October always keeps us guessing– sunny one day, cool the next. That same push and pull plays out in Tāmaki Makaurau’s galleries this month, where exhibitions explore transformation, resilience, and the quieter truths often overlooked.
Curated by — Aimée Ralfini
Brought to you by Art Ache
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MELANIE ROGER GALLERY
Still Growing Up
Gavin Hurley
8 October – 1 November
In early 2025, Gavin Hurley’s solo exhibition Growing Up captivated audiences at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in Pōneke Wellington. Curated by then-director Jaenine Parkinson, the show brought together paintings and collages that deftly dissected the icons and “ideal exemplars” of late 20th-century New Zealand – figures who shaped the cultural backdrop of Hurley’s own youth. Now, for the first time in Tāmaki Makaurau, a selection of these acclaimed works will be revealed in Still Growing Up. At its heart stands the singular figure of Rita Angus – the only woman represented in the original exhibition, and a towering influence on Hurley’s practice. Angus is more than subject; she is woven into Hurley’s own story of becoming an artist, a reminder of how the act of growing up is never truly finished.
444 Karangahape Rd, Newton. melanierogergallery.com
STUDIO ONE TOI TŪ
Whare/Fale/Vale
2 October – 30 October
Māpura Studios
Ko au te whare, ko te whare ko au – I am the house, and the house is me. In this exhibition, a collective of Māori and Pacific artists from Māpura studios celebrate the cultural significance of the Whare/Fale/Vale and its central role within the whānau/fanau/vuvale. Through their hands and hearts, the artists have explored the cultural importance of the Whare/Fale/Vale across Te Moana nui a Kiwa.
Enveloped
Kerry Lander
The cryptic patterns hidden inside everyday security envelopes were once designed to shield personal information from prying eyes. In her latest exhibition, Kerry Lander transforms these familiar motifs into an immersive sanctuary – a fully patterned nook that invites viewers to feel ‘enveloped’ within an illusion of safety, even as our digital lives grow increasingly exposed.
1 Ponsonby Road, Grey Lynn. studioone.org.nz
MASTERWORKS GALLERY
Kahu Manaaki
Mike Crawford
18 October – 15 November
The group of cast-glass bird forms that make up Kahu Manaaki, the latest solo exhibition by Ōtepoti Dunedin artist Mike Crawford (Ngāti Raukawa), consider feathers and their use in kākahu, exploring the concept of Manaaki both as an inner resource and as literal and symbolic protection.
71 Upper Queen Street, Eden Terrace. masterworksgallery.co.nz
FÖENANDER GALLERIES
New Paintings
Michael McHugh
4 October – 22 October
Michael McHugh’s botanical-inspired paintings transform research and memory into vivid collages of colour and form. Blending extinct, living, and imagined species, his works create new ecosystems that celebrate the beauty and possibility of nature.
1 Faraday Street, Parnell. foenandergalleries.co.nz
TURUA GALLERY
Shift Into Neutral
Bec Robertson, Cam Munroe, Claudia Aalderink, Gilly Sheffield, Jamie Adamson, Michelle Huizinga, Michelle Wilkin, and Robin Ranga
10 October – 22 October
Shift Into Neutral explores the beauty of simplicity through a curated collection of works where detail, texture, and tone take centre stage. Featuring abstract paintings, woven crosses on corrugated iron, ceramics, recycled beehive sculptures, and textural surfaces, the exhibition reveals how a neutral palette can create calm, contemplative spaces that are anything but ordinary.
10A Turua Street, St Heliers. turuagallery.co.nz
TWO ROOMS
Reflecting on Possibility
Helen Calder 3 October – 8 November
Helen Calder’s exhibition explores the tactile qualities of material through abstraction, colour, and form. Her works challenge the viewer’s perception of painting and sculpture, inhabiting a space that is both vibrant and contemplative.
16 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn. tworooms.co.nz
