Four Powerful New Exhibitions opening at The Incubator Creative Hub

Four compelling new exhibitions, open tomorrow at The Incubator Creative Hub, with works ranging from emerging student artists to established professionals.

Incubator Creative Hub Director Simone Anderson says the range of work on offer reflects the Incubator’s unique role in Aotearoa’s arts scene.

“This month’s exhibitions offer something truly special—from Bethlehem College students just finding their feet in the gallery world to seasoned professionals like Damien Kurth, who holds a Master of Fine Arts from Elam,” says Anderson. “It’s a fantastic range that shows exactly what The Incubator is about: nurturing emerging talent while celebrating accomplished artists. Every person who walks through our doors helps an artist take their next step, build confidence, and feel seen.”

Auckland-based multimedia artist Jo Harris offers a visceral exploration of identity, authenticity, and the masks women are expected to wear in her solo exhibition “Coming Undone” at The Pot House Gallery.

Using black clay as a primary medium, Harris gives physical form to emotional and psychological states that are often difficult to articulate. The material itself—earthy, dense, and unyielding—becomes a metaphor for both the weight of external pressures and the resilience required to endure them. Figurative forms emerge, embodying tension, vulnerability, and strength, capturing what it can feel like to navigate the space between who one is internally and who one is expected to be.

“Jo Harris’s work stops you in your tracks,” says Anderson. “She invites viewers to reflect on how these pressures manifest in subtle and overt ways, and how the inner psyche responds, adapts, or pushes back. While contexts may shift, the underlying struggle for autonomy, self-definition, and emotional truth remains ongoing.”

Harris’s practice revolves around the theme of authenticity of self. As a multimedia artist, she employs a range of materials including ceramics, recycled, and found objects, creating pieces that transcend traditional mediums.

“At the core of Jo’s artistic journey is a search for an authentic space for herself,” Anderson notes. “It is her hope that through engaging with her art, viewers will find a connection to their own sense of authenticity, gaining insight into their personal journeys and reflecting on how art can mirror and expand our understanding of the self.”

Also on 5th – 27th June:

The Incubator Gallery – Drift by Damien Kurth

Holding a Master of Fine Arts from Elam School of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Arts from Otago Polytechnic, Kurth creates incredibly detailed trompe l’oeil works that feel like tricks of the eye. The commonplace objects he paints—a crumpled receipt, a discarded tool, a folded cloth—possess the “seemliness of the unfamiliar” or jamais vu, a term used to describe the experience of being unfamiliar with something that is very familiar. He builds the painting’s surface slowly; each stroke of oil working with the other to create a harmonic whole.

“Damien Kurth is a true master of his craft,” says Anderson. “His work is quiet, contemplative, and utterly beautiful. Viewers are invited to pause and question their own perception, finding beauty and mystery in the everyday.”

Special Event: Free Artist Talks with Damien Kurth

Damien Kurth will present free artist talks in The Incubator Gallery on Saturdays 6th & 13th June, 1pm – 3pm. Attendees will gain insight into his creative process, the technical challenges of trompe l’oeil painting, and the conceptual ideas behind his Drift exhibition. No booking required.

The People’s Gallery – Toi ka Rere: Tūrangawaewae
Bethlehem College Seniors Art Exhibition

Year 11–13 students explore identity through the concept of tūrangawaewae—a place to stand. Woven through the exhibition are the students’ visits to their school marae, Te Wairoa, their journey to Tauranga city, Mount Maunganui beach, their homes, memories with whānau and friends, and their Christian faith.

“Tūrangawaewae—literally tūranga (standing place), waewae (feet)—is often translated as ‘a place to stand’,” explains Anderson. “These are places where we feel especially empowered and connected. It’s a deeply moving exhibition from young artists finding their voice.”