It’s back, it’s bigger than ever. New Zealand’s premier art fair returns to Tāmaki Makaurau this May and the programme is bursting with talent. Art enthusiasts are spoiled for choice with this year’s offering, with everyone from legends like Lisa Reihana and Peter Stichbury to Yuki Kihara on show, alongside a slew of emerging artists.
It’s the sprawling local event that draws thousands of art lovers to the gleaming Viaduct Events Centre, and the beauty of Aotearoa Art Fair is how it caters to a wide church, from seasoned collectors to casual appreciators. But with over 150 artists on show across four days (May 1-4) not to mention a slew of talks and tours, where do you start?
There are local art legends aplenty this year. “With so many great artists and galleries it is really hard to narrow down. We have some works from the icons of the past,” she says. “Ivan Anthony is presenting work from Bill Hammond, never seen before, including the last painting he painted.” Work from the late Bill Culbert can be seen at Fox Jensen McCrory/Fox Jensen space, and photographs by Ans Westra will be at {Suite} gallery during the weekend.Some of the country’s best working Kiwi artists are on the bill of course. A “stand out” is new photographic work by Lisa Reihana, part of her Māramatanga work (a historic University of Auckland commission), represented by Sydney’s Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert.
For those wanting to take that walking outside there’s the Aotearoa Art Fair Sculpture Trail presented by Viaduct Harbour, with a public trail of large-scale artworks from the likes of Gregor Kregar, David McCracken, Seung Yul Oh, Sēmesi Fetokai Potauaine and the majestic 15-metre floating Te-Wheke-a-Muturangi by Lisa Reihana, for Aucklanders to enjoy. They’ll take up residence on the waterfront from April 16 to May 14, and work from Brett Graham and Robert Jahnke can be seen at the entrance of the fair from April 30 to May 4, greeting attendees as they arrive.
