Neon Parc | Dan Arps

Dan Arps was born 1976 Ōtautahi, Aotearoa, New Zealand. Lives and works in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Dan Arps’ installations, sculptures, and paintings respond to urban psycho-geography of cities. His work reflects on the way we inhabit places and the influence of architecture on the formation and regulation of subjectivities.

In 2010 he was awarded Aotearoa New Zealand’s premier contemporary art award, the Walter’s Prize, for his exhibition Explaining Things by international judge Vicente Todolí. Arps has exhibited extensively in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, as well as taking part in multiple international projects.

Selected works (27)

Exhibitions (5)

‘Parallel Universe’
Brunswick
7 Oct.–5 Nov.
2022

‘Plastic Mouth Feel’
City
10 Feb.–13 Mar.
2015

‘Abstracts and Vision Statements’
City
1 May.–25 May.
2012

‘Toyota Corolla’
City
3 Mar.–27 Mar.
2009

‘Motivation Bunker’
City
3 Jun.–11 Jul.
2008

Curriculum vitae (PDF)

Recent Solo Exhibitions

2024: ‘Studio Paranoia’, Whangārei Art Museum, Whangārei
2023: ‘Nirvana Park’, Michael Lett 3 East St, Auckland
2022: ‘Parallel Universe’, Neon Parc, Melbourne
2021: ‘The New Brutal’, Disneyland Paris, Melbourne; ‘The Floral Maze’, Michael Lett, Auckland; ‘Sleepers’, Robert Heald, Wellington
2020: ‘White Paintings’, Michael Lett, Auckland; ‘The Hermetic Playa’, Sydneysydney, Sydney
2019: ‘Overproof Recombinants’, Robert Heald, Wellington; ‘The Orchid and the Wasp’, Robert Heald, Wellington
2017: ‘Nested Cells’, Michael Lett, Auckland; ‘Tinnitus Miracle’, Robert Heald, Wellington
2016: ‘Plastic Mouthfeel III’, Te Uru, Auckland
2015: ‘3 in the morning part 2’, Minerva, Sydney; ‘3AM ETERNAL’, Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington; ‘Plastic Mouth Feel II’, Michael Lett, Auckland; ‘Plastic Mouth Feel’, Neon Parc, Melbourne; ‘Appococycollapsed’, Ilam Campus Gallery, Christchurch
2014: ‘Snakes, tanks and drapes’, Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington; DocFA Exhibition, George Fraser Gallery, University of Auckland, Auckland
2013: ‘After Hobson Gardens’, Michael Lett, Auckland Relics, Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington
2012: ‘Abstracts and Vision Statements’, Neon Parc, Melbourne
2011: Frieze Art Fair, Michael Lett Stand, London; ‘Hobson Gardens’, Michael Lett, Auckland; ‘Charlie Sheen’, Y3K, Melbourne
2009: ‘Toyota Corolla’, Neon Parc, Melbourne Shallow Relief, Gambia Castle, Auckland
2008: ‘Explaining Things’, Gambia Castle, Auckland; ‘Affirmation Dungeon’, Jack the Pelican Presents, Brooklyn (NY); ‘Motivation Bunker’, Neon Parc, Melbourne; ‘Fractal Tears’, Michael Lett, Auckland
2007: ‘Gestapo Pussy Ranch’, Physics Room, Christchurch; ‘Affirmation Dungeon, Gambia Castle, Auckland; ‘Harsh Tudor-Bethan Reality’, The Engine Room, Wellington
2006: ‘Accumulations’, Ramp Gallery, Hamilton
2005: ‘Plastic Nudity and Projected Stories (with James Cousins)’, 64zero3, Christchurch; ‘Projecting and Underground Scene’, Window, University of Auckland Library, Auckland; ‘Houseplant’, Ledge, Hamilton
2004: ‘DH Lawrence’s Apocalypse’, rm103, Auckland
2003: ‘Third Kind’, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin
2002: ‘Complex’, Starkwhite, Auckland; ‘Ascot Place (With Paul Johns)’, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin
2001: ‘Unfinished works’, Black Cube, Christchurch; ‘New Contemporaries: Abstract Art’, Rm401, Auckland; ‘Pharmacy’, Temporary Site (facilitated by the Enjoy Project) Wellington; ‘Office/Space (With Doug Kelaher)’, Blue Oyster Gallery, Dunedin; ‘The Museum of X and Dolphins and some of Steve’s stuff’, Lift Space, High Street Project, Christchurch; ‘Ready-mades and found objects of profound mythological importance (with Eddie Clemens)’, Moving Image Center, Auckland
2000: ‘A Winter Garden, The Physics Room’, Christchurch; ‘Observation Deck’, Enjoy Project, Wellington; ‘Nowhere’, High Street Project, Christchurch
1999: ‘Inhibitor’, SWA*B studios, Christchurch

Selected Group Exhibitions

2026: ‘XX’, Neon Parc, Melbourne; ‘New South Vol. 2: Recent Sculpture & Installation Art’, Hazelhurst Arts Centre, Sydney
2022: ‘Walls to Live Beside, Rooms to Own: The Chartwell Show’, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki; ‘On the table: Artists in the Jim Barr and Mary Barr collection’, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin
2021: ‘Dungeon and Meadow’, Melbourne; ‘ALIVE INSIDE’, Neon Parc, Melbourne; ‘Encapsulated’, Caves, Melbourne; ‘The Historical Gesture’, Robert Heald, Wellington
2018: ‘The Mechanic part 2’, Neon Parc, Melbourne; Spring 1883, Neon Parc, Melbourne; ‘High Windows’, Robert Heald Wellington; ‘Abject Failures’, Hastings City Art Gallery, Hastings (NZ); ‘Space Suit’, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin; ‘Weaponry’, Temporary Site, Melbourne
2017: ‘Game’, Bowerbank Ninow, Auckland
2016: ‘Light Switch and Conduit’, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin; ‘Bilder Bilder’, Neon Parc, Melbourne; ‘Jim Allen, Dan Arps, Stella Corkery’, Michael Lett, Auckland
2015: ‘Necessary Distraction: A painting show’, Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland; ‘Occasional Table’, TG, Nottingham, United Kingdom
2014: ‘Kicking Against the Pricks’, Michael Lett, Auckland
2013: ‘Freedom Farmers: New Zealand Artists Growing Ideas’, Auckland Art Gallery, Auckland Porous; ‘Moonlight’, Papakura Art Gallery, Auckland
2012: ‘Letter from Alice May Williams’, Michael Lett, Auckland
2011: ‘Local Knowledge’, The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt (NZ)
2010: ‘Everything is near and inflorescent, forever and present’, Michael Lett, Auckland; ‘A Rock That Was Taught It Was A Bird’, Artspace, Auckland; ‘Modern Arrangements with The Estate of L. Budd’, Michael Lett, Auckland; The Walters Prize, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, Auckland; ‘Unpacking My Library’, Te Tuhi, Auckland
2009: ‘Cross Colouring’, Hell Gallery, Melbourne; ‘Angels & Demons’, Michael Lett, Auckland; ART LA Art Fair, Los Angeles
2008: ‘Gallery Artists and Special Guests’, Kaliman Gallery, Sydney; Tokyo 101 Art Fair, Neon Parc, Tokyo
2007: ‘Arps’, Teague, Georgetti, Michael Lett, Auckland; ‘Existence’, Waikato Museum, Hamilton; ‘The Shining Path’, Carlton Club and Studios, Melbourne; ‘Slowing Down’, Glen Eira City Council Gallery, Melbourne; ‘I DIG YOUR VOODOO’, Joint Hassles, Melbourne; ‘Omnipresents’, Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces, Melbourne
2006: ‘One for the Other’, TCB inc. Melbourne; ‘Local Transit’, Artspace, Auckland; ‘Silver Clouds’, Next Wave Festival Container Village, Melbourne; ‘Silver Clouds’, CLUBSproject, Melbourne; ‘Super Natural’, The Physics Room, Christchurch
2005: ‘Picking Favourites’, Enjoy, Wellington; ‘Bring Your Caddy’, Elam Masters 05, Stanbeth House Gallery, Auckland; ‘Waikato Contemporary Art Awards Finalists exhibition’, Waikato Museum of Art and History, Hamilton
2004: ‘Remember New Zealand’, 2004 Sao Paulo Biennale, Sao Paulo; ‘Ampersand’, temporary site, Part of the 2004 Art and Industry Biennial, Temporary Site, Christchurch; ‘Cuckooborough’, West Space, Melbourne; ‘Telecom Prospect 2004’, Wellington City Art Gallery, Wellington
2003: ‘Wonderland’, Artspace, Auckland; ‘Cuckoo Retrospective’, New Rooseum Critical-Studies Test-Site, Malmö; ‘Arcadia’, Govett Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth; ‘Put out more flags’, Cuckoo at the Moving Image Center, Auckland; ‘Downtown Frown’, Special, Auckland
2002: ‘Break’, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth; ’SWA*B presents: Flying High’, Temporary Site, Auckland
2001: ‘Fuse’, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin; ‘Thrash’, Experimental Art Foundation, Adelaide; ‘Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll’, CoCA, Christchurch; ‘The Argonaut’, Linwood Community Art Center, Christchurch

Collections

The Wallace Trust Collection
Chartwell Collection
Private collections in Australia, Germany, New Zealand and United States

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Installation view, 'Walls to Live Beside, Rooms to Own: The Chartwell Show', Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2022. Photo courtesy Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2022.

Dan Arps, Deep Thought, 2015, Satin print ed 1/ 5, 180 x 120 cm

Dan Arps, Charlie Sheen, 2011, Epoxy resin, PVC, false fingernails, acrylic paint, 31 x 39 cm

Dan Arps, Floral Arrangement (Piglet), 2016, Polyurethane, paint, 82 x 83 cm

Dan Arps, Crayzee Daizee (Chrome), 2018, Polyurethane and paint with aluminium support, 45 x 62 cm

Dan Arps, Grid Study (Marle), 2016, Polyurethane, paint, 88 x 91 cm

Dan Arps, Tree Study (Evil Olive), 2016, Polyurethane, paint 93 x 100 cm

Installation view, Dan Arps, 'Freedom Farmers', Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2013.

Dan Arps, 'Composition with blind (brown bronze)', 2019. Bronze, brown patina, 24.5 x 34.5 cm.

Dan Arps, 'Figure Study (Larger)', 2019. Epoxy putty, 3D printed PLA, acrylic paint, 26 x 18 x 30 cm.

Installation view, 'Walls to Live Beside, Rooms to Own: The Chartwell Show', Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2022. Photo courtesy Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2022.

Dan Arps, Double Pikachu, 2015, Satin print ed 1/ 5, 180 x 120 cm

Dan Arps, Plastic Mouth Feel, Installation view, 2015

John Nixon, 2011 - 2015, Acrylic, enamel, oil, stickers on four canvases, 63 x 73 cm

Dan Arps, Bad Synaesthesia (detail), 2006 – 2015, Mixed media, 13 objects

Dan Arps, Baffling (Chrome), 2018, Polyurethane and paint with aluminium support, 62 x 105 x 15 cm

Installation view, Dan Arps, 'Tower block/Cell Block/Rehab/Daycare', from 'Freedom Farmers', Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2013.

Installation view, Dan Arps, 'Freedom Farmers', Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 2013.