māori King, Tūheitia. It was launched in August 2020 and was first presented in 2021.[1] In addition to showcasing emerging Māori artists, the award is intended to hold a role in recording and naming ancestors from various Māori hapū and iwi, and their stories.[2]
The award is preceded by a competition, encouraging Māori artists to create portraits of their ancestors (tūpuna) in any visual medium.[3] A panel of judges selects finalists from the competition entries and these works are shown in a three-month long exhibition, hosted by the New Zealand Portrait Gallery and timed to coincide with Matariki. Following the closure of the inaugural award competition exhibition in August 2021, the exhibition toured the country for two years.[1][4] A second competition was presented in 2023.[5]