\”Researching, collecting and writing about photography, I
have often wondered where the women were.\”-Lissa Mitchell
Slow Burn Ahi Tamau showcases the diverse range of
photography by women and non-binary artists from Aotearoa New Zealand, spanning
the 1960s to today. This major survey exhibition from Te Papa’s collections
sparks a conversation between past and present – exploring themes of identity,
whanau, place, and time through a feminist lens. Highlighting over 150 works by
50 artists, this accompanying catalogue by curator Lissa Mitchell illustrates
how ways of seeing can be passed down, reimagined, and slowly reignited.
Featured artists include Anne Noble, Fiona Pardington,
Natalie Robertson and Lisa Reihana. The curator’s essay provides further
historical context to the exhibition, and biographies of the photographers make
this a valuable research resource.
Slow Burn builds on ten years of deeply considered research,
inclusive collection decisions, and the 2023 publication of Lissa’s acclaimed
book Through Shaded Glass: Women and photography in Aotearoa New Zealand
1860-1960. The exhibition and catalogue bring work by photographers from the
last 65 years out of the storeroom and into conversation with each other – a
celebration of photography’s ever-evolving nature in Aotearoa.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 232
Imprint: Te Papa
Publication date: 12/02/2026
