Julia Waite is a New Zealand art historian, curator, and author. She is currently Curator of New Zealand Art at Auckland Art Gallery.
Family background Waite had an upbringing that was influenced by both her parents' passions for art. She lived in Wellington throughout her childhood, and also recalls artworks she engaged with at her grandparents' house. This sparked her interest in art and art history from a young age, which she sustained until she studied the subjects at a university level.
Career Whilst studying for her Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours in Art History at the University of Otago she gained experience working at Dunedin Public Art Gallery which further piqued her interest in gallery and museum spaces, and more significantly in the world of art curation. Her education extends to include both a Masters in Art History from the University of Auckland with First Class Honours, and a Masters of Museum and Heritage Studies from Victoria University.
Her research and curatorial outputs often centre around modern art in New Zealand, representing underrepresented artists, various modernism movements around the world, and photography.
She is currently Curator of New Zealand Art at Auckland Art Gallery. Additionally she has worked at National Gallery Singapore and The Substation, Singapore.
Curatorial projects +DateTitleLocationSource20135th Auckland TriennialAuckland Art Gallery16 May 2015 - 10 April 2016Freedom and Structure: Cubism and New Zealand Art 1930-1960Touring Exhibition2016Space to Dream: Recent Art from South AmericaAuckland Art Gallery2017-2018Gordon Walters: New Vision (co-curation)Touring Exhibition10 August 2019 - 27 March 2020A Place to Paint: Colin McCahon in Auckland (co-curation)Auckland Art Gallery3 July 2021 - 23 January 2022Bill Culbert | Slow WonderAuckland Art Gallery2024Modern Women: Flights of TimeAuckland Art Gallery +TalksDateTitleLocationSource23 June 2015Monster Field: Surreal by Nature: Curator's Tour with Julia WaiteAuckland Art Gallery21 November 2020Exiles and Expatriates: Modern Women and States of UnbelongingPhilip Carter Family Auditorium, Christchurch Art Gallery - - -Louise Henderson: From LifeChristchurch Art Gallery with Felicity Milburn - - -Light and Reflections | Helen Beaglehole in Conversation with Julia WaiteTe Tuhi Art Gallery
Research outputs
A Way Through: Cubism and New Zealand Art 1930-1960 (2016) - The University of Auckland - Bell L (Editor), Waite Julia (Thesis/Dissertation) Freedom and Structure: Cubism and New Zealand Art 1930-1960 (2017) - Auckland Art Gallery - Julia Waite (Book) Working towards Meaning - The Restoration of Colin McCahon's Chapel Windows (2019) - Auckland Art Gallery (Gallery e-publication) Louise Henderson: From Life (2019) - Auckland Art Gallery & Christchurch Art Gallery - Felicity Milburn, Lara Strongman, Julia Waite (Book) Looking for a New Country: Christopher Perkins in New Zealand (2020) - Adam Art Gallery Te Pataka Toi - Christopher Perkins, Christina Barton, Priscilla Pitts, Julia Waite, Lachlan Taylor (Book) Bill Culbert: Slow Wonder (2021) - Auckland Art Gallery - Bill Culbert, Julia Waite, Kirsten Lacy, Justin Clemens (Book) Modern Women Flight of Time (2024) - Julia Waite (Book)
References
External links
Julia Waite Instagram Radio 95bFM interview with Julia Waite on Modern Women: Flight of Time RNZ interview with Julia Waite, Arts with Julia Waite: Māori Portraiture