Let’s Talk Art!

PRESENTED BY

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Let’s Talk Art is one of the standout experiences at the Fair. Over three days, hear from more than 30 artists, designers, collectors and creative thinkers in a series of ten thought-provoking talks. Dive into lively conversations on some of the most exciting ideas shaping contemporary art, architecture and design today. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or simply passionate about art, this is a chance to be part of the conversation.

Admission to Let’s Talk Art is included in all Fair tickets. No booking required.

Let’s Talk Art is proudly presented by Aon, helping to protect art and collections with accurate valuations, insurance and risk management. Aon is in the Business of Better Decisions.

Visible Mysteries: Art, Space, and Landscape in Aotearoa – Rufus Knight and Ben Ashley in Conversation

Friday, May 1, 2026

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

Talks Theatre, Viaduct Events Centre

How does the land we grow up on shape the way we see and live with art? Interior designer Rufus Knight and art appraiser Ben Ashley draw on their rural New Zealand upbringings to explore how landscape continues to inform their creative and professional lives, using the work of Colin McCahon as a springboard for a conversation about place, memory, and art in everyday spaces.

Kōrero – Contemporary Māori Art

Friday, May 1, 2026

1:30 PM - 2:15 PM

Talks Theatre, Viaduct Events Centre

What does it mean to be an artist in Aotearoa today - when your practice extends far beyond the studio? Rangi Kipa, Ngahuia Harrison and Chevron Hassett join Zoe Black to explore their individual practices and the diverse roles each holds alongside their creative mahi - from placemaking and civic developments to academic research and public sculpture.

How to Start an Art Collecting Group (and Why You Should)

Friday, May 1, 2026

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Talks Theatre, Viaduct Events Centre

What happens when art collecting becomes a shared pursuit? Phillida Perry, Christine Fernyhough, and Anna Dickie join moderator Ben Plumbly to explore the rise of art collecting groups in Aotearoa — how they begin, how they function, and why collecting together can be more meaningful, accessible, and impactful than going it alone.

Public Art – A Beacon of its Times

Friday, May 1, 2026

5:00 PM - 5:45 PM

Talks Theatre, Viaduct Events Centre

What makes a work of public art truly great and who gets to decide? UAP Director Curatorial Natasha Smith, artists Judy Darragh and Reuben Paterson, and senior curator Nathan Pohio explore the world of public art — drawing on the publication Public Art in Review to unpack the themes that underpin exceptional works locally and globally, from accessibility and site-specificity to community engagement and the new perspectives public art brings to shared spaces.

Building Legacies – Women Collectors, Galleries and the Stewardship of Art

Saturday, May 2, 2026

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

Talks Theatre, Viaduct Events Centre

How are women collectors shaping the cultural legacy of Aotearoa New Zealand? Moderated by Leading Art advisor Catherine Asquith, this panel brings together Senior Curator of Global Contemporary Art Natasha Conland, Gallerist Sarah Hopkinson, and Arts Patron Lady Dayle Mace to explore what enduring collection-building looks like, and how galleries and curators provide stewardship, provenance, and institutional pathways to support collectors thinking strategically about legacy.

Art In Architecture – Nat Cheshire and Michael Lett in Conversation

Saturday, May 2, 2026

1:30 PM - 2:15 PM

Talks Theatre, Viaduct Events Centre

How might one live when living with art? For designer Nat Cheshire and gallerist Michael Lett, this question has animated a decade-long creative friendship — one that began over coffee on Ponsonby Road and has since shaped homes and galleries alongside supporting art projects by Simon Denny, Michael Parekōwhai and Martin Creed. Together they explore how design rigour and curatorial sensibility might combine to make spaces where art isn't displayed, but inhabited.

Collecting Today – Building a Collection with Purpose

Saturday, May 2, 2026

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Talks Theatre, Viaduct Events Centre

What does it mean to collect art today, when everything feels faster, smaller, and more connected than ever? The Good Oil Podcast Host Graeme Douglas brings together gallerist Jhana Millers, photographer Nicole England and Yu Mei Founder Jessie Wong, to explore the deeply personal reasons we choose to live with art - how taste develops, trust is built, and how collecting guided by curiosity rather than accumulation can shape atmosphere, memory, and daily life.

Collecting Objects – Design Made to Collect

Sunday, May 3, 2026

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

Talks Theatre, Viaduct Events Centre

What makes an object worth collecting and how do you know when something is truly art? Moderated by Objectspace Director Kim Paton, Jeweller Jasmin Scott, Furniture Maker Grant Bailey and Gallerist Jade Townsend come together to explore the growing appreciation of design as collectible art - from craftsmanship and material integrity to the stories behind each piece, and how to begin collecting with intention.

Quiz! So you Think you Know About Art?

Sunday, May 3, 2026

1:30 PM - 2:15 PM

Talks Theatre, Viaduct Events Centre

Welcome, art enthusiasts! Join a panel of art insiders for a lively, game show–style quiz exploring the fascinating world of art and collecting. From surprising art history moments to insider knowledge from gallerists, curators and collectors, this fun and fast-paced session will test your eye, challenge what you think you know, and reveal the things they don’t teach you in art history. Quizmaster Charles Ninow will be joined by contestants Francis McWhannell, Bridget Riggir-Cuddy, and Andrew Wall.

Stories of Place – Three Artists in Conversation

Sunday, May 3, 2026

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Talks Theatre, Viaduct Events Centre

What shapes an artist’s practice? Is it the materials they use, the places they come from, or the stories they carry with them? In this thoughtful and open conversation, moderated by Caroline Vercoe, hear from artists Salome Tanuvasa, Zhu Ohmu, and Tania Major, whose work explores materiality, place, diaspora and storytelling, as they reflect on how personal experience and cultural perspective shape the way they make art. Each artist brings a distinct voice and background, offering a rich dialogue about how identity, memory and environment influence creative practice.