This year we celebrate Havana Vigar and Huilin (Linda) Li gaining New Zealand Sculpture Scholarship. It is an award that recognises the top 3% of secondary school students in each field. The top students in each subject are given the opportunity to do NZ Scholarship assessments in order to achieve this award. This is extra work on top of the Internal and External achievement standards they complete in class. Only nine scholarships were awarded in Sculpture and having two from Waitākere College was very exciting.

In our department, we believe all students are capable of gaining subject scholarship so we offer the opportunity to all. We believe this attitude is what supports and encourages our students to do so well. NZ Scholarship assessments are designed to be challenging for the most able students in each subject. Assessment in Visual Art is an 8 page A3 workbook where they articulate the ideas they have explored in their Art projects throughout the year.

To be awarded the NZ Scholarship, students are expected to show deep understanding of the subject, demonstrate high-level critical thinking and the ability to apply their understanding to complex situations. Students who achieve NZ Scholarship receive a $500 monetary award towards their tertiary studies.

Below are excerpts from Havana and Lindas Sculpture submissions. 

Havana Vigar - Life of a Fish 

I began by exploring different directions for my theme of “fish,” as there were many possibilities to consider. Ultimately, I decided to create a parody of the fish life cycle. After researching various species, I chose the kahawai, a fish very common in New Zealand waters, as the focus of my sculptures. From there, I selected key milestones in a human's life and personified that in the fish’s life to highlight and think about how to humorously present them. To enhance the comedic effect, I incorporated wordplay and gave the fish human-like characteristics.

My first board begins with a series of fish eggs, showing the start of the life cycle, followed by a collection of baby fish sculptures with baby items made of clay, and my playful take on a “school of fish.” This board represents the childhood and adolescence of the fish, highlighting their growth. The fish eggs, baby elements, and the school are all brightly coloured to symbolize the playful, childish nature of this phase. The “school of fish” is inspired by my own memories of primary school, recalling the vibrant, multi-coloured walls, artwork covering the space, and the alphabet posters that encompassed the room.

The second board focuses on the adult phase of the fish’s life, with a diorama of a fish buying its first home, followed by a fish wedding scene. This board emphasizes key milestones typical of human life, like settling down and starting a family. I personified these experiences by showing the fish purchasing a home and getting married. For the fish home sculpture, I was inspired by the excitement of buying a first house, incorporating a big red "SOLD" sticker to symbolize this milestone in a fun, relatable way. Finally, the third board takes a darker turn, representing the end of the fish's life cycle. It begins with the fish getting caught, followed by a fish’n’chips scene, and concludes with a missing fish diorama. This board, with its darker, muted tones, reflects the themes of death and loss. Despite the heavier subject matter, I kept a humorous edge, depicting the fish as a classic New Zealand fish’n’chips meal wrapped in newspaper, and using playful puns in the missing fish poster. The tone of this board is more sombre than the earlier ones, with the final sculpture resembling a graveyard, wrapped in the environmental message of overfishing.

Growing up in New Zealand, I’ve always felt that there is a deep connection between the people, the sea, and its inhabitants. In Māori culture, the ocean is considered the origin of all life. The islands themselves are believed to have been pulled from the sea, and it’s thought that we evolved from aquatic beings, such as fish, into our human form. According to traditional stories, Māui used his fish hook to pull the North Island from the depths of the ocean. This deep respect for the sea is woven into Māori culture, reflected in their carvings, myths, and taonga. Māori beliefs about the sea have greatly influenced how New Zealanders view and interact with the ocean. Growing up, I was surrounded by family who would take me fishing on weekends, and fresh fish were gifted to each other. Living in New Zealand, you’re never far from the ocean, no matter where you are. Some of my fondest memories involve my grandfather up north, who would take me and my brother out on his boat to

teach us how to fish. I can still remember the bright pink fishing rod my grandparents bought me, which I used to catch my first fish, a snapper, off the local wharf. It was too small, so we had to release it. I also recall my dad and grandfather teaching me how to harvest mussels off the rocks at Mitimiti, and how we never took mussels from the first few rocks because they were left for the elders in the community. Fishing was a big experience in my family, with my uncle, dad, and grandfather gutting and filleting the fish. I was also often scolded for sneaking pieces of raw fish to eat as sashimi, even though it was meant for dinner. Being quarter Chinese, I also grew up with a strong cultural connection to food. In Chinese culture, fish symbolizes wealth, and my Gung Gung (maternal grandfather) would always prepare a whole fish with spring onions, ginger, garlic and soy sauce, one of my favourite dishes. In Chinese tradition, the head of the fish is considered the best part and is usually offered to the guest of honour. My Gung Gung loved the fish’s eyeballs, though no one else in the family competed with him for them.

Huilin (Linda) Li - Futuristic Building

For my theme this year I chose "Futuristic Building". I will explore the intersection of architecture, technology, and imagination. It envisions a world where materials related to life are fused together. Each of my pieces symbolizes the potential of modern technology to create spaces, and my entire body of work will utilize a single colour to showcase the original form of the building. The order of my works is as follows: First, I will show a simple small sculpture, using paper to make a model. Next, I'm going to use sticks as a material and combine them into an environmental building. The third piece is inspired by Stone Age sites, I will use foam board as the base, and use clay to shape the texture of the stone. The fourth work will use bendable cardboard, the flexibility of which allows me to create an architectural model. The fifth sculpture will incorporate wire materials to create a sense of futuristic technology. Finally, I will blend foam board with cardboard to create a large sculptural building.

What materials represent futuristic and how can I show that in my work?

When I think of the word "futurism," several keywords come to mind: metal, hard, solid, and bright. These elements have inspired my work as a sculptor and serve as the basis for my artistic exploration. In order to embody the futuristic metal element, I used wire in my sculpture.Its flexibility allows me to create complex shapes and structures that reflect the complexity and simplicity of modern design. This material gives my sculptures an industrial feel. I also incorporate tinfoil into my work to capture the essence of brightness. Tinfoil is unique because of its two-sided surface, one side is shiny and reflective while the other is matte. This contrast creates a unique visual experience that can change depending on the light and Angle from which the sculpture is viewed. 

The silvery lustre of tinfoil is like the technology and innovation of the future, and by using tinfoil, I can play with light and shadow. I then utilised bendable cardboard to convey a sense of hardness and structure that is often associated with futuristic architecture. This material allows me to mimic the geometry and angular lines of modern architecture. Cardboard is not only lightweight and versatile but also maintains a solid look that reinforces the idea of stability and permanence in my sculptures. So I can experiment with form, layers and design to add depth to my work. To enhance the overall aesthetic, I added white foam board. This material has multiple uses and is common in life, it improves the layers of my sculptures and adds a clean, modern finish. The stark white of the foam board contrasts beautifully with the metallic tint of the wire and the reflective surface of the tinfoil. 

This interplay of materials emphasizes the futuristic theme by combining organic shapes with smooth manufacturing elements. In order to express the architecture created by early humans, I incorporated wooden sticks into my work. These sticks are made into a model of the original structure, highlighting our architectural efforts. I use sticks to make geometric models, just as early humans used wood to build Bridges and houses and so on.

Havana and Linda worked incredibly hard taking visual arts throughout their time at the college. Both girls also completed folio boards in another Visual Arts Field. We are very proud of them and it was well deserved.  

- Ms Craig