Receiving the 2026 Springboard Award for Visual Arts gifted by Hummingbird Coffee – Mentored by 2014 Laureate Lisa Reihana 

Steven Junil Park is a Korean-born multi-disciplinary artist based in Ōtautahi. He is known for his work under the name 6x4 where he produces all manner of functional objects from recycled, repurposed, or vintage materials, focusing on the medium of clothing to address questions of identity and place. His practice is heavily process based, where materials come alive while being worked to create a language for communion with the intangible. He explores the potential for the hand-made to express and understand the human experience, viewing the tacit knowledge gained from craft practice as a way to understand what it means to be a person. He is a strong believer in the power of craft, where the transformation of materials from one state to another can double as a powerful way to transform the inner self. He sees collective arts practice as a framework for togetherness and connection in the cultural, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the human experience.  

Panel Statement: “Steven 박준일 is an Ōtautahi-based artist and designer. Under the name 6x4 he produces functional objects with a focus on one-off garments, shoes, jewellery and furniture. Recently there have been more installation and performance-engaged projects including exhibitions at Season, The Dowse Art Museum, and the work has embraced weaving, scent-making, hand-carved wooden components and more. Steven has exhibited around Aotearoa and collaborated with actors, musicians, singers, dancers and filmmakers. In 2023 Dame Doreen’s Gift, an annual award by the Blumhardt Foundation to establishing object/craft practitioners, acknowledged his ‘relentless commitment to demonstrating the contemporary relevance of the handmade’.”