Celebrating Aotearoa's Global Artistic Triumph: Digital Billboards Showcase Homegrown Talent

Despite the absence of a national pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale, New Zealand is making an extraordinary impact on the global art scene. This year marks a historic moment for Aotearoa artists, with the largest ever representation of Māori artists featured in Venice. Notably, Mataaho Collective's exceptional achievement in winning the prestigious Golden Lion underscores New Zealand’s significant contribution to the international art community.

To celebrate this landmark success, Contemporary HUM, the pioneering platform dedicated to promoting Aotearoa New Zealand's visual arts abroad, is showcasing the works of these exceptional artists on digital billboards across New Zealand. This special initiative, running until September 15, 2024, is presented in partnership with Urban Art Foundation - Ki Te Marama.

Featured on the digital billboards are the following prominent works:

• Areez Katki – Pedagogical Drawing 14 (HA 49), 2024
• Brett Graham – Wastelands, 2024
• Elisapeta Hinemoa Heta – The Body of Wainuiātea, 2024
• Fred Graham – Ngā Tamariki a Tangaroa (Children of the Sea God), 1970
• Mataaho Collective – Takapau, 2022
• Robert Jahnke – Te Wepu MMXXII, 2023
• Sandy Adsett – Waipuna, 1978
• Selwyn Wilson – Study of a head, 1948

Among these talented artists, Areez Katki stands out for his international presence. Katki, who divides his time between Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Mumbai, India, has also been appointed as the Aotearoa Visual Artist in Residence at Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin for 2024/25.

Contemporary HUM, launched in 2016, is the first and only platform dedicated to promoting Aotearoa New Zealand's visual arts globally. Founded by Paris-based curator and project manager Pauline Autet, HUM addresses the need for international visibility of Aotearoa's art. Autet's initiative arose from her observation of the limited awareness of New Zealand's international art successes back home.

"The exhibition was extremely successful internationally, but that wasn't well known in New Zealand. I thought that was odd in the digital age. I found our geographical isolation a frustrating obstacle to being part of a global community and discourse. Our mission is to ensure that the remarkable achievements of our artists are recognized both abroad and at home.”

The collaboration between Contemporary HUM and the Urban Arts Foundation (UAF) underscores a shared commitment to advancing the cultural discourse around Aotearoa artists.

Founded by award winning composer and sound designer Andrew Hagen in 2018, Urban Art Foundation (UAF) takes art not available to the public from the archives of museums, municipal art galleries, corporate and private collections, private audience art gallery exhibitions and digitally places it where people of all ages and walks of life can appreciate it.

For the past 6 years, their exhibitions have appeared on high-grade digital-screens in 43 malls, and numerous street locations across New Zealand thanks to oOh!media, a leading “out of home” advertising company. Then, in 2023, the charitable trust signed an exclusive agreement to show Urban Art Exhibitions on Parliament TV, Freeview 31, and Sky Channel 86 when the House is not sitting which equates to 275 days a year.

Hagen says UAF’s alignment with HUM’s values highlights a mutual dedication to fostering cultural activity and showcasing Aotearoa's artistic talent on the world stage.

“I had been following HUM’s articles online and thought their kaupapa would be a perfect fit as Urban Art focuses on showing the work of Aotearoa New Zealand artists, unless we are presenting one of our International Urban Art Exhibitions. I was delighted with the response to my request for a collaboration and hope this becomes an annual exhibition”

For more information about the project and to explore the featured artworks, visit Contemporary HUM’s dedicated webpage.

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