Paga Hill Estate
Development Company
AKIS 2024 Art Prize
The Top 10 Finalists from The Paga Hill Estate Youth Art Prize.
With over 2,000 submissions from around Papua New Guinea, this year's competition was strong across all three divisions with the most outstanding artworks created in this year’s theme, “Looking Forward - Dreams & Aspirations for the Future of PNG” moving through to the final round of judging. Thirty finalists’ works were carefully evaluated by a distinguished panel of artists, curators, and academics from Papua New Guinea, Australia, England, and the United States. The criteria for selection of Finalists included: Theme Adherence, Originality, Communication, and Craftsmanship.
The Paga Hill Estate Youth Art Prize was claimed by Brooklyne Olearavungkea Stegman who will receive K5,000 in cash and K5,000 worth of art supplies for her school, recognizing her outstanding talent at a young age.
​
Congratulations to all our winners and finalists! The Arts Society Papua New Guinea extends its deepest appreciation to the many participants and supporters of the 2024 Akis Art Prize, and we celebrate the incredible talent emerging from all corners of our nation with the wonderful perspectives and insights expressed around this year’s theme through their amazing creations. Arts Society Papua New Guinea would also like to make special mention of the remote participants of this year’s competition as well as the educators who facilitated entries for their students to take part - your efforts are acknowledged and appreciated. Thank you.
The Top 30 Finalist’s works will now go on display at the PNG National Museum & Art Gallery from October 7 - December 7 this year. This event is free and open to the public so don’t miss your chance to see the artworks of this year’s Akis Art Prize for yourself!
Winners of this year’s competition will now celebrate their accomplishments at the winner’s presentation and Akis Art Prize Exhibition Opening Night on October 4th.
​
Thank you to our amazing judges, Dr Michael Mel (PNG), Ruth McDougall (AUS), Tim Solly (PNG), Shiva Lynn Burgos (FRA/US) & Skinder Hundal (UK).
As we commemorate this milestone, we also acknowledge the invaluable support of our Major Sponsor: ExxonMobil PNG LNG, as well as our Key Delivery Partners: PNG National Museum & Art Gallery, Post PNG, stori., and Art Activism PNG.
We extend special thanks to our Platinum Sponsors: Kumul Consolidated Holdings, Coca-Cola EuroPacific Partners Papua New Guinea, and Paga Hill Estate. Our Gold Sponsors: Pacific Land Corporation, Air Niugini Limited, and The Stanley Hotel & Suites, and our Silver Sponsors: Rotary Club of Port Moresby, Theodist, Pacific Industries, and Asia Pacific Communication Specialists.
Youth #Y29
Artist
Brooklyne Olearavungkea Stegman
Description
A rainforest harbours millions of species and they are all able to coexist in a codependent harmony. Like a rainforest Papua New Guinea harbours diverse 'species' of people with their varying bilas, tok ples and cultural practices but, unlike a rainforest we are still learning to
Click Preview to View Full Image
Click Preview to View Full Image
embrace the differences in each other’s cultures and coexist in a codependent harmony. The knowledge of our ancestors has been passed down through generations not to create disputes and harm others but instead, to bring people together and allow them to survive and thrive. Instead of fighting one another for our differences, we must embrace them and share our ancestral knowledge as it contains wisdom that has been developed over millennia. My dreams and aspirations for the future of Papua New Guinea is that we are better educated on the culture of our fellow Papua New Guineans and that we learn to accept and apply our heritage allowing for a more peaceful dynamic within our country. This is represented in my art work by a young woman filled with inspiration from the pages of a book. I chose a blue - green colour pallet to represent nature and the earth, a yellow kolos to represent hope and a book to represent education and knowledge.
Click Preview to View Full Image
Youth #Y100
Artist
Janelle Jim
Description
The painting shows a young man, a kunai house, a mountain range, a vibrant sunrise, and some newspaper cut-outs. The young man represents the youth of our country, I believe if we are to move forward and forge a path, we must take heed of our youth. The sunrise
symbolises a brighter and better future. The house kunai, our culture and traditions that I see us carrying -with pride- for many years to come. Pasted across the painting are the newspaper cut-outs that signify the future media being filled with our; achievements, accomplishments and improvements we make as one nation. This is my dream, a Papua new Guinea that is safer, healthier, and just.
Youth #Y43
Artist
Danroy Davis Mova
Description
My artwork for the 2024 Akis Art Price theme "Looking forward - Dreams and Aspirations for the Future of Papua New Guinea" is represented by the astronaut placing a PNG flag on the moon. This artwork signifies dreams and aspirations of a young Papua New Guinean breaking boundaries and reaching new heights for a better PNG.
Click Preview to View Full Image
Click Preview to View Full Image
Youth #Y88
Artist
Hannah Sumac
Description
I reckon my art work fits the theme because of the 3 main subjects that I have portrayed on the canvas. Which are the city and its necessities of transport (trains, airplane, ships) the landscape and the people. Firstly the city and its necessities aim to represent the future of PNG as a
completely developed country where all needs will be meet. Secondly, the landscape indicates the geographical features of PNG not only that but also narrate the land that should be conserved for our wildlife giving PNG an eco-friendly image to view which is one of the aspirations of PNG. Lastly the people who are gathering, some as you can see in their different traditional attire, each resembles the different cultures and traditions of our four regions that makes PNG as a whole the idea was to tell how PNG has evolved from our ancestors that came before us and the ones that are heading forward into the city are the next future generations of PNG.
Youth #Y66
Artist
Emmanuel Visser
Description
The pictures shows the late Honorable Sir Micheal Somare representing PNG in the painting. The train on the left shows the future of the country where we hope and dream there will be trains running from the coastal to the highlands regions.
Click Preview to View Full Image
Click Preview to View Full Image
Youth #Y224
Artist
Tapona Kassa
Description
My dreams and aspirations of this country PNG is that, I WANT EVERY SINGLE CHILD IN THIS COUNTRY (PNG) TO BE EDUCATED. Without education we see a lot of street people, drugs dealers, rascals and many more corruption, all these happen because people are not educated. So I think education is the way forward.
Youth #Y184
Artist
Relvie Bue
Description
My painting is titled "Port Moresby: A vision of the future." This work represents my dreams and aspirations for the future of Papua New Guinea, specifically envisioning a modern, vibrant Port Moresby. In this painting, I have depicted Port Moresby as a city of the future, adorned
with towering skyscrapers and bustling taxis, reflecting a vision of urban advancement and prosperity. The cityscape also draws inspiration from the dynamic essence of New York symbolising a blend of modernity and ambition. Through this art work I aim to capture my hope for a thriving and forward-looking Papua New Guinea, where growth and innovation shape our urban landscape.
Click Preview to View Full Image
Click Preview to View Full Image
Youth #Y47
Artist
Faustina Kwaimani
Description
As we grow and evolve as a nation the interests of our people has changed a great deal especially our youth from caring about "tomorrow's meal" to things such as "R.M Williams" merchandise but no matter how things may change for us in the future let us all try to keep in our hearts and mind the values our forefathers once had which are civilisation is now built upon.
Youth #Y216
Artist
Simon Baneng
Description
My aspiration or dream is to be a Papua New Guinean to go to space and be an astronaut in the future.
Click Preview to View Full Image
Click Preview to View Full Image
Youth #Y182
Artist
Raeva Tadabe
Description
My painting is called “Powered up PNG” and it is an illustration of the future I hope for PNG where more parts of our country and our people can have important and reliable services such as electricity and water. If power and water is not reliable in Port Moresby, I can only imagine what it’s like for people in the rural areas. I always hope for a better PNG