"His impressive work is a life-sized, head and shoulders replica of a statue of Sir Edmund Hillary, complete with a real Himalayan scarf and a $5 note."
The biennial competition was last held in 2017 when soon-to-be Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was a favourite subject for winning entries.
Ardern was in Whanganui for the Labour Party Conference while the entries were being judged this year but did not make it to Mangaweka.
"One of her staff did call to say she couldn't make it," Aslett said.
"I thought that was really nice of them."
There were no entries featuring Ardern this year but Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters features in one entry.
Suzanne Downes, of Shannon, submitted her work named Agents of Change which was inspired by Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick's famous portrait of Che Guevara.
"The portrait has a photo of Winston's face superimposed over Guevara's," Aslett said.
"It wasn't one of the winners but it did attract a lot of interest."
Agents of Change by Suzanne Downes.
Aslett said he and fellow judge Julie Oliver had a "brilliant time" judging this year's entries.
Oliver, an experienced mural painter, also spent part of the day helping children to recreate some famous artworks for display around Mangaweka.
There were more than 50 Fakes and Forgeries entries this year and Aslett said they came from all over New Zealand and there was one from the USA.
"The winner of the open children's section was also a local," Aslett said.
"Jasmin Dorrian's entry is a watercolour take on Gustav Klimt's Mother and Child."
Aslett said Rangitīkei school children submitted more than 100 entries to the junior Fakes and Forgeries competition and the results were on display in the village hall.
"The children's entries were particularly awesome, giving many of the adults a good run for their money.
"It was a fantastic day in the town, with a Christmas market at the museum grounds and huge book fair in the fire station."
Alongside the 2019 Fakes and Forgeries entries, Aslett said he is delighted to be showing the famous forgery of Colin McCahon's work Stolen Urewera Triptych by Whanganui artist Ahu Te Ua.
Fakes and Forgeries 2019 winners
Adults 1 Marty Loughnan – We Knocked the Bastard Off (after Sir Ed Hillary statue); 2 Tatyana Kulida - The Jewish Bride (Rembrandt); 3 Barbara Clegg - Water Maidens & Serpent (Gustav Klimt); merit 1 Jesy – Elegant Lady (John Singer Sargeant); merit 2 John Neil – Manga-Weka Shroud (The Shroud of Turin).
Students 16 and under 1 Jasmin Dorrian – Mother & Child (after Gustav Klimt); 2 Atticus Gilbert – Homes of the Village (Paul Klee); 3 Lacee Dorrian – Mona Lacee (Da Vinci).
The Jewish Bride by Tatyana Kulida.
The 2019 Fakes and Forgeries exhibition will be showing at the Yellow Church Gallery in Mangaweka until Sunday, February 9, 2020.
