Art in the Park transforms Eden Park into a massive exhibition space this weekend, featuring over 3,000 original works by more than 140 artists across New Zealand’s national stadium.
- Over 140 artists have taken over the stadium’s concourses, exhibition spaces, and playing field for the sixth annual event.
- More than 3,000 original works spanning painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, and mixed media are on display and available for purchase.
- Ticket prices and artworks range from $50 up to more than $100,000 for major collector pieces.
While cricket bats and rugby balls have typically taken center stage at Eden Park to create athletic highlights over the years, the nation’s premier stadium is now hosting a different variety of creative genius as the sixth annual Art in the Park occupies its facilities, according to 1NWS.
Laya Rasooli is one of the 26-year-old participants in the event, presenting paintings that convey an intimate narrative regarding belonging, identity, and displacement. Showcasing her creations at one of Aotearoa’s most iconic sites represents a dream come true for the emerging Afghan creative.
“This has been huge for me, like being with these many artists, these many professional artists that have been given their life to this,” Rasooli told 1News, describing it as an incredible opportunity.
Balancing her architecture studies alongside a job as an interpreter, Rasooli incorporates abstract visuals, texture, and vibrant palettes to investigate her journey of straddling multiple cultures. Her painting Tree of Life explores the relationships and roots underlying visible beauty, while her piece Who Am I? addresses displacement alongside family and community.
“It was really difficult for me to put it out there for the world to see, but if it helps other people to belong, if it helps other people to see themselves in it, why not?” Rasooli told 1News.
In addition, celebrated Kiwi creator Jesse Woolston has travelled back from Los Angeles to present the most massive creation of his professional journey. His immersive digital installation, The Infinite Constant Front, transforms part of the stadium into a monumental display of moving imagery and sound inspired by natural forces like storms and ocean waves.
“I didn’t ever think I would end up here and doing this,” Woolston told 1News, adding that nobody has ever attempted to use the sporting venue in this way before.
| Metric | Historical Data | Current Exhibition |
|---|---|---|
| Total Visitors Since Inception | 54,000+ | Growing this weekend |
| Participating Artists | 600+ supported historically | 140+ active this year |
| Artworks Sold Historically | 7,000+ pieces | 3,000+ new works listed |
| Previous Annual Attendance | 11,000 visitors (last year) | Ongoing six-year milestone |
Nick Sautner, the chief executive of Eden Park, views the showcase as further proof that the arena is successfully expanding past its conventional athletic functions. Sautner said that seventy percent of what the venue does today was not part of its business model a decade ago.
“Eden Park is a blank canvas for creativity,” Sautner said.
