LOTUS HOUSE PARTY
PRESENTED BY
As the presenting sponsor of the Objectspace at the 2025 Aotearoa Art Fair, Lotus Auckland brings you Lotus House Party — a curated space celebrating bold design, innovation, and craftsmanship. Echoing Lotus’s legacy of pushing boundaries on and off the track, The Lotus House Party highlights objects that blur the lines between art and design, showcasing the work of leading and emerging creatives from across the region.
This new sector has been developed by Kim Paton- Director, Objectspace.
Tracy Keith presented by TIM MELVILLE
Raised in Tokoroa, Keith talks about his memories of the local timber mill and its influence on the way people behaved and how they lived. This is one example of the many towns in New Zealand that were established in order to serve a major industry such as a paper mill, smelter or freezing works.
Keith’s works appear to embody the heavy industrial foundations these towns grew from. Their crude appearance reflects the stresses and extremes that working in these factories and living in these communities brought with them. Many of his vessels show cracks and ruptures from the firing process — physically representing what Keith describes as the ‘breaks’ that many families had from their ancestral lands in order to relocate for work opportunities.
An artist who works predominantly in raku clay, Keith stretches, pushes and molds his forms combining an organic sensibility with shapes and embellishments that at times resemble machine parts. The molten glazes and metallic hues give each vessel its own character and reflects the relationship between industry and whenua.
Elena Renker, Steven Junil Park, Walk In The Park, Thomas Baker, Shiho Hayashi, Carmel Pollock and Richard Penn presented by Public Record
The philosophy behind Public Record is rooted in timelessness—transcending trends and seasonality. At its core is their desire to create a space for international cultural exchange through arts and crafts. By continuously experimenting with and refining how we present our artists’ work, they aim to contribute to new narratives and fresh perspectives.
Beyond exhibiting contemporary art and craft, the gallery actively preserves its history for future generations. Through a dynamic schedule of exhibitions, media, and events, they infuse fresh energy into this creative hub. Public Record collaborate with artists and craftspeople who work with skill, integrity, and a unique sensibility. Whether based locally or internationally, each artist shares a common thread—the exploration of roots and identity through art.
Lisa Walker, Helen Calder, Moniek Schrijer, Cheryl Lucas, Andrea du Chatenier, Jacquelyn Fang Greenbank, and Ted Synnott presented by The National
The National is a dealer gallery in Ōtautahi Christchurch, owned by Director Caroline Billing. The gallery specialises in contemporary jewellery from New Zealand and solo exhibitions by a select group of international jewellery artists. The annual exhibition programme includes sculpture and object-based works across other media.
The gallery is committed to showcasing both established and emerging artists, with a particular focus on solo exhibitions of new work. Since opening in 2004, The National has played a vital role in nurturing the development of contemporary jewellery in New Zealand, creating links to international practice and offering opportunities for experimentation and critical development in the field. The expansion of the gallery’s space and programme has seen the addition of ambitious collaborative projects and curated group exhibitions. Caroline co-curated ‘Living Room’ for Objectspace Ōtautahi in 2023 and 2024.
Kim Paton–
Director, Objectspace
Kim Paton has been the Director of Objectspace since 2015. Her interest is in interdisciplinary exhibition making across the fields of craft, design, architecture and contemporary art. Paton has curated and written extensively on object-based art forms including the 2023 exhibition The Chair: A story of design and making in Aotearoa. Recent writing includes essays for Cheryl Lucas: Shaped by Schist and Scoria (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, 2022) and David Straight: Locations of Interest (Objectspace, 2023). Paton is a co-author of the upcoming publication Warwick Freeman: Hook Hand Heart Star. published by arnoldsche Art Publishers (2025).