Final Artist Announcement for 2027 Sculpture on the GuLF
28 April 2026 – Sculpture on the Gulf is thrilled to announce the final lineup of artists for the 2027 event, completing an outstanding roster of talent for Perpetual Guardian Sculpture on the Gulf 2027. Joining the previously announced artists are nine new additions: Margaret Aull, Tangaroa Birch, Jacquelyn Greenbank, Glen Hayward, Doyoung Koh, Melissa Macleod, Hemi Macgregor, and Alex Monteith & Maree Sheehan. To view the full artist line up, please click here.
Since its inception in 2003, Sculpture on the Gulf has become a much-loved and renowned outdoor sculpture exhibition, making a unique contribution to the cultural life of Aotearoa New Zealand. Nestled on a 2.5 km coastal walkway against the breathtaking backdrop of Matiatia Bay, the event harnesses the potential of contemporary sculpture to activate the environment, creating opportunities for audiences to experience the power and beauty of sculpture in the landscape.
Co-curators Heather Galbraith and Benjamin Work have created the curatorial framework The Ocean Remembers the Shore, inspired by Waiheke Island’s long history of offering shelter to those seeking safety and connection, reflected in its original name, Te Motu Ārai Roa / The long sheltering island.
“Among the thirty projects, we are excited by the breadth of materials and processes artists are engaging, all of which have resonant and relevant kaupapa. These include; ‘Land Raft where Judy Darragh, Sean Kerr, Qianye Lin and Qianhe Lin will create nomadic, temporary stations on the Matiatia grass lands - working only with materials already on the island (in collaboration with Island Waste Collective). Intentionally ambiguous as to whether these structures have beached or are primed to facilitate an escape off the island, they will bring people together, and act as a relational portal or cipher to other entities and frequencies.
SJ Blake will construct a site of theatrical encounter - channelling the seaside structures of fairgrounds and Punch and Judy shows. Interaction will span the body and mixed-reality modes, with a strong focus on ecological awareness and the restorative act of looking and imagining.
Another work that offering a space for looking, thinking and dreaming is Evan Woodruffe's technicolour re-working of a modest structure, transformed from a historic outhouse to a site for rest and meditation enshrouded by jewel-like abstract paintings.
Ann Shelton will be exploring through photography the potent medicinal and culinary powers of a crucial part of our marine ecosystem - seaweed, drawing on rich histories of knowledge including from Indigenous and non-Indigenous sources.
Sione Faletau will be exploring the relationship of field recordings/sonic data through an evolution of visual kupesi (patterns), which in turn through sculptural transformation, become a new means to experience sound played by the wind on an exaggerated suite of fangufangu.
These are five of thirty projects, predominantly new work, that artists will be making for this knock-out season, “The Ocean Remembers the Shore”.
With the full artist line-up now confirmed, the meticulous planning by the SOTG team ramps up in earnest. View the full media release here.
Perpetual Guardian Sculpture on the Gulf 2027 will open to the public on February 26 and run until March 29, 2027. The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of events, including artist talks, workshops, and guided tours.
Waiheke is a 40-minute ferry trip from Auckland. It has vineyards, world-class hospitality, pristine beaches, and scenery that feeds the soul. Book ahead to eat, play and stay on this island paradise.
Several artists in the Perpetual Guardian Sculpture on the Gulf 2027 lineup will also be presenting work at the Aotearoa Art Fair 2026 (30 April – 3 May, Viaduct Events Centre, Tāmaki Makaurau). Anton Forde, Tangaroa Birch, Chris Bailey, Sione Faletau, Ben Pearce, Ngaroma Riley, Glen Hayward, and Ann Shelton will each exhibit with their respective galleries at the Fair, offering audiences a unique opportunity to experience these artists in an intimate gallery context before their large-scale works take to the coastal landscape of Waiheke Island in 2027. www.artfair.co.nz
For more information, images and interviews, contact: Guy Annan, Marketing & Development Manager Waiheke Art Gallery and Sculpture on the Gulf guy@waihekeartgallery.org.nz