We invite you to join us for an enriching, behind‑the‑scenes look at one of Toi Art’s most significant exhibitions of recent years.
Experience a unique opportunity to hear directly from Lissa Mitchell, Te Papa Curator Historical Documentary (Photography), the curator behind Slow Burn: Women and Photography | Ahi Tāmau: Māreikura Whakaahua, Te Papa’s major new survey exhibition celebrating the breadth and depth of photography by women and non‑binary artists in Aotearoa from the 1960s to today.
In this special session, Lissa will share the intentions, questions, and creative thinking that shaped the exhibition — from the conversations drawn between past and present to the kaupapa guiding the selection of 170 works by 50 artists. Together, we’ll spend time in the gallery exploring how these photographs speak to identity, whānau, place, and the threads of connection that stretch across generations.
Running through Slow Burn is the idea that creating takes time. These works are made with care — slow, thoughtful, and grounded in relationships with people, whenua, and photographic traditions. They are memorials and aspirations; loud and quiet; angry, beautiful, contemplative, bewildering. Above all, they reflect the extraordinary diversity of the artists who made them.
This talk offers a rare chance to step inside the curatorial process and deepen your understanding of an exhibition that asks, among other questions: What influence did the first and second waves of feminism have on photographers working today?
The catalogue for this exhibition is available from the Te Papa store. Remember to ask for your 10% Members discount for being a Friend of Te Papa!
Lissa Mitchell is a photographic historian and curator of photography at Te Papa. They are the author of Through Shaded Glass – Women and Photography in Aotearoa New Zealand 1860 to 1960 (2023) and have contributed to numerous publications including An Alternative History of Photography (Prestel, 2022). Their most recent project is Slow Burn Ahi Tāmau | Women and Photography Māreikura Whakaahua, currently on until early 2027, Toi Art, level 4, Te Papa
Image Credits: Lissa Mitchell by Maarten Holl 2026, provided by Lissa Mitchell and reproduced with permission.
Main Image: Stella Brennan, Threads IV. From the series: Thread Between Darkness and Light, 2023-24. Purchased 2024. Te Papa (o.052193)