2nd July – 10th August 2026
Juror – Toni Hartill. (https://tonihartillart.blogspot.com/)
The winners of the Juror’s awards have been announced. Juror’s Choice for Most Engaging Work Prize: $500.00 NZ goes to Donna Dinsdale for her work ‘Pure Virgin Princess’. The Juror’s Choice for Highly Commended Prize: $250.00 NZ was awarded to Jeanette Verster for her work ‘Lost (For) Words’.
The People’s Choice Prize is awarded by visitor votes in the gallery so please be sure to come in, enjoy the works and cast your vote. This will be awarded at the close of the exhibition and is valued at $250.00 NZ
Here are the two winning works. You will find the juror’s statements below each work.
Here are the Juror’s comments on The Most engaging Work:
Pure Virgin Princess by Donna Dinsdale
This work is unbooklike for sure, or is it?
This work may be challenging for some to accept or see how this kakahu could possibly be an artist’s book.
We can see a reference to elements of the form of a book such as pages and page numbering.
We can also see elements of the function of a book being used such as to record, to document, to collect, to collate, to narrate, to comment, to express….
What appears at first as a richly embellished and beautiful representation of a traditional cloak or kakahu, very quickly emotions such as nostalgia may kick in as we look closer at the intricate labels and the glorious colour combinations we see also the numbers, like page numbers… but wait some are missing…
The choice to number only select pages of the 100, is a key element in the meaning of the work and perhaps one of the things we may notice early on in our viewing experience. It’s a clue, perhaps a way in, to begin to question and then understand what’s happening here.
The artist writes “These dispersed markings trace a passage through time, quietly indexing a lifetime where consent is implied, negotiated and at times assumed.
Moments surface and recede suggesting how ideas of permission and readiness are unevenly inscribed, never fully visible or fixed.
As a vessel of whakapapa, protection and mana the kakahu holds inherited knowledge alongside imposed language asserting wahine as a living, embodied presence that reclaims consent and defines value on its own terms.”
This is a complex work, visually stunning but layered with meaning that emerges slowly and more deeply the closer and longer we engage with it.
The Juror’s Choice for Highly Commended was awarded to ‘Lost (For) Words’ by Jeanette Verster.
This work arrived in what resembled a top quality bespoke hat box. The act of removing the work from the box in itself was emotionally charged. Once the work is held and engaged with in it’s open form the full power of it’s message is felt.
Here are Toni’s comments about the work:
The artist writes
“It is only by interacting with a person with severe memory loss that the extent of communication difficulties become apparent. The damaged inside is hidden from view unless you look closer.”
Presented with an innocent looking box, what could possibly be inside it?
I felt a shiver of anticipation, trepidation even, of what I was to find in the box.
The slow careful process of opening,unboxing, removing, unbinding, revealing and finally releasing.
The tightly bound, complex structure a surprise.
The elastic cords holding everything in, snug and secure…
A peek at the innards…
And then the release and reveal, lying limp and heavy in my hands, like a slumped body
The fleshy interior of jumbled words.
The outside presence hides the inner anguish.
Just as a conventional book might, its able to share with us a very personal and deeply affecting experience and yet through the experience of physically engaging with the work I think we may understand the depth of feeling and sense of loss so much more viscerally than if we were to just read the words while turning a page.
An example of: Don’t read a book by it’s cover. To me, this artist’s book truly expresses the value of artists books as a medium.
The Written explanation by Jeanette reads:
It is only by interacting with a person with severe memory loss that the extent of communication difficulties become apparent. The damaged inside is hidden from view unless you look closer.
Likewise, only by opening this book the brokenness becomes visible.
Materials: Folded book. Paper, cotton, elastic, closures, fragments of a dictionary.
Dimensions: (w) 25cm; (h) 55cm; (d)10 cm
There was no theme for this exhibition. This call was open to makers both in Aotearoa New Zealand and Overseas. The exhibition explores the free interpretation of the book format through Artist’s Books. The focus is on artistic exploration and innovation.
Here is the list of accepted submitters along with their instagram handles for those who have one. Please check them out – they are all amazing in their own wonderful way.
- Sarah Grace Dye @sarah_grace_dye – Germany
- tracey sullivan @_traceysullivan – NZ
- Donna Dinsdale @donna.dinsdale – NZ
- Anne Shirley @anneshirleyart – NZ
- Julie Moonlight @julieamoonlight – NZ
- Fiona Dempster – @fiona.dempster1 – Australia
- Kerry Lander @kezlandia_art – NZ
- Jeanette Verster @jeanette_verster – NZ
- Marion Manson @marionmanson – NZ
- Lisa Eskildsen @lisa.ceskildsen – NZ
- Joëlle Xavier @joelle.xavier – NZ
- Natalie Carpenter @nankydoodle – NZ
- Makyla Curtis @makylac – NZ
- Valerie Cuthbert @valerie.cuthbert – NZ
- Paula Warren @warrenpforplants – NZ
- guylaine couture @guylaine_couture – Canada
- Lou Oakes @lou_oakes_art – Australia
- Kim Herringe @kimherringe – Australia
- Fiona Dempster @fiona.dempster1 – Australia
- Barry Smith @wbarry.smith2019 – Australia
- Patricia Armada @patricia.armada – Spain
- Kevin Dewhurst @kiwisketcher – NZ
- Illés Orsolya Tünde @illesorsolyatunde – Hungary
- Linda Roberts @lindaroberts.art – Australia
- Margaret Davidson @d._margaret – NZ
- Elle McQ @theshadowbindery – USA
- Donald Buglass @buglassart – NZ
- Joelle Xavier @joelle.xavier – NZ
- Pravina Phillips NZ
- Lani Shapton – USA
- Ann Bell – NZ
- Marama Warren- Australia
- Jenny Bielawski – NZ
- Donna Kennedy – NZ
We are leaving this list of criteria up for people to reference, as well as the timeline info at the bottom so the artists and purchasers will know about the processes involved at the end of the exhibition.
Juror’s parameters
When considering submitting for this exhibition here are a few indicators from the Juror – Toni Hartill – about what she will be looking for in the entries.
An artist’s book may be considered as “a medium of artistic expression inspired by the form OR function of a “book” to express ideas, concepts or a narrative.”
The FORM of a book includes the attributes that make a book a book in a conventional sense:
It may have a cover, a title, pages, chapters, verses, a blurb, characters, a story…
The FUNCTION of a book includes its PURPOSE or INTENT:
To tell a story, record or document, collate, collect, describe, express ideas or concepts, educate, inform…
Therefore an artist’s book may or may not look like a book in a conventional sense.
We invite you to push the boundaries of what an artist’s book could possibly be. We would like to see makers ‘blow the idea of a ‘book’ apart. This is not an exhibition focused on bookbinding. The content is the important element.
Consider:
- The relationship between the form or structure of your artwork and your concept or intent.
- The importance of scale and materials in your piece.
- The way your artwork may be “read” or interacted with in order to reveal or express your intent.
- Your artist’s book must have contents and not be an empty vessel, no matter how beautiful, unless that is the intent of your piece.
Include a brief written statement to express the intent of your artist’s book. Up to 150 words. This should convey why you have made the work, what are some of your thoughts behind your making, what is the work speaking about to the audience. This is not just a description of materials used in the work.
There is no limit to the format of your artist’s book. It must be ready to hang or to display on a plinth/ table/ shelf.
Entries must have been made within the last 2 years from date of submission. i.e. between April 2024 – April 2026
Entries may have been exhibited before BUT the entry can’t have won any awards or prizes previously.
The Juror has selected the winner of the Most Engaging Work Prize and the Highly Commended Prize from the actual pieces in the gallery space. There will also be a People’s Choice Prize.
Timeline for Entries.
Thursday 2nd July 2026: Exhibition will be open to public
Sunday afternoon 5th July from 2pm: Opening Event with Juror’s Speech
Monday 10th August 2026: Final day of Boundless. People’s Choice Award will be announced at 5pm. Exhibition will be deinstalled after 5pm.
Tuesday 11th August 2026: Artist Payouts will be made. Unsold works will be prepared for return shipping. Please note this may take a few days because of the repackaging involved. Invoices for return shipping costs will be generated at the time of shipping.