Zena Elliott

Zena Elliott (born 1975) is a New Zealand multidisciplinary artist. Their works are held in the collection of Auckland Art Gallery and Waikato Museum.

Biography Elliott was born in Whakatāne in 1975, and raised in Te Teko. They started their art practice in the 1990s. Elliott completed their Master of Visual Arts with Distinction at WINTEC in 2006, a Bachelor of Māori Art (Whakairo) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and a PhD at AUT.

Elliott's paintings reflect references to their whakapapa with influences from abstract, stencil and street art. Inspirations include mid-20th-century abstract paintings of Bridget Riley and Frank Stella.

Elliott's work explores themes of gender fluidity, visibility, cultural identity and popular culture. Their work is vibrant and lively, and Elliott has been incorporating fluorescent, glow-in-the-dark and neon colours into their work since the mid-1990s.

Elliott's partner Tia Barrett is also an artist, and the two have exhibited works together.

Exhibitions Solo:

Haukura/Neon Voice: Recent works by Zena Elliott, Waikato Museum, 2016 Ripekanga/Intersections, Milford Galleries, 2017 Whanonga Pono, Rotorua Arts Village, 2019

Group: Neoteric, Whitespace, 2004 The Inimitable Mr. Hopkins, Waikato Museum, 2008 Frankton, Skinroom Gallery, 2020 Toi Tū Toi Ora, Auckland Art Gallery, 2020-21 Āniwaniwa, Wormhole, 2022 Zena Elliott & Tia Barrett: Muramura of Protest, Depot Artspace, 2023