This incredible work has travelled to London, San Francisco, Estonia, Taipei and further, but never to Wellington – until now.

Lisa Reihana’s in Pursuit of Venus [infected] is a retort to the French scenic wallpaper, Les Sauvages de la Mer Pacifique, produced by Joseph Dufour in 1804.

Dufour’s original wallpaper reflected a widespread fascination with the Pacific voyages undertaken by Captain Cook, de Bougainville, and de la Perouse.

200 years later in Aotearoa, Lisa Reihana employs 21st century digital technologies to bring the scenic wallpaper to life and challenge its Eurocentric narrative.

The final realisation of in Pursuit of Venus [infected] makes visible the historical narratives notably absent from the original wallpaper. Enlivened with the sights and sounds of dance and cultural ceremonies, the vast video panorama is populated by people drawn from across Aotearoa, Australia, the Pacific, and Europe.

in Pursuit of Venus [infected] subverts the imperial gaze by defying historical and contemporary stereotypes, notions of beauty, authenticity, history, and myth.

Presented in association with the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts.

The Aotearoa ki Weneti | New Zealand at Venice lounge, 2021. Photo by Maarten Holl. Te Papa

Visit the Aotearoa ki Weneti | New Zealand at Venice lounge

in Pursuit of Venus [infected] is just one of several incredible art works that have represented New Zealand at La Biennale di Venezia (Venice Biennale) – the world’s most high-profile contemporary art exhibition. Visit the Aotearoa ki Weneti | New Zealand at Venice lounge to discover the history of New Zealand at the Venice Biennale.

See large-format photos of significant artworks by New Zealand artists at Venice from 2001 to 2019, and find out about each work.

Relax in the lounge and browse catalogues and books to learn more about some of New Zealand’s most ground-breaking and provocative artworks.

The Aotearoa ki Weneti | New Zealand at Venice lounge is brought to you by Creative New Zealand in partnership with Te Papa.