At an event on Saturday 10 May—hosted by Te Tuhi Director Hiraani Himona, along with founders Lois Perry, Bev Smaill and the Iris Fisher Family—Te Tuhi celebrated the incredible 50-year-long journey of the gallery with some of its longest standing contributors and supporters.
The celebrations included:
→ The launch of the Iris Fisher Artist Studio Residency, generously supported by the Lou and Iris Fisher Charitable Trust.
→ The launch of A History of the Pakuranga Arts Society 1969-1984, a publication uncovering the history behind Te Tuhi’s foundation.
→ A large-scale cake designed by artist Fiona Pardington, who has recently been appointed to represent Aotearoa at the 2026 Venice Biennale.
Iris Fisher Artist Studio Residency
The Iris Fisher Artist Studio Residency is a three-month studio residency at Te Tuhi for an emerging visual artist or collective to experiment, explore, and develop new work. It is designed for emerging artists who demonstrate potential to contribute significantly to contemporary art in Aotearoa and beyond. Artists are not required to produce a final work or exhibition during the residency; the focus is on developing their artistic practice.
→ More information about the residency here.
A History of the Pakuranga Arts Society 1969-1984
On Saturday 10 May Te Tuhi also launched A History of the Pakuranga Arts Society 1969-1984, a publication uncovering the incredible history behind Te Tuhi’s foundation, researched and written by Moyra Elliott in the early 2000s, and finally being published in 2025.
Following the 2001 merger of the Iris Fisher Gallery and the Pakuranga Community and Cultural Centre to form te tuhi – the mark, the Pakuranga Arts Society (PAS) Board saw an opportunity to document the Society’s rich history. With generous support from the Lou and Iris Fisher Charitable Trust in 2002–2003, PAS commissioned arts writer Moyra Elliott to research and write this history.
Drawing on the Society’s archives and conducting interviews with many involved over the years, Elliott produced a detailed essay, full chronology, and profiles of key figures. The result is a comprehensive account that honours the dedication and tireless efforts of those who helped shape the Pakuranga Community Centre, the Iris Fisher Gallery, and now Te Tuhi—a lasting tribute to a vibrant legacy of community and the arts.
A Fiona Pardington-designed cake to kickoff the celebrations
To start this milestone year, Te Tuhi celebrated with a birthday cake designed by artist Fiona Pardington.
Pardington, who will represent Aotearoa at the Venice Biennale in 2026, designed the cake for the 10th anniversary of the Fisher Gallery in 1994, and the Te Tuhi team have recreated it, with some tweaks from the artist, for the gallery’s 50th.