About gus fisher Gallery

Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa

Let us keep close together, not wide apart

Whāia e koe te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei

Pursue excellence – should you stumble, let it be to a lofty mountain

Gus Fisher Gallery is a leading centre for contemporary art and the flagship art gallery for Waipapa Taumata Rau, The University of Auckland. Located in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau, the gallery was originally founded to connect the University with the city. The gallery contributes to the world-class reputation of Waipapa Taumata Rau and its mission as ‘critic and conscience of society.’ We recognise Te Tiriti o Waitangi as Aotearoa’s founding document and acknowledge Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei who are the mana whenua of central Tāmaki Makaurau and rightful custodians of the land upon which we operate.

Gus Fisher Gallery is housed in a Grade A listed heritage building designed by Norman Wade and Alva Bartley. Opened in 1935 as the Southern Hemisphere’s largest purpose-built broadcasting studios, it was the site of early radio and television transmissions as Radio 1YA and later TVNZ. The gallery references this pioneering history of broadcasting by highlighting moving image practices as part of a varied contemporary arts programme.

Central to our Kaupapa is the ability to support the professional development of artists through new commissioning and exhibiting opportunities. The curatorial vision of the gallery is to create exhibitions of Aotearoa-based and international artists that have the potential to spark discussion and bring people together. Through a curatorial style of visually bold and critically questioning exhibitions, the programme has foregrounded a deep engagement with cutting-edge creative practices and the display of contemporary art in all its forms. We believe in the importance of not shying away from addressing contentious topics and understand how art can contribute to wider critical dialogues. A programme of events designed to engage the public is paramount to our vision of being a welcoming, enjoyable and socially aware centre for contemporary art that promotes life-long learning for all.

As the largest public-facing gallery on the University of Auckland’s city-campus, we provide an educational resource for tertiary communities, encouraging learning and participation through curricular and extra-curricular activities. By generating new research through exhibitions and public programmes, we foster emerging critical voices and support academic excellence in the arts.

Gus Fisher Gallery has premiered work by some of the world’s most influential artists in Aotearoa. In 2024, we staged the first exhibition of artist, filmmaker and gay rights activist Derek Jarman in Aotearoa. Derek Jarman: Delphinium Days was co-developed by Gus Fisher Gallery and City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi and toured to UNSW Galleries, Sydney. In 2025, we launched The Changing Room – one of the country’s only remunerated open-call opportunities that provides artists with a solo exhibition of newly commissioned artwork.

Gus Fisher Gallery is an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to engage with the highest calibre of national and international artistic practice.

Image credit: Peter Simpson, I am free because of an open plan kitchen, 2024. Installation view. Courtesy of the artist. Photography by Sam Hartnett.