Toi Art at Te Papa opens to the public

Toi Art proudly embraces the arts, design and cultural practices of Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider Pacific region. As a bicultural museum, it positions these art forms in an international context, offering unique perspectives to a global conversation between art, culture and society.

As its bilingual title indicates, Toi Art is committed to increasing the profile of Māori, Pacific and indigenous art in global art discourse, and to supporting artists to realise new projects that respond to our complex contemporary world.

Toi Art is the home of New Zealand’s national art collection. Its changing collection exhibitions explore the depth of Te Papa’s holdings of New Zealand and international art, photography and design.

Toi Art exhibitions, research and programmes challenge conventional art historical narratives and encourage connections to be made with Te Papa’s Natural History, Mātauranga Māori, Pacific Cultures, and Social History collections.

Te Papa is one of the most visited museums in the southern hemisphere, with annual visitation of 1.7 million people. Since it opened in 1998 Te Papa has been a world leader in museum engagement with indigenous communities, interdisciplinary practice and audience experiences.  

Since 2013 Te Papa has been a key partner in New Zealand’s participation at the Venice Biennale, an initiative led by Creative New Zealand Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa.

New exhibitions

Michael Parekowhai: Détour
March 17—November 4, 2018

An ambitious new project by leading contemporary New Zealand artist Michael Parekowhai that provides a new way to see and experience art. 

Curated by: Megan Tamati-Quennell, Te Papa Curator Modern and Contemporary Māori and Indigenous Art

Pacific Sisters: Fashion Activists
March 17—July 8, 2018

For the past 26 years the Pacific Sisters collective has given voice and visibility to Māori and Pacific peoples. This exhibition offers a comprehensive retrospective of their fashion, performance, music and videos, with many works being shown together for the first time.

Curated by: Nina Tonga, Te Papa Curator Pacific Art

Lisa Walker: I want to go to my bedroom but I can’t be bothered
March 17—July 22, 2018

A retrospective exhibition charting the 30-year evolution of internationally acclaimed New Zealand jeweller, Lisa Walker. From the 1980s to today, Walker has continually challenged the conventions of jewellery-making.

Curated by: Justine Olsen, Te Papa Curator Decorative Arts and Design

Tūrangawaewae: Art and New Zealand
March 17, 2018—2020

The Māori concept of “tūrangawaewae” encompasses the places, communities, and ideas that give us a sense of belonging. Drawn from Te Papa’s extensive collection of painting, sculpture, and photography, this exhibition complicates notions of both “art” and “New Zealand” and addresses questions of identity and cross-cultural exchange.

Lead curator: Sarah Farrar, Te Papa Senior Curator Art

Curatorial team: Rebecca Rice, Megan Tamati-Quennell, Nina Tonga, Matariki Williams and Lizzie Baikie

Kaleidoscope: Abstract Aotearoa
March 17, 2018—2019

Abstraction is a universal visual language that is often presented as a 20th-century European invention. This exhibition, drawn from Te Papa’s collection, presents an alternate perspective on abstract art, and explores how the exploration of colour, shape, and pattern have captured imaginations in the Pacific.

Lead curator: Sarah Farrar, Te Papa Senior Curator Art

Curatorial team: Megan Tamati-Quennell, Nina Tonga and Lizzie Baikie

New commissions
On display across the two new collection exhibitions, Toi Art features new commissions by contemporary artists Rebecca Baumann, BodyCartography Project, Helen Calder, Lonnie Hutchinson, Janet Lilo, Jeena Shin, Tiffany Singh, Ngataiharuru Taepa and Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi. 

For press enquiries please contact Kate Camp, Te Papa Communications Manager, at kate.camp [​at​] tepapa.govt.nz