‘Unnerved: The NZ Project’
May 2010 -
Jul 2010

Holdings of contemporary work from New Zealand have grown rapidly since the early 1990s, partly through increased awareness and interest in the Asia Pacific Triennial exhibitions.
‘Unnerved’ explores a particularly rich dark vein that recurs in New Zealand contemporary art and cinema. Psychological or physical unease pervades many works in the exhibition, with humour, parody and poetic subtlety among the strategies used by artists across generations and genres.
Major sculptures by Michael Parekowhai, installations by Lisa Reihana and Michael Stevenson and photographic series by Yvonne Todd, Anne Noble and Greg Semu are featured alongside video art by Sriwhana Spong and Nathan Pohio.
‘Unnerved’ included works fromthe QAGOMA Collection as well as works on loan. Find out more about Collection works featured this exhibition below.
‘Unnerved’ was on display across the Gallery of Modern Art from 1 May to 4 Jul 2010.
Feature image: Michael Parekowhai / Jim McMurtry 2004 installed for ‘Unnerved’, GOMA, April 2010 / Courtesy: The artist and Michael Lett, Auckland / Photograph: N Harth, QAGOMA
Collection artworks featured in ‘Unnerved: The NZ Project’

Three sisters (from 'Savage nobility' series) 2001, printed 2004
- COLE, Duncan - Photographer
- KIHARA, Yuki - Concept developer

Sunset III 1992
- CULBERT, Bill - Creator

Ruby's room no. 16 2001
- NOBLE, Anne - Creator

Ruby's room no. 33 2005
- NOBLE, Anne - Creator

Dead steer 1987
- PERYER, Peter - Creator

Digital Marae 2001
- REIHANA, Lisa - Creator

O Tamaiti 1996
- URALE, Sima - Creator

Alice Bayke 2008
- TODD, Yvonne - Designer
- VICTORIAN TAPESTRY WORKSHOP - Workshop
- BATTEN, Sue - Weaver
- CORNALL, Amy - Weaver

Tama and his vahine (from 'Savage nobility' series) 2001, printed 2004
- COLE, Duncan - Photographer
- KIHARA, Yuki - Concept developer

Bat (from 'Liliu' series) 2007
- HOOPER, Julian - Creator

Cinco 2002
- HUTCHINSON, Lonnie - Creator

Ruby's room no. 10 2000
- NOBLE, Anne - Creator

Ruby's room no. 22 2002
- NOBLE, Anne - Creator

Wha tekau ma tahi Auhunga Heitiki, Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum, Okains Bay, South Island, Aotearoa/New Zealand Heitiki made by a Parihaka ploughman imprisoned in Dunedin (from 'Te mate o te aroha/The pain of longing' series) (from 'Quai Branly' 2002, printed 2006
- PARDINGTON, Fiona - Creator

The Horn of Africa 2006
- PAREKŌWHAI, Michael - Creator

Chewing brothers 2005
- PATTERSON, Campbell - Creator

Landfall of a spectre 2007
- POHIO, Nathan - Creator

A Maori dragon story 1995
- REIHANA, Lisa - Creator

The colander 1967
- SMITHER, Michael - Creator

Candlestick Park 2006
- SPONG, Sriwhana - Creator

Daughter of the high chief (from 'Savage nobility' series) 2001, printed 2004
- COLE, Duncan - Photographer
- KIHARA, Yuki - Concept developer

The high chief and his subjects (from 'Savage nobility' series) 2001, printed 2004
- COLE, Duncan - Photographer
- KIHARA, Yuki - Concept developer

Table leg 1982, printed 2002
- CULBERT, Bill - Creator

Balls 1990/92/94/97
- GIMBLETT, Max - Creator

Brisbane - 3 1993
- GIMBLETT, Max - Creator

Ruby's room no. 6 1999
- NOBLE, Anne - Creator

Ruby's room no. 17 2001
- NOBLE, Anne - Creator

Feeling the burn 2006
- ORAM, James - Creator

Acts II 1994
- PAREKŌWHAI, Michael - Creator

Kapa Haka (Whero) 2003
- PAREKŌWHAI, Michael - Creator

Marsden cross 1994
- PERYER, Peter - Creator

Untitled 1998
- PULE, John - Creator

Too artistic to drive 1996
- STEVENSON, Michael - Creator

January 2006
- TODD, Yvonne - Creator

Still Life 2001
- URALE, Sima - Creator