25 Nov 2011

Pasifika art awards highlight fusion of heritage and modern

6:44 am on 25 November 2011

A pop singer and an artist who paints with smoke are among the winners of this year's Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards.

The annual awards were handed out in Wellington on Thursday night before an audience of 200 Pacific artists, musicians, diplomats and politicians.

This year's supreme accolade of the senior arts award went to singer Annie Crummer for her musical achievements over three decades.

The emerging Pacific artist award was given to Kulimoe'anga Stone Maka, who paints using the traditional Tongan techniques of smoking mats.

Samoan multimedia artist Janet Lilo won the contemporary award, while the heritage award went to Tokelauan weaver Kalameli Ihaia-Alefosio.

Young soprano Marlena Devoe received the Iosefa Enari Memorial Award for opera.