Martinborough Artist gets ‘Special Mention’

Martinborough artist, Jane Kellahan has been given a special mention in her category at the London Art Biennale, it was announced at the closing ceremony in London recently.

The multi-award winning Wairarapa artist, Jane Kellahan, was commended in the Works on Paper category.

Exhibition organiser Jonathan Moore said that the painting was well received. “While Jane Kellahan did not win first prize it was felt that her work should still be awarded a special mention due to its very high merit,” he said. “Her work has received a lot of interest and admiration throughout the exhibition therefore this award is doubly appropriate.” The piece was New Zealand’s only entry in the international exhibition at the Chelsea Old Town Hall on the Kings Road. Ms Kellahan is happy with the result.“I am pleased. I had a good feeling about the competition,” she said.

Ms Kellahan has now been invited to exhibit at the Biennnale of Barcelona and the Tokyo Art Fair. She thinks that the outcome is positive for New Zealand artists. “Being recognised in a prestigious competition like this puts New Zealand’s creatives in the spotlight,” she said. “New Zealand is a good place to make art, because you’ve got a lot of space and freedom to express your ideas.”

The painting called “The Great Escape” focuses on conservation and the environment. The large piece features wild animals calling to other planets for help. “The painting plays with the notion of what the planet would be like if there were no animals left and it was just humans. ”“Species are becoming extinct all the time. If we carry on mistreating and abusing animals, the consequences for the planet will be tragic.”

In 2011, the artist was New Zealand’s entry into the Biennale and International Awards of Chianciano in Italy, where she came third in her category.

She was also the winner of the 2009 prestigious Cricket Art Prize in Australia and made the top 5 selection in 2011