Pictured: Soft Echo by Akie Haga, Images by Brooke McEachern
A delicate, luminous glass crown inspired by native wildflowers has captured the public’s imagination, taking out the People’s Choice Award at the South Australian Museum’s prestigious Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize.
The winning work, Soft Echo by Canberra-based artist Akie Haga, was the clear favourite among visitors, attracting more than 10 per cent of over 2,000 votes cast across the 74 finalists.
Akie’s intricate flameworked borosilicate glass sculpture, shaped like a cluster of flannel flowers, also sold shortly after the exhibition opened in April for $7,500, alongside the $5,000 People’s Choice prize, supported by Sonya Hender and Ron Langman.
Akie’s work stood out for its ethereal presence and emotional resonance, with visitors drawn to its softness, light and almost otherworldly fragility.
Soft Echo is composed of individually formed translucent blossoms and branching forms, carefully layered to create a crown-like structure.
Subtle opalescent tones and fine detailing give the piece a sense of movement, evoking the delicate systems found in nature while highlighting the fragility of both memory and environment.
“As a Japanese-born artist living in Australia, I navigate the quiet tension between two landscapes,” shared Akie. “My childhood memory of weaving clover crowns in Japan resurfaced through this Australian native, a fire-responsive species that returns after bushfire, its seeds stirred awake by heat and ash.
“Formed in soft, translucent white glass, subtly uneven and shifting, the work mirrors the nature of memory itself — fragile, luminous, and resilient through change.”
The Waterhouse Prize, produced by the South Australian Museum, celebrates the intersection of art and science and is supported by the South Australian Museum Foundation, Hill Smith Art Advisory, JamFactory, Sonya Hender and Ron Langman, and production partner Visualcom.
South Australian Museum Director Dr Samantha Hamilton said, “The People’s Choice Award highlights the powerful connection visitors make with the artworks in the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize.
“Akie’s winning work clearly resonates with audiences, and it’s easy to see why. The piece is both beautiful and compelling, drawing people in and encouraging them to look more closely at the natural world.”
Arts Minister Kyam Maher MLC added, “The Waterhouse Prize showcases the remarkable ways artists engage with and interpret the world around us, inspiring creativity and conversations.
“It is great to see so many people engaging with this year’s exhibition and casting their vote, highlighting the important role arts and our cultural institutions play in connecting communities with science, nature and the environment.”
The Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize exhibition is now in its final weeks at the South Australian Museum, closing Sunday, July 19th. Visitors can view the exhibition in person, with tickets available online or at the door.
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