Auckland-based ceramic artist and Whitecliffe Master of Fine Arts alumna Virginia Leonard has been awarded the 2025 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize in Sydney, Australia. This recognition highlights her bold approach to contemporary sculpture and her growing international acclaim.
Her winning work, Glad that you are not here all the time — an urn for unwanted limbs and other things, was praised by judges for its technical mastery and emotional depth. Crafted from clay, pure gold and resin, the sculpture channels personal frustration into form, balancing raw expression with refined craftsmanship.
Now in its 24th year, the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize is Australia’s most prestigious award for small-scale sculpture, attracting 736 international and local entries. Leonard’s piece was chosen from 54 finalists, with Woollahra Gallery Director Sep Pourbozorgi describing her work as “both raw and refined, deeply personal yet universally relatable.”
On winning the Prize, Virginia Leonard said:
“I am super grateful and honoured to win the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, and to be showing alongside some incredible works. It is such a massive feeling to be acknowledged with this new body of work, as I pour and cast resin in my garage late into the night hoping that what I see and feel, other people will as well.”
Since completing her Master of Fine Arts (First Class Honours) at Whitecliffe in 2001, Leonard has exhibited extensively across Aotearoa, Australia, Europe and the United States. Her recent exhibitions include Sydney Contemporary, Aotearoa Art Fair and Homo Faber in Venice.
She was also the winner of the 2021 Officine Saffi Award in Milan, a finalist in multiple Wallace Art Awards, and continues to be represented by leading galleries in New Zealand, Australia, the USA and Switzerland. Her works are part of major public and private collections, including the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Whitecliffe celebrates Virginia’s continued success and her contribution to New Zealand’s creative identity on the global stage. Her journey reflects the creativity, courage and belonging that define the Whitecliffe community.
Virginia’s winning sculpture, along with works by all 54 finalists, is currently on display at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf in Sydney until 16 November 2025. Visitors are invited to explore the remarkable breadth of small-scale sculpture, from ceramic, glass, resin and neon to matchboxes, paper pulp and photographic paper.
For more information about the exhibition and the Prize, please visit woollahragallery.com.au
To see more of Virginia Leonard’s work, visit virginialeonard.co.nz or follow her on Instagram @ginleonard.
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