20/08/2026
Anne Berry’s exquisite hyper-realistic pastel drawing “Brotherhood Spirit” has a story behind it that is every bit as engaging as the artwork itself.
The drawing was inspired by a photograph Anne took during a safari in Kenya last year, when she and her husband visited a Maasai village and met two young Maasai warriors, known as 'Morans'.
The Morans demonstrated Adumu, the famous Maasai jumping dance, traditionally performed at important ceremonies and celebrations. Anne and her husband had plenty of interaction with the pair, joking and laughing as they were shown around the village and introduced to the crafts and wares made by the community, including beaded and metal jewellery, cloth, knives, and carved animals.
It was the warmth of that encounter that Anne wanted to capture in Brotherhood Spirit.
And it certainly captured the imagination of judge Alfred Memelink, who awarded the work Judge’s Choice. Alfred joked that he felt as though he had just told the two warriors a bad Dad joke!
“They were, in fact, laughing with my husband about something he said,” Anne explains.
A wonderful reminder that sometimes art captures far more than a moment - it captures a connection.
There's still plenty to discover at the Hutt Art Annual Exhibition, which continues until 23 August 2026. Visit Hutt Art, 9 Myrtle Street, Lower Hutt, open daily from 10am–4pm. Everyone is welcome, and entry is free.
