The Pat Hanly Creativity Awards were presented to 2023’s young artists at a gala event on Thursday, 10 August at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. The Diocesan School for Girls recipients were Alex Wackrow and Xanthe Williams. 

Established in 2002, the Awards recognise secondary school students nominated by their kaiako for outstanding creativity, imagination and commitment to the Visual Arts.

Presented by the Gallery for the last two decades, the Pat Hanly Creativity Awards have become an important milestone and accolade for some of Tāmaki Makaurau’s most outstanding young creative talent. These awards acknowledge Pat Hanly’s outstanding contribution to New Zealand contemporary art and his passion for art education and for supporting young artists. The awards are an acknowledgement, too, of the critical role of schools, kaiako, whānau and parents in championing students with their mahi and encouraging them along artistic paths.

Alex Wackrow, Mana Wahine 

Alex Wackrow wrote of her painting Mana Wahine that:

“This painting honours my grandmother, and it is a personal tribute to her. It captures the mana of her generation against a symbolic representation of Mäori Culture and our heritage. This artwork holds deep personal meaning for me and our whanau as it features our family Marae and focus on the pickorua symbol of unity around her neck that she gifted to me.”

Xanthe Williams, Mana Wahine: The Living Legacy of Te Reo

Xanthe Williams wrote of her painting Mana Wahine: The Living Legacy of Te Reo that:

“Mana Wahine: The Living Legacy of Te Reo” is an oil painting that showcases three female faces, with the central focus on a Moko Kauae adorning a Māori woman. This piece pays homage to the strength, dignity, and spiritual essence embodied in Māori women. Mana represents power and authority while ‘Wahine’ translates to ‘woman” in Te Reo Māori. This work celebrates the inherent power and importance of women in Māori society, especially in their role as guardians and promotors of culture and language.”