Between 1981 and 1996 Mike Parr used his own image as a way of analysing his response to the world. The almost violent style of these self-portraits is typical of his work.

Parr enjoys the accidental imperfections of the printing process, seeing this ‘noise’ as a device that allows him to distance his work from conventional self-portraits.

Widely regarded as one of Australia’s most gifted contemporary artists, Parr was born in Sydney and studied at Queensland University and the East Sydney Technical College. He has exhibited and performed extensively in Australia and internationally and is particularly well known for extreme performances that push his physical and psychological limits.

There is an information sheet available about this work.

Whakatipu-wai-Māori Lake Whakatipu provided both permanent settlement sites and seasonal campsites for Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe and Kāi Tahu iwi across many centuries. From the northern head of the lake, inaka and kōkōtakiwai pounamu was gathered and carried back to coastal settlements to be crafted into tools, adornments and weapons. In 1877, watercolourist John Gully left his role as chief draughtsman at the provincial survey office in Whakatū Nelson to paint full-time, starting with a month-long southern sketching tour that included Piopiotahi Milford Sound and Whakatipu-wai-Māori.

Waitaha ~ tribal group that occupied much of Te Waipounamu South Island before they were displaced by Kāti Māmoe

Kāti Māmoe ~ tribal group that was largely replaced by Kāi Tahu through intermarriage and conquest

Kāi Tahu ~ tribal group of much of Te Waipounamu South Island

iwi ~ tribes

inaka ~ a whitish or creamy-coloured variety of greenstone

kōkōtakiwai ~ a soft and brittle variety of greenstone with streaks of white

pounamu ~ greenstone

He Kapuka Oneone – A Handful of Soil (from August 2024)