Exploring The Dark Side Of Contemporary Art In Aotearoa: The Brood

The Dowse Art Museum is set to unveil The Brood, an unsettling and thought-provoking exhibition that delves into the darkest corners of contemporary Aotearoa art. Running until 22 June 2025, this exhibition showcases newly commissioned works by an exciting group of young(ish) artists whose practices explore the gothic, the monstrous, and the uncanny. Curated by Chelsea Nichols and Aaron Lister, The Brood challenges the conventional ‘hot young artist’ narrative, turning the spotlight on artists navigating the darker corners of contemporary creativity.

The Brood draws its title from David Cronenberg’s 1979 psychological body horror film, a cult classic that tells the story of a mother undergoing experimental treatment, giving birth to violent and monstrous offspring. In the same vein, this exhibition metaphorically explores how artists release their monstrous ideas into the world, using their work to confront societal expectations and trauma.

“These artists are seen as the progeny of New Zealand's gothic tradition—grappling with, rejecting, and reimagining the legacy of gothic narratives, much like the troubled children of a fractured family,” says Nichols.

Reflecting on their approach to the exhibition, Nichols explains that both she and Lister share a deep interest in horror films and the potential for contemporary art to explore the uncomfortable truths often hidden beneath the surface of everyday life.

“The Brood invites viewers into a world where the macabre, the grotesque, and the surreal collide, creating a space for both discomfort and catharsis. The exhibition features work that navigates a range of psychological and physical themes, from bodily transformation to existential dread."

The exhibition features newly commissioned works from a diverse group of artists who each address themes of vulnerability, trauma, and the monstrous in unique ways. From immersive scent installations to unsettling sculptures and evocative photography, The Brood encourages viewers to confront the darker aspects of existence through art. The artists featured include:

Iann An (Tāmaki Makaurau) presents a fleshy, monstrous sculpture installation that explores both the tenderness and horror of the human body, using unconventional materials like bread dough, wax and hair to evoke themes of vulnerability and fragility

Nathan Taare (Ngāti Porou, Pōneke) explores the power of scent in Olfactory Ghost, an immersive installation that evokes the presence of spirits and otherworldly beings using timed scent diffusers and a dark, enclosed space.

In an installation that includes 3D printed sperm, colourful pills and a caged baby, Brad Logan Heappey (Tāmaki Makaurau) considers cultural narratives of good and evil in a world where the internet might show you a video of an adorable cat and horrifying human rights atrocities in the same 15 second interval

Acclaimed photographer Harry Culy (Pōneke) unveils a new series of large-format photography shot around New Zealand with a 4x5” field camera, using real places to conjure the imaginary gothic suburb of Vampire Grove

Grace Crothall (Ōtautahi) brings four hyper-realistic pastel drawings that interrogate her Pentecostal upbringing, revealing the horror in everyday life with a surreal, Lynchian atmosphere.

Wesley John Fourie (Otepoti) contributes a new video commission, HYPERBALLAD, exploring themes of narcissism and vulnerability in internet culture, including a cringe-worthy performance of ‘Goodbye Horses’ as an homage to the queer villain Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs.

Theo Macdonald (Tāmaki Makaurau) recreates an iconic scene from Cujo, the1983 horror movie about a demonic dog, exploring the intersections of horror, national identity and biosecurity

The first collaborative work made by mother-daughter duo Tia Ranginui and Ming Ranginui (Ngāti Hine Oneone, Whanganui/ Pōneke), the pair presents a short film and series of sculptures that delves into the dynamics parent-child relationship through the lens of dark fairytales and violent colonial histories

Cassie Freeth (Pōneke) presents Manticore, a performance and wearable sculpture exploring themes of sadomasochism, decay, and queer embodiment, challenging traditional notions of the body.

“These works reflect a shared interest in confronting family trauma, the grotesque, and the monstrous ideas that have long pervaded horror films and gothic literature. In The Brood, these artists are not simply making art; they are releasing their own monstrous impulses into the world, inviting the viewer to confront what lies beneath the surface of the human experience,” says Nichols.

The Brood will be on display at The Dowse Art Museum in Galleries 1-5 from 15 February to 22 June 2025. This exhibition is part of the Curator of Screams project, a collaboration between Aaron Lister (City Gallery Wellington) and Chelsea Nichols (The Dowse) which explores the relationship between contemporary art and horror films. The Dowse Art Museum invites all who dare to venture into this dark and cathartic world of art that challenges, unsettles, and provokes.

Note: 

The Dowse Art Museum is a free public gallery for people to enjoy contemporary art and culture. Open 10am-5pm daily, The Dowse is located at 45 Laings Road in Lower Hutt, just a 15-minute drive from Wellington City.

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