Icon Awards - Whakamana Hiranga

The Arts Foundation of New Zealand has established The Icon Awards - Whakamana Hiranga as an honours system to celebrate the living icons of New Zealand arts.

New Zealand art is highly valued and celebrated by New Zealanders. Many artists who have life-long achievements are now recognised as leaders in their fields. These artists are our icons, in some cases internationally renowned and often local pioneers in their chosen art forms.

In 2003 an inaugural ten Icon Artists were appointed and a further six in 2005. In 2007 a further five artists have been recognised, including Don Selwyn - Actor/Director, Stage and Screen (1936-2007) who passed away before the Awards ceremony. The Foundation is honoured that Don joins New Zealand's most treasured artists as a celebrated Icon, but was saddened that his death preceded this honour. In time there will be a living circle of up to twenty Icon Artists.

Each Icon Artist receives a medallion and pin designed by stone sculptor John Edgar. The artist keeps the pin in perpetuity, while the medallion, following the artist's death, will be presented to a successor at subsequent Icon Awards ceremonies. In 2007 Janet's Icon medallion was presented to Ans Westra. The mana of each Award increases over time as the medallions are passed down through generations of our finest artists.

The late Sir Hugh Kawharu, Arts Foundation Trustee considered that each Icon recipient shared his or her mana with fellow Icons through reciprocity: each Icon's mana being enhanced through association with the group. Sir Hugh gifted the words Whakamana Hiranga (Honouring Pre-eminence) as a title for the Awards.

The living circle of Icons are Dr Raymond Boyce - Theatre Designer, Len Castle - Potter, Maurice Gee - Writer, Peter Godfrey - Musician, Patricia Grace - Writer, Alexander Grant - Dance, Pakariki Harrison - Carver, Ralph Hotere - Visual Artist, Russell Kerr - Choreographer, Margaret Mahy - Writer, Sir Donald McIntyre - Opera Singer, Milan Mrkusich - Visual Artist, Donald Munro - Opera, Don Peebles - Painter, Diggeress Te Kanawa - Weaver and Sir Miles Warren - Architect, Ans Westra - Photographer and Arnold Wilson - Sculptor.

Writer Janet Frame (1924-2004), who was also awarded an Icon in 2003, Actor/Director, Stage and Screen Don Selwyn (1935 - 2007) - who died shortly before the 2007 Awards and poet Hone Tuwhare (1922 - 2008). Hone was an inaugural Icon, awarded in 2003.

The Icon Awards provide New Zealanders with the opportunity to identify those artists who have excelled as contributors to this country's cultural identity. The Awards ceremony enables us to thank the Icon Artists for their contributions and to celebrate their achievements with them.

| View Icon Award Artists.