Exhibition celebrates 50 years of photography at Massey

As part of Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University’s ongoing commitment to celebrating creative excellence and academic heritage, the university is staging From the Collection: Celebrating 50 Years of Photography, an in-venue exhibition marking a significant milestone for photography education at Massey.

Hosted in a newly developed gallery space on the Auckland campus, the exhibition opens at 2pm on Saturday 31 May and runs until 1 August on level 3 of the Library Building. Visitors are welcome seven days a week from 10am to 6pm.

The exhibition is part of the Auckland Festival of Photography.

This special showcase honours 50 years of photography education at the Pukeahu Wellington campus, which is home to Toi Rauwhārangi, College of Creative Arts (CoCA). Over the past five decades, the photography programme has shaped generations of image-makers, researchers and cultural commentators who explore how we see and interpret the world around us.

The exhibition features selected works from Massey’s art collection, which is usually spread across the three campuses in Auckland, Wellington and Palmerston North. It brings together a diverse range of artists including Mark Adams, Anne Noble, Ann Shelton, Yuki Kihara, Tony Whincup, Ben Cauchi and more—each contributing to Aotearoa New Zealand’s photographic legacy.

A special feature of the exhibition is work by Erena Baker-Arapere, a Massey staff member, talented artist and member of the award-winning Mataaho Collective, whose contributions reflect both our academic depth and cultural richness. Her involvement highlights the strength of the university’s teaching community, where faculty members are also practicing artists, actively shaping the creative industries in New Zealand and beyond.

Massey’s Photography Major Coordinator Shaun Waugh says, “As Aotearoa New Zealand’s longest-running photography programme, we are thrilled to celebrate our 50th birthday with this exhibition. This is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of photographic education and to celebrate the impact our programme has had in shaping how we image Aotearoa.’

As part of Saturday’s opening event, Mr Waugh and fellow Massey Lecturer Caroline McQuarrie will host a conversation with Professor Heather Galbraith and Honorary Research Fellow Ann Shelton.

Members of the public, students, alumni, staff and the wider community are warmly invited to attend and engage with this vibrant display of history, memory and vision.

From the Collection: Celebrating 50 Years of Photography is the first in a series of events recognising the 50-year milestone. Other upcoming events include the annual Peter Turner Memorial Lecture on 7 August, which this year will be delivered by CoCA Hall of Fame alumna Professor Emeritus Anne Noble, along with an associated exhibition in the Engine Room on the Pukeahu Wellington campus.