John Pule
b. 1962, Niue
Lives and works in Auckland, New Zealand and Niue
John Pule is an accomplished painter, printmaker, poet and writer. He was born in the village of Liku in Niue, and he immigrated to New Zealand at the age of two in 1964. Largely self-taught, he first exhibited his paintings in 1989 and has exhibited extensively since. His work has generated considerable acclaim within Aotearoa and further abroad.
When John Pule first arrived in inner city Auckland as a young adult in 1980, the formal tenets of poetry and painting were largely unknown to him. Over the next 30 years, he would explore new directions as both writer and painter. He has since developed a reputation as one of this country’s leading contemporary painters and an important artistic voice from the broader Pacific region. His work is highly inventive, particularly in its adaptation of traditional Pacific art forms. It sometimes includes challenging and provocative content related to colonisation.
Pule first visited Niue as an adult in 1991 and has since returned to the island nation to live and work. His strong interest in the mythology, culture, and history of the country of his birth continues to inform his work to this day. This is evident in the artist’s image content and choice of materials. His paintings and prints often depict flora and fauna from Niue and make use of customary approaches to patternmaking. Pule has also created a number of works on tapa cloth, a traditional material in Niue and other Pacific nations.
Arguably one of the Pacific’s most significant artists, Pule has been at the forefront of contemporary New Zealand art since the early 1990s. His work is held in major public collections throughout Australasia including Auckland Art Gallery, Te Papa Tongarewa, The National Gallery of Victoria, and Queensland Art Gallery. His career highlights include a survey exhibition at the City Gallery Wellington (2010) and inclusion in exhibitions at Museo de Atre Contemporaneo, Santiago, Chile (2012), Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane (2011) and the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, Berlin (2007). Pule’s work is the subject of several books including the monograph Hauaga (Otago University Press, 2010). He is also a published writer and poet. He was the recipient of the New Zealand Order of Merit for the services to the Arts in 2012.
Gow Langsford Gallery has represented John Pule since 1994.
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This Must Be the Place
Inaugural Exhibition 6 Apr - 4 May 2024 OnehungaThis Must Be the Place is the inaugural exhibition at Gow Langsford’s flagship Onehunga premises. It brings together the work of a diverse range of artists who respond to themes of place, belonging, and cultural legacy. In examining locality in Aotearoa and Oceania through a modern and contemporary lens, This Must Be the Place showcases a diverse range of practices and contextual frameworks from the region.Read more -
Still not close enough
John Pule 19 May - 12 Jun 2021For over thirty years, John Pule's painting has returned, time and again, to Niue, and especially to Liku on the island's east coast, the place of his birth and his...Read more -
ABHK20
Group Exhibition 11 Mar - 4 Apr 2020 Lorne StreetEarlier in the year Art Basel Hong Kong was cancelled amid fears of the spread of the coronavirus. Having worked on the presentation for many months it has been reconceptualised and a version will be shown at our Lorne St Gallery for two weeks before we close to prepare for Bernar Venet's performance on 25 March.Read more
Selected for the Kabinett sector our planned presentation for Hong Kong included a designated focus on prominent painter Judy Millar. Together with her solo presentation of recent works, was a group of works by Oceanic artists including Colin McCahon (NZ, 1919-1987), Dale Frank (AU, b. 1959), John Pule (Niue, b.1962) and Lisa Roet (AU, b. 1967). While Millar's body of work will be shown at another date this exhibition is based around works that would have otherwise been shown at Art Basel Hong Kong this month. -
Everywhere in the World
John Pule 4 - 28 Sep 2019Everywhere in the World provides an intimate viewing into John Pule’s life and the influence that the Pacific, particularly his birthplace of Niue, has had on his practice. These new works evoke a sense of place, memories of a time gone by and a different pace of life than what most of us are accustomed to. In his artist statement, Pule’s poetic narrative helps to navigate us, the viewer, to this other land surrounded by the ocean and lush greenery of the forest that envelopes those who inhabit it.Read more -
Liu Ke He Mogo Fakapa He Haaku a Moui
John Pule 23 Nov - 24 Dec 2016 Auckland CityReturn To The First Time of My Life / Liu Ke He Mogo Fakapa He Haaku a Moui was painted on the island of Niue, John Pule's homeland, where he...Read more
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John Pule: Another Green World
2006Paperback, 44 pagesRead more
Publisher: Gow Langsford Gallery
ISBN: 978-0-9582773-2-7
Dimensions: 200 x 200mm -
John Pule: Still not close enough
2021Paperback, 44 pagesRead more
Publisher: Gow Langsford Gallery and John Pule
ISBN: 978-0-473-57458-1
Dimensions: 200 x 200mm
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Spirit of Adventure Trust Charity Auction
November 2, 2023Each year, Gow Langsford lends its support to a worthy cause through an art auction. Raising funds to assist a charity that we believe in...Read more -
John Pule, Laurence Aberhart and John Walsh at New Zealand Maritime Museum
September 1, 2023John Pule, Laurence Aberhart and John Walsh are included in Always Song in the Water at the New Zealand Maritime Museum on until 28 February...Read more -
Walking on the Paepae - John Pule on The Pantograph Punch
November 19, 2020The Pantograph Punch has collaborated with Creative New Zealand to bring readers the groundbreaking Pacific Arts Legacy Project. Curated by Lana Lopesi as project Editor-in-Chief,...Read more -
John Pule in DE-celebrate at Te Tuhi
September 8, 2020DE-celebrate at Te Tuhi runs from 5 September - 29 November 2020 and features work by gallery artist John Pule. The exhibitions attempts to capture...Read more -
Art Basel Online Viewing Rooms
March 18, 2020Gow Langsford Gallery is delighted to announce our participation in Art Basel’s first iteration of Online Viewing Rooms, a new digital platform designed to connect...Read more -
Oceania featuring John Pule travels to France
March 20, 2019Highly acclaimed exhibition Oceania held at the Royal Academy of Arts, London that featured 170 works from the Pacific region has travelled to the...Read more -
John Pule and Darryn George at KUNSTWERK Sammlung Klein
February 28, 2019German collectors Alison and Peter Klein recently visited New Zealand and acquired a selection of works from New Zealand and Pacific artists, in particular, Darryn...Read more -
John Pule in Oceania at Royal Academy of Arts, London
October 18, 2018The Royal Academy of Arts in London latest exhibition Oceania brings together over 200 works from private and public collections from the Pacific. The timing...Read more -
Reuben Paterson and John Pule at Tauranga Art Gallery
July 2, 2018Reuben Paterson and John Pule are included in a new exhibition at Tauranga Art Gallery Children of Mallarmé: Fashion, Art & Collaboration on until 16...Read more -
John Pule at the Auckland Art Fair 2018
May 26, 2018For the final days of the Auckland Art Fair at The Cloud, Auckland Waterfront, Gow Langsford presents a solo exhibition of new works by John...Read more
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Aotearoa Art Fair 2023 | Booth A1
2 - 5 Mar 2023The focus of our presentation at Aotearoa Art Fair 2023 is two new bodies of work by represented artists Chris Heaphy (b. 1965, NZ) and John Pule (b. 1962, Niue). These will be shown alongside a new painting by Grace Wright (b. 1992, NZ) and Andre Hemer (b. 1981, NZ) will debut a new series of works on paper.Read more -
Sydney Contemporary 2022 | Booth B02
8 - 11 Sep 2022The central focus of our presentation is a grouping of bronzes by Barry Flanagan (1941-2009, UK). His anthropomorphic hares engage in a variety of playful and spirited activities; they bound, balance, dance and contemplate. Shown alongside is a suite of new works by Shane Cotton (1965, NZ), and a selection of monochromatic works by revered painter Colin McCahon (1919-1987, NZ) together with paintings by John Pule (1962, Niue), Gordon Walters (1919-1995) and Max Gimblett (1935, NZ/USA).Read more -
Auckland Art Fair Virtual Fair 2020
29 Apr - 6 Jun 2020Gow Langsford Gallery is pleased to be taking part in the Auckland Art Fair Virtual Fair from 30 April - 17 May. Artists included are Frances Hodgkins, Tony Cragg, Judy Millar, Louise Henderson, Dale Frank, John Pule, Paul Dibble, Karl Maughan, Reuben Paterson, Simon Ingram, Virginia Leonard, Max Gimblett and Colin McCahon.Read more -
Auckland Art Fair 2018 | Booth D3
23 - 27 May 2018Gow Langsford Gallery is proud to present a series of solo exhibitions from three of our represented artists at the 2018 Auckland Art Fair. The exhibitions will be unveiled throughout the duration of the Fair: Dale Frank (Wednesday 23rd -Thursday 24th), Hugo Koha Lindsay (Friday 25th) and John Pule (Saturday 26th – Sunday 27th).Read more -
Sydney Contemporary 2013
Booth C103 20 - 22 Sep 2013Sydney Contemporary is Sydney’s first international art fair showcasing work by emerging and established artists from leading Australian and international galleries. For the inaugural event Gow Langsford Gallery will curate a group exhibition including new work by gallery artists Judy Millar, Dale Frank, Tony Cragg, Sara Hughes, Max Gimblett, Bernar Venet and John Pule, alongside works by British artist Damien Hirst.Read more -
Melbourne Art Fair 2012
1 - 5 Aug 2012This year at the Melbourne Art Fair we exhibited new works by James Cousins, Sara Hughes, Michael Hight, Dick Frizzell, Reuben Paterson, Chris Heaphy , Karl Maughan, John Pule, John Walsh, Gregor Kregar, Judy Millar, Dale Frank and Max Gimblett alongside works by Damien Hirst.Read more -
Auckland Art Fair 2011
Booth 13 4 - 7 Aug 2011This year Gow Langsford Gallery took a different approach to the art fair model and hosted four different exhibitions on consecutive days. Visitors needed to visit the stand each day to get the full impact of our art fair project. On show were new works by gallery artists Karl Maughan (Thursday 4th August), Reuben Paterson (Friday 5th August), John Pule (Saturday 6th August) and Paul Dibble (Sunday 7th August).Read more -
Auckland Art Fair 2009
Booth 18 1 - 3 May 2009For the 2009 Auckland Art Fair, Gow Langsford presented a selection of new works by our represented artists.Read more