The Aotearoa Art Fair (formerly the Auckland Art Fair) returns to the city from the 30th April to the 3rd of May.
In the weeks leading up the event, the sculpture trail invites Aucklanders and visitors to engage with the works hosted around the Viaduct Harbour. This year’s trail is significantly larger, growing from nine sculptures in 2025, to 24 works by 18 artists in 2026.
Major works by acclaimed artists Lisa Reihana and Gregor Kregar are part of the trail, and this year international artists feature alongside those from New Zealand. They include Bernar Venet of France, Turner prize-winning British artist Martin Creed and from Australia, James Rogers.
“The Sculpture Trail is a love letter to Tāmaki Makaurau — to its waterfront, its tides, its skies, and the cultures that have shaped this place”, says Sue Waymouth, Fair Director, Aotearoa Art Fair.
“These works don’t just sit in the landscape; they speak to it. They honour the sea, the land, the birds returning to our cities, and the extraordinary creative traditions of Māori and Pacific peoples.”
The captivating Te Wheke-a-Muturangi by Lisa Reihana was a key drawcard of the trail in 2025. The dramatic installation of Reihana’s large inflatable octopus creeping across the surface of the Viaduct Harbour was such a success, another work makes the most of the position.
This year, new work Cumulus Structure by Gregor Kregar (see photo, top) takes up residence in the water just off the walkway surrounding the harbour, in front of the Park Hyatt hotel. Approximately 6m high, it is formed from thousands of interlocking geometric elements in mirror-polished stainless steel. Drawing on the form of a cloud, the structure sits on a custom pontoon and is lit at night, with its reflective surface capturing the movement of the harbour and changing light conditions.
The sculpture trail will run until the conclusion of the Aotearoa Art Fair.
Held at the Viaduct Events Centre, the country’s top annual showcase of contemporary art features some of the best works from around the country as well as Australia and beyond. This year the event features more than 60 galleries and over 200 artists, including both emerging talent and established figures.
The art fair has previously generated millions of dollars in sales for participating galleries and their artists.
For the full programme, participating galleries and artists, and trail map, visit viaduct.co.nz/artfair.
