CoNZealand, the 78th World Science Fiction Convention, has announced the two New Zealand artists who they have selected to design the 2020 Hugo Award and 1945 Retrospective Hugo Award trophy bases.

Worldcons are required to use the standardized rocket topping the Hugo Award trophy, but each Worldcon designs their own bases. CoNZealand invited New Zealand-based artists to submit base designs. Five designers submitted proposals, and two were selected to design the bases for the trophies to be presented by this year’s Worldcon. John Flower will design the 2020 Hugo Awards trophy base, and James Brown will design the 1945 Retrospective Hugo Award trophy base.

The iconic rocket ship atop the Hugo Award trophy originally designed by Jack McKnight and Ben Jason and refined and standardized by Peter Weston is a service mark of the World Science Fiction Society. This registered rocket ship design may only be used on Hugo Awards and may not be used on other awards presented by WSFS.

The announcement from CoNZealand follows:

The 2020 Hugo Award base has been designed by John Flower. John has been working as an engraver for Trophy Specialists & Engraving in Palmerston North for the past 16 years. He has been a fan of science fiction since he was a wee lad when his father would tell him about the goings on in books by Asimov, Heinlein, and others and is chuffed to be part of recognising the talented people creating science fiction works today.

“The trophy base was designed using open source software and hopefully it captures the sense of wonder of the sci-fi genre and the spirit of cooperation that is required to explore beyond the Earth,” said Flower.

The 1945 Retro Hugo Awards base has been designed by James Brown. Born in Christchurch but a long time resident of Auckland, James studied graphic design and illustration at Auckland University of Technology. He spent a decade working as a miniature painter and sculptor for a tabletop wargaming company, a role which allowed him to combine his love of tiny things with his interests in history and gaming. He also had a brief but very enjoyable stint painting film props at Weta Workshop.

“As a lifelong science fiction fan I attended different NatCons [New Zealand national conventions], but this year will be my first time participating in a Worldcon,” Brown said.