Auckland Art Gallery To Present Solo Exhibition & New Commission By International Contemporary Artist Olafur Eliasson

Auckland Art Gallery is delighted to announce the upcoming exhibition Your curious  journey by globally renowned artist Olafur Eliasson, marking the first solo showcase  of the Icelandic-Danish artist in Aotearoa New Zealand.  

Opening on Saturday 7 December 2024, this retrospective highlights over 30 years of Eliasson’s practice, featuring installations, sculptures, and photographs that explore themes of human perception, experimentation, and environmental awareness.  

Eliasson describes the exhibition as a collection of diverse artworks that invite visitors to  embark on their own journeys. “What fascinates me is how the different ways we observe  natural phenomena can connect us, not just to each other, but also to the larger world around  us. That’s something I try to work with in my art: experiences that welcome everyone.”  

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Director of Auckland Art Gallery Kirsten Lacy, reflects on the  significance of the exhibition: “Eliasson’s work invites visitors to engage with critical  environmental themes in a way that is both personal and collective. Audiences are drawn to  his ability to create rich experiences that challenge their perceptions and connections to the  world around them. We hope visitors will leave with a renewed sense of connection to their  surroundings and an appreciation for how art can provoke thought and dialogue about the  important environmental issues we face in Auckland and New Zealand.”  

Senior Curator Global Contemporary Art Natasha Conland adds: “Eliasson’s background as  an Icelandic artist, gives him a unique relationship with the arctic circle, which mirrors New  Zealand’s inverse relationship with Antarctica and the shifting ice field.”

A highlight of the exhibition is the special commissioned piece Under the weather located  in the Gallery’s Te Ātea | North Atrium. This work includes a suspended 11-meter elliptical  disc that flickers and changes as visitors move around the space. The Moiré pattern created  by overlapping grids invites reflection on perception and movement, altering visitor’s  perceptions of the surrounding architecture.

Eliasson elaborates on the nature of his work: “The Moiré patterns central to Under the  weather, 2022 – much like the shimmering rainbow in Beauty, 1993 – exist primarily within  your eyes and brain, although both are based on observable phenomena in the world. These  works are always independent and yet site-specific – or you might even say viewer-specific.  They seek to make the invisible visible, whether it’s the relativity of our colour perception in  Yellow corridor, 1997, or the magnetic field that wraps the globe in Adrift compass, 2019.”  

The exhibition also highlights the logistical journey of Eliasson’s artworks, showcasing  drawings derived from the crates used for transport, underscoring the environmental  considerations in their creation. “The artworks have completed a journey to meet you. Each  bears the marks of its creation and the challenges that led to the particular form in front of  you,” Eliasson notes. 

Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey has been developed in collaboration with Studio Olafur  Eliasson and leading art institutions across Asia. The exhibition was first presented at  Singapore Art Museum (10 May–22 Sep 2024). Following its visit to Auckland, the exhibition  will travel to Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan (31 May–31 Aug 2025); Museum MACAN,  Jakarta, Indonesia (21 Nov 2025–5 April 2026); and Museum of Contemporary Art and  Design, Manila, Philippines (28 June–October 2026).  

Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey is supported by the Auckland Art Gallery Foundation. The  exhibition is presented in association with Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival 2025.  

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