Wednesday 12 November 2025
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is delighted to announce Caleb Gordon as the winner of the 2025 Michèle Whitecliffe Art Writing Prize for their essay “Flag on the Floor: Art, Protest and the Limits of Democratic Imagination.”
This year’s theme, The Visual Arts and Democracy, invited new and established writers to consider the role art plays in civic life at a time when many democracies face instability. The winning essay, published in the December issue of the Gallery’s magazine Art Toi, examines the public response to Diane Prince’s Flagging the Future 1995/2024, situating the controversy within wider discussions about symbolism, tino rangatiratanga and freedom of expression. Gordon will also receive a $2,500 prize.
Director/CEO of the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) Hannah Mathews, this year’s judge, said Gordon’s essay is “a compelling and courageous exploration of the intersection between art and democracy in Aotearoa New Zealand... It deftly situates the artwork within a broader cultural and political context, revealing the deep tensions between national symbolism and Indigenous sovereignty.”
“Written in an engaging, accessible tone, the essay balances intellectual rigour with emotional resonance. It invites readers not just to understand the controversy but to feel its weight – much like stepping onto the artwork itself. This is a timely and vital reflection on the role of art in democratic life,” adds Mathews.
Caleb Gordon said, “It’s such an honour to be recognised for this piece. Art history has always helped me see the world more clearly, not just the artworks, but the systems and stories around them. In a time when the discipline itself is under threat, that feels more important than ever.”
Established in 2020 by Auckland Art Gallery and Michèle Whitecliffe, the Michèle Whitecliffe Art Writing Prize aims to encourage critical writing about New Zealand’s visual arts. The annual award is given in memory of Greg Whitecliffe, a passionate advocate for the arts.