Exhibitions and events

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Upcoming exhibition

Adrienne Martyn: Photographer

24 November 2026 – 1 May 2027
Hocken Gallery, first floor, Hocken Library, 90 Anzac Avenue, Ōtepoti Dunedin

Adrienne Martyn: Photographer draws upon the Hocken’s rich holdings of her work, accompanied by loans from public institutions spanning the length of the country, from Waihōpai Invercargill to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Curated by Robyn Notman, Head Curator Art and Photography Collections, Hocken Collections, this exhibition recognises Martyn’s early connections and longstanding relationship with the Hocken Collections Uare Taoka o Hākena, while also celebrating her dedication to photography and contribution to New Zealand’s art history. A substantial illustrated book accompanies the exhibition, designed by Duncan Munro with essays by curators and art historians Bridie Lonie, Milly Mitchell-Anyon, Jess Clifford, and Julia Waite.

Adrienne Martyn was born in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington and grew up in Waihōpai Invercargill. Adrienne Martyn: Photographer is her largest exhibition to date.

Adrienne Martyn (b. 1950) is one of Aotearoa’s leading photographers. With her early years spent mastering the technical aspects of photography as a medium – further informed by her experiences documenting the rise of second-wave feminism in New Zealand and Australia – she committed to building a professional practice exploring the artistic possibilities of portraiture, establishing her first studio in Ōtepoti Dunedin in 1980. During this decade her artistic career flourished. Martyn became known for her enigmatic and iconic Artist Portraits and Hotel Excelsior series, rich in contrasting textures, light, and dark, metaphorical and psychological depth. Her use of analogue and digital camera formats over the last 50 years has resulted in an expansive portfolio spanning portraiture, architecture, abstraction, and landscape.

Image credit: Adrienne Martyn, Marie and Diane, 1980.