Art Collection

Beginning with the acquisition of a painting and two drawings by Colin McCahon in 1966, the University of Auckland Art Collection has grown each year with annual acquisitions of contemporary art and site-specific commissions.

Ranging from painting, sculpture, textiles, photography, digital and ceramic artworks, the art collection includes work by many of Aotearoa New Zealand's most influential and celebrated artists

The collection plays a vital role in shaping the cultural fabric of the university environment and establishing our place in Aotearoa New Zealand. Artworks are regularly reproduced in publications and loaned to external institutions for exhibitions, making the collection an asset which is valued nationally as an important part of our cultural heritage.

Our artworks are used as valuable resources for teaching, learning and engagement across disciplines ranging from Fine Arts and Art History, to the Sciences, wider Humanities, Medicine and Law.

The Art Collection is also used in exhibitions on campus. Postgraduate students from Art History, Museums and Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts, regularly curate exhibitions such as Wax, Wane, Warp, Weft (2025) and Through the Lens (2024) as an experiential part of their studies.

The Art Collection team regularly host tours of the Art Collection for students, staff and public groups upon request. Tours run for 45 minutes-1 hour and can be tailored thematically to explore a medium, a specific subject area or space.

For further information or to enquire, contact the Art Collection team.

Art Collection team
Email: artcollection@auckland.ac.nz

Madeleine Harvey
Art Collection Adviser
He Mara Māhara | Cultural Collections
Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland
Email: madeleine.harvey@auckland.ac.nz

Jacob Powell
Team Leader
He Mara Māhara | Cultural Collections
Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland
Email: jp.powell@auckland.ac.nz