Best in Show 2023

Gallery Anomalous
Waiheke Island, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
24 November to 3 December 2023.

The beginning

Best in Show began in 2023 with an invitation to Waiheke Island’s pet-loving community to take part in a lively and affectionate exhibition celebrating the animals who share our lives.

The exhibition featured Julia Holden’s portraits of people’s favourite companion animals, alongside portraits of animals from the Waiheke Island Society for the Care of Animals (WISCA) who were in need of fostering or adoption. She also included portraits of animals considered pests, created handmade rosettes, and invited the public to vote across four categories: Best Pup, Best Puss, Best Pet and Best Worst Pest. The category winners then competed for the overall title of Best in Show, determined by the public vote.

A portion of every sale went to WISCA, supporting its work caring for the island’s animals, people and community.

The response showed how strongly people connected with the idea of celebrating companion animals through art — and planted the seed for what Best in Show would become.