Lead Juror
Lead Juror Ngahiraka Mason (on right) is joined by Dr. Manulani Meyer (left), "Healthy Habits for Hawai'i" Art Contest NHPI Cultural Consultant.
Our lead juror, Ngahiraka Mason is an independent curator, critic, and visual historian with research and curatorial interests in the material culture and histories of Polynesian peoples and community relationships with museums and collections.
Mason is the former Indigenous Curator, Māori Art at Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki, New Zealand’s largest public art museum.
Her exhibitions and publications focus on historical, modern, and contemporary art.
Recent projects include Wananga | Wanana (2019) at Bishop Museum, Honolulu; Honolulu Biennial: Middle of Now/Here, the inaugural Honolulu Biennial (2017); and the International touring exhibition Gottfried Lindauer’s New Zealand (2014–17). Mason lives and works in Honolulu, Hawai‘i.
Her focus is to elevate the next generation of artists to believing they can make art their profession.
Mason is the former Indigenous Curator, Māori Art at Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki, New Zealand’s largest public art museum.
Her exhibitions and publications focus on historical, modern, and contemporary art.
Recent projects include Wananga | Wanana (2019) at Bishop Museum, Honolulu; Honolulu Biennial: Middle of Now/Here, the inaugural Honolulu Biennial (2017); and the International touring exhibition Gottfried Lindauer’s New Zealand (2014–17). Mason lives and works in Honolulu, Hawai‘i.
Her focus is to elevate the next generation of artists to believing they can make art their profession.
Supporting Jurors
Committee Leads and members of the NHPI COVID-19 Response, Recovery, and Resilience Team from social support & recovery, testing & tracing, data & research, policy, as well as communications and contest Sponsors will support choosing winners.