From a young Afghan refugee exhibiting professionally for the first time, to a father and daughter creating art side by side, a chef turning the language of food into abstract painting, and a doctor whose work has been exhibited alongside Banksy and Andy Warhol, this year's event offers a wealth of stories that extend far beyond the canvas.
Laya Rasooli is one of the most powerful emerging voices in this year's exhibition. Having arrived in New Zealand from Afghanistan at 18, Laya is now completing a Master's in Architecture at AUT while working as an artist, contributing to her family's events business and mentoring new migrants. Art in the Park will mark her first professional exhibition, following her selection as the 2026 recipient of the King's Trust Aotearoa NZ Artist Award. Her paintings are accompanied by poetry she writes herself, with her experiences of displacement, identity and finding a new life in New Zealand deeply informing her work.
Pete Cernis and Anna Victoria offer a unique father-daughter story, exhibiting alongside one another at the show. Pete is an accomplished artist, educator and multi-disciplinary creative with master's degrees spanning business, science and art, while Anna is one of very few artists internationally creating original artworks entirely in PowerPoint, drawing inspiration from architecture. Their work offers a fascinating intergenerational perspective on creativity and the evolving ways artists can use technology.
Gabriele Marangoni brings an entirely different crossover between disciplines. An Italian chef turned artist, Gabriele draws inspiration from his work with food, creating colourful abstract pieces reminiscent of the expressive style of Jackson Pollock. His story lends itself to a visual feature exploring the relationship between cooking and art, including the possibility of seeing Gabriele in the kitchen where his two creative worlds intersect
For Chris Melville, music and photography are intrinsically connected. A jazz singer as well as a photographer, Chris creates his photographic compositions using fabric, producing images that resemble expansive natural landscapes. The unexpected process behind his beautiful finished works makes him a strong visual and behind-the-scenes story.
Then there's Brad Novak, a doctor who is also an accomplished artist and has exhibited alongside some of the world's most celebrated artists, including Banksy and Andy Warhol. His dual career offers a compelling human-interest story about balancing medicine and creativity.
Ingrid Boot sits at the intersection of art and fashion, with her work now represented by notable US gallery DTR, whose stable includes internationally recognised artists. Ahead of Art in the Park, her work will also be displayed in a Kathryn Wilson store window, creating a natural crossover between the worlds of fine art, fashion and design.
Jimmy James Koratoras, of Māori and Greek heritage, brings an international perspective, having exhibited in New York and earned major recognition both in Aotearoa and overseas. His accolades include the People's Choice Award at the 2016 Brisbane Contemporary Art Prize, selection as a finalist for the 2017 National Contemporary Art Prize, and the 2025 People's Choice Award at the Waikato Contemporary Art Award.
Elsewhere, Shortydubs (Brad Dring) brings together music production and urban art, while emerging artist Reuben Lauridsen is pushing the boundaries of technology and creativity by creating art using robots.
There are also stories that extend well beyond traditional artistic careers. Linda McFetridge is an actress, dance performer, casting director of 20 years, licensed real estate agent and former Air New Zealand flight attendant — and is perhaps best known to the public as the woman behind the globally viral annual “Acr” fruit bar advertisement.
For those looking at the next generation of New Zealand artists, Art in the Park has also identified a group of emerging “ones to watch” for 2026, including Mandy Williams, Logan Bow, Zoey Singh, Laya Rasooli, Kayla Bacon and Ken Faber.
A further group of artists is exploring the increasingly important intersection of art and sustainability, including Mike Paora, Anna Gibbs, Shannon Turuwhenua, Studio Reset (Kim Kobailko) and Tyla Bow. Their practices offer opportunities to explore how artists are responding to environmental issues not only through the themes of their work, but through the materials and processes they use to create it.
Alongside the exhibition itself, Art in the Park's partnership with The King's Trust Aotearoa New Zealand continues its focus on supporting the next generation of creative talent. For the fifth year, Art in the Park is working with the Trust to provide a young artist with the opportunity to exhibit professionally through the Art & Enterprise Programme — a free programme offering creative-industry education, business skills, mentoring, networking and one-on-one coaching.
With 140+ artists and 3,000+ artworks coming to Eden Park this November, Art in the Park isn't simply an opportunity to see great art — it's a chance to meet the people, unexpected career paths, personal stories and ideas shaping the next chapter of New Zealand's creative landscape.
