2025 is barely out of the starter's blocks - but there's already a major artistic announcement for 2026.

The Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa has declared that Fiona Pardington (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Clan Cameron of Erracht) will represent New Zealand at next year's Venice Biennale - the biggest international arts event in the world.

Last year's Biennale was a successful one for Aotearoa with the acclaimed Mataaho Collective winning the coveted Golden Lion for Best Participant in the 2024 International Exhibition - but the absence of a stand-alone New Zealand pavilion was much lamented and criticised. 

That will change in 2026 with Pardington - a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to photography - being endorsed in the Art Council's new delivery partnership with Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū to revive this country's national pavilion. 

“I am deeply honoured and humbled by this incredible opportunity to represent Aotearoa at the Venice Biennale. I am profoundly grateful that my work is appreciated like this and for all the people furiously paddling the waka who have brought me to this point. Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini,” Pardington enthuses.

After first drawing recognition in the 1980s, Pardington’s mahi has been ever-evolving, most often operating within the still-life genre. She's built a stellar reputation for photographing taonga and other objects from museum collections, making our history relevant and accessible.

The prestigious Venice invite joins an extraordinary list of artistic achievements for Pardington - including the Biennale of Sydney (2010), Ukraine Biennale Arsenale (2012) and Honolulu Biennial (2017), as well as being the first New Zealand visual artist to be named a Knight (Chevalier) in the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres) by the French Prime Minister.

Throw in exhibitions across a who's who of Aotearoa's leading galleries and residencies like the Frances Hodgkins Fellowship - Pardington's credentials are remarkable.

She joins a talented alumni of artists to have presented exhibitions at Venice such as Lisa Reihana, Simon Denny, Yuki Kihara, Dane Mitchell, Bill Culbert, Michael Parekowhai, Judy Millar and Frances Upritchard.

Christchurch Art Gallery’s Director, Blair Jackson, is delighted the gallery is working with such an exceptional artist. 

"Fiona has an impressive history of practice that spans more than four decades.

“She is rightly renowned for the emotional intensity of her photographs and responsible for some of the most memorable images in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand artmaking. Her ability to convey the intangible makes viewing her works a powerful and exhilarating experience.” 

Arts Laureate Pardington's contribution the creative community isn't just confined to her artwork. Last year she stepped up to fund one of the Arts Foundation's Springboard Awards for emerging visual artists, combining with Starkwhite Gallery to gift $25,000 a year for three years - with Louie Zalk-Neale the first recipient.

While the details of Pardington's exhibition will stay under wraps until later in the year - the process in which she was selected has been underway for some time.

A 2022 external review into the long-term sustainability of Creative New Zealand's (CNZ) involvement at the Biennale recommended an external delivery partner to run the day-to-day logistics, with organisation's role to focus securign stable funding and overseeing the relationship with the Biennale.

That led to the new partnership with Christchurch Art Gallery, a CNZ statement highlighting the gallery as "a partner with extensive skills, knowledge, and expertise in the curation and delivery of large-scale exhibitions."  

New Zealand’s Commissioner for the Venice Biennale and Arts Council Chair, Kent Gardner states “We’re thrilled to have a partner with the expertise and vision to deliver an excellent presentation at Venice following on from 2024’s historic number of invited New Zealand artists. 

"Mataaho Collective’s win of the Golden Lion for Best Participant was an extraordinary achievement and has shone the light on New Zealand and its artists.

“The Arts Council is extremely supportive of NZ at Venice, and has committed to national pavilion exhibitions in 2026, 2028 and 2030.”

CNZ Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright, comments “The gallery’s team has been affiliated with Aotearoa New Zealand’s presence at the Biennale for many years, including in 2009, 2011, and 2013 when former director Jenny Harper was the Commissioner. 

"It’s great to build upon this history, while creating an opportunity for New Zealand curators to work in the extraordinary and historic environment of the Venice Biennale.” 

Jackson adds “We’ve been working closely with CNZ and we’re excited to move ahead with plans for Venice 2026. Our experienced and highly skilled team is looking forward to operating in this special context to bring the art of Aotearoa to an international audience. 

"Creative collaboration with artists is what powers us as an institution, and it’s a privilege to be able to set the direction for 2026.”   

There is no word yet if New Zealand artists will also be invited to be part of the international exhibition as Mataaho Collective, Brett Graham, Fred Graham, Sandy Adsett and Selwyn Te Ngareatua Wilson were in 2024, while the New Zealand pavilion was absent.