During the 2025 Singspore Art Fair, Foenander Galleries, alongside artist Tangaroa Birch, had the pleasure of being hosted by the New Zealand High Commissioner, Her Excellency Gabrielle Rush, and her team.
Set within the High Commission residence, the occasion offered a moment of connection and reflection amidst the pace of the fair. Bringing together members of the New Zealand expatriate community, collectors, and cultural figures, the gathering underscored the role of art as a conduit between place, identity, and shared experience beyond national borders.
The timing was particularly significant, as Aotearoa New Zealand and Singapore marked 60 years of bilateral partnership - an anniversary that lent the evening an added sense of occasion and resonance. Within this context, it was especially meaningful to present and discuss Tangaroa Birch’s practice, which speaks to material knowledge, cultural memory, and the evolving language of contemporary Māori art.
A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to encounter an early work by Roger Mortimer held in the collection, a wodnerfu reminder of the depth and reach of New Zealand art histories abroad.
