Artist Tyla Bow’s work immediately conjures up images of the ocean. Sometimes explicitly, as in a series of shark fins emerging from a gallery’s hardwood floor. Other times more subtly, the blooming aqua tones of a coral reef captured in resin.
It makes sense when you learn of Bow’s studies: at the Elam School of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland, along with diplomas in Marine Biology and Scuba Instruction. An avid diver and instructor, Tyla teaches others how to explore and sustainably interact with Aotearoa’s marine ecosystems. Recycled materials in her work create thought-provoking, one-of-a-kind pieces that carry her vision forward.
Tyla is one of 13 emerging artists exhibiting at this year’s Art in the Park, an art show that swaps rugby balls for brushstrokes at Auckland’s iconic Eden Park. From Thursday to Sunday, Eden Park is transformed into the largest artist-led exhibition in New Zealand and Australia.
Walls, corridors, and even the hallowed turf will provide the backdrop to more than 3000 works – from paintings and photography to sculptures large and small.
A special focus this year is on the future of the art community, with a spotlight on up-and-coming artists in the new MAS Emerging Artists’ Gallery. This gallery features young artists who have completed the Art & Enterprise workshop with The King’s Trust Aotearoa New Zealand. For most, it will be their first professional exhibition.
Alongside Bow, the lineup includes Jessica Gurnsey, a Wellington-based acrylic painter and the youngest winner of the Adam Portraiture Award, whose portraits of life in motion are rich in colour and persona.
Multidisciplinary artist and emerging architect Logan Bow’s (yes, he’s Tyla’s brother, but their art is markedly different) sculptural works push the limits of material thresholds and parameters, particularly in their use of New Zealand shells and polymethyl methacrylate (also known as acrylic glass).
The show will also be a landmark moment for Josh Kiwikiwi, this year’s sponsored artist selected by Art in the Park. From Whangārei, Josh quit his job in March 2024 to pursue art full-time. Drawing from his Māori heritage and other Indigenous cultures, Kiwikiwi explores storytelling through multimedia techniques, creating a visual marriage of black-and-white contrasts and bold colours with oils, acrylics, charcoal, airbrushing and sculpture.
Outside of the young artists’ lineup, visitors can wander alongside the pitch on the new Sculpture Walk, taking in large-scale works. Hands-on activities, interactive digital graffiti and artists’ talks promise to inspire everyone, from curious kids to budding Hoteres and Anguses. And if a piece catches your eye, you can buy it on the spot – wrapped and ready to take home.
“Art in the Park provides a unique platform for New Zealand artists to connect communities at a time when our collective experience has never been closer and yet, at the same time, more isolated,” says co-director Cary Cochrane.
Tickets are on sale now, with special rates for seniors and free entry for children 14 and under. For the full experience – think opening-night buzz, priority purchasing, and complimentary nibbles and drinks – grab one of the opening-night tickets. Visit artinthepark.co.nz.
