Collected Memories: Time, place, and the human condition.

The human brain encodes and stores memories of everything we do, say, see, hear and experience. For the most part, we can recall memories when we need them, or want them, making memory recall a fundamental cognitive function in learning new information; undertaking everyday tasks; and developing a sense of self. In Collected Memories. Time, place, and the human condition, Laurence Aberhart; Jordan Barnes; Isla Huia; Hannah Kidd, and Elizabeth Moyle all respond to the exhibition’s theme from their own unique understanding, perspective, and creative interpretation.

Laurence Aberhart, diving into his extensive photographic archive, has collated a selection of black and white memories; past moments captured on film to be contemplated many years later.

In his narrative-rich and sometimes nostalgic paintings, Jordan Barnes taps into childhood memories and fanboy moments, reaching back to extricate his subjects from the past and elevate them in the present.

Guest artist Isla Huia (Te Āti Haunui a-Pāpārangi, Uenuku), writes with candour and heart; reflecting on her deep connections felt to the maraes visited on her journey back to herself and te reo Māori.

Hannah Kidd (Ngāti Toa), in her signature sculptural style and a torrent of colour, freezes a selection of tropical flora and fauna in a commentary on the imperial practice of ‘collecting’ and perceived ownership.

And, in her abstract expressionist art practice fuelled by the human body; lived experience; and connection, Elizabeth Moyle draws delicate attention to her memories being the only thing she truly owns.

Jordan Barnes, Mānu (in a New Zealand Landscape) (Detail), 2025. Oil and acrylic on canvas. 1400 x 2000mm