City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi has announced a major retrospective of British artist Cornelia Parker, set to open on 10 October 2026 and run through 7 March 2027. The exhibition, which director Charlotte Davy describes as a lifelong ambition, will feature Parker's large-scale immersive installations known for themes of destruction, reconstruction, and transformation—including works that involve exploded and suspended objects. The show follows the gallery's history of presenting landmark exhibitions by female artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Cindy Sherman, and Hilma af Klint. The exhibition is curated by City Gallery Wellington's Senior Curator Aaron Lister and UK-based Andrea Schlieker, former Director of Exhibitions and Displays at Tate Britain and Director at White Cube London.
This announcement marks the return of City Gallery Wellington to its renovated and strengthened home in Te Ngākau (Civic Square) after a period of off-site programming in partnership with Te Papa, the Dowse Art Museum, and the National Library. The Parker retrospective is positioned as a flagship event in the gallery's revitalised programme, intended to draw international visitors and contribute to the economic and creative rejuvenation of Wellington. By bringing a major international artist to New Zealand for the first time, the gallery reinforces its role as a cultural hub and demonstrates how contemporary art can help audiences navigate a disrupted world.