Opening a New Pathway Between Aotearoa and Asia
Through facilitating the research visit of Shanghai Biennale Chief Curator Kitty Scott to Aotearoa, HUs Art helped create a historic opportunity for four New Zealand artists to participate in the 15th Shanghai Biennale - one of Asia's most influential contemporary art exhibitions.
For the first time, four artists from Aotearoa were included in the Biennale's curated exhibition, marking a significant milestone in New Zealand's contemporary art presence on the international stage.
The 15th Shanghai Biennale, titled Does the flower hear the bee? (November 8, 2025 – March 31, 2026), will explore new modes of sensorial communication between artwork, audience and environment. Inspired by recent scientific discoveries regarding interactions between honeybees and the flowers that “hear” the vibration of their wings, the exhibition operates at the intersection of differing models of intelligence, both human and nonhuman. It is based on the belief that recent art provides us with a privileged space for such investigations, offering an embodied and interconnected sphere in which communities may form stronger bonds in harmony with what eco-philosopher David Abram has called “the more-than-human world.” The Shanghai Biennale does so in a moment of great uncertainty and global emergency that has given rise to a widespread sense of disorientation; our world is transforming, and it is doing so at a pace that eludes our capacity for comprehension, leaving us with an extreme sense of derangement bordering on vertigo. If a return to the past is impossible, art offers us potential pathways out of despair, helping us to find emergent forms-of-life amid this instability.
People-First Approach
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The Beginning
In February 2025, HUs Art, together with the Office for Contemporary Art Aotearoa (OCAA) and curator Gregory Burke, facilitated a five-day research visit by Shanghai Biennale Chief Curator Kitty Scott.
During the visit, Scott met with 23 artists, engaged with leading curators, and immersed herself in Aotearoa's contemporary art landscape.
What began as a curatorial research trip soon evolved into a landmark opportunity for New Zealand artists.
Research visit to Aotearoa New Zealand
From Research Visit to International Recognition
Bring Artists from Aotearoa at the 15th Shanghai Biennale
Following the visit, four artists from Aotearoa were selected for the 15th Shanghai Biennale:
Brett Graham
Ngahina Hohaia
Shannon Te Ao
Luke Willis Thompson
This represented the first time artists from Aotearoa had been included in the Biennale's curated exhibition.
Kitty Scott, Chief Curator, 15th Shanghai Biennale
Images clockwise : Brett Graham (photo David White), Ngahina Hohaia (photo Tania Niwa), Luke Willis Thompson (photo Clara Moeschlin), Shannon Te Ao.
Impact Beyond the Exhibition
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International Visibility
Opening weekend attracted approximately 5,000 visitors, including museum directors, curators, collectors and cultural leaders from around the world.
More than 400,000 visitors are expected during the Biennale's five-month run.
Three internationally recognised curators expressed significant interest in contemporary art from Aotearoa.
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New Professional Networks
Artists participated in talks, VIP events and international networking opportunities.
Curators, collectors and institutions engaged directly with the participating artists.
Multiple artists reported meaningful new international connections likely to lead to future collaborations and opportunities.
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Cultural Diplomacy
The project received support from:
New Zealand Consulate Shanghai
Kea New Zealand
New Zealand Business Roundtable in China
and became an example of how contemporary art can strengthen cultural exchange between Aotearoa New Zealand and China.
By building relationships between artists, curators, institutions and cultural partners across New Zealand and China, HUs Art contributed to a project that expanded the international visibility of Aotearoa contemporary art and strengthened long-term cultural exchange between the two countries.
HUs Art acted as a catalyst, connector and facilitator, helping create meaningful opportunities for New Zealand artists to engage with one of Asia's most significant contemporary art platforms.