Lonnie Hutchinson (Ngāti Kurī ki Ngāi Tahu, Samoan (Faleilili), Celtic) is a leading multidisciplinary artist whose thought-provoking works comment astutely on aspects of indigeneity, colonisation, and the complexities of identity. For over three decades, she has drawn from her rich Ngāi Tahu, Samoan, and Celtic heritage to create powerful installations that fuse personal moments with global issues.

Known for her signature cut-out work, her practice spans materials like black builder’s paper, vintage wallpapers, acrylic, steel, and aluminium. She uses various motifs that reference her heritage and comment on ancient traditions and the effects of colonisation. Her work can be found in The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, The Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna O Waiwhetu, the Hocken Library Dunedin, the Queensland Art Gallery, the National Gallery of Australia, The Chartwell Collection and in private collections throughout New Zealand. Her public installations grace significant spaces across Aotearoa, including Hamilton Gardens and Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland's Britomart. One of her most significant works, Hana, a large-scale bead sculpture made up of 11,000 glass and acrylic beads, welcomes visitors at Te Pae Convention Centre in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Born in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, she holds a Bachelor of 3D Design from Unitec and a Diploma of Education. As a respected educator, Lonnie has taught in prestigious institutions, including the School of Art and Design, UNITEC Auckland; Ilam School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury; and Contemporary Indigenous and Aboriginal Art, Griffith University, Brisbane. She is also a founding member of Paemanu Contemporary Visual Arts Trust and a board member of Tautai Pacific Arts Trust. 

Lonnie has received several accolades throughout her career, including residencies at the University of Canterbury’s Macmillan Brown Centre and the Banff Art Centre in Canada and in 2000 she was the first female artist recipient of the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies residency at the University of Canterbury.

Panel statement: “Over the past three decades Lonnie has developed a practice that has resonated with New Zealanders and international audiences across generations and cultural backgrounds. Her works weave together narratives that relate to beautiful and poignant personal moments but also address monumental global issues such as the environment, race relations and gender politics. Her works have been acquired by public institutions and private collectors, but it is her contribution to public art that has had a lasting impact on communities. Having completed major public commissions in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland and Kirikiriroa/Hamilton, it is Lonnie’s work across multiple sites as part of the Ōtautahi/Christchurch rebuild that has helped transform the city including creating the iconic Kahu Matarau work for the new Justice and Emergency Precinct. She has been a committed leader, mentor and educator, sharing her extensive mātauranga with emerging Māori and Moana Oceania artists. An incredibly deserving recipient for this award.”

Thank you to Corner Store for helping us tell these stories of impact, and to these contributors to the video: Jonathan Smart Gallery, 2021 A Moment in Time recipient Nigel Borell, and Auckland Museum.