Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 4, 2026

Benjamin Work

Benjamin Work is an artist from New Zealand with Tongan and Scottish heritage. He is well known for his paintings, murals and sculptures inspired by his genealogy back to Tonga.

Last revised
Jun 4, 2026
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Benjamin Work
Work in 2023
Born1979 (age 46–47)
Auckland, New Zealand
Known forpainting, sculpture
Notable workMotutapu II (2021)
Stylemotifs from ancient Tongan artefacts

Benjamin Work (born 1979, Auckland, New Zealand) is an artist from New Zealand with Tongan and Scottish heritage.1 He is well known for his paintings, murals and sculptures inspired by his genealogy back to Tonga.23

Work

Drawing on his Tongan heritage, Work began to explore new directions in his art over the last decade. Inspired by the iconography found on Tongan treasures such as ngatu (bark cloth), fala (Tongan mats), and 'akau tau (war clubs), his refined, graphic paintings aimed to find new spaces and ways for audiences to engage with Tonga's visual culture. Work's art found a home both inside institutions and on the streets.2

Work has developed a deep interest in and conducted extensive research on aspects of Tongan history and culture,4 and reuses Tongan traditions and symbols into his artwork. Work is part of the urban art movement and has exhibited in Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, United States, Cook Islands, and Tonga.4 In 2015, Work co-curated a display at the Auckland Museum with portraits from Tonga representing the royal lines of Tu’i Tonga, Tu’i Ha’atakalaua and Tu’i Kanokupolu.5 In 2021, he created a big 330-square-metre mural Motutapu II across the floor and up two walls of Canterbury Museum inspired by the distinctive carved patterns on Tongan ‘akau tau (war clubs) in the museum’s collection.6

Awards

Selected residencies

  • 2025: Matafatafa Aho Pacific Artist in Residency, Auckland Museum8
  • 2024: McCahon House Residency, Auckland, New Zealand9
  • 2019: Artist in Residence, Para Site, Hong Kong10

Selected solo and collaborative exhibitions

Work's work are held public and private collections throughout New Zealand, such as in Auckland Museum,11 Canterbury Museum,12 and The Arts House Trust.13

  • 2026: PĀPAAKI, 25th Biennale of Sydney, Chau Chak Wing Museum, Sydney, Australia 14
  • 2025: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Gow Langsford Gallery, Onehunga, Auckland 15
  • 2023: Bodies of Water, Made of Land (with Harrison Freeth), Te Tuhi, Auckland, New Zealand16
  • 2023: Bodies of Water (with Harrison Freeth), Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, New Zealand17
  • 2021: MOTUTAPU (with Brendan Kitto), Te Uru, Auckland, New Zealand18
  • 2022: Toa Motu, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand19
  • 2018: Benjamin Work: Write it on the land, Seal it on the heart, Te Tuhi, Auckland, New Zealand20
  • 2017: Whenua Fonua 'Enua, Malcolm Smith Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand21
  • 2017: Return to Havaiki (with Andy Leleisi’uao), Bergman Gallery, Rarotonga, Cook Islands22
  • 2016: METfriday, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, United States of America23
  • 2016: For King and Country, Bergman Gallery, Rarotonga, Cook Islands1
  • 2015: Ma'ae Tu'i mo e Fonua, Māngere Arts Centre, Auckland, New Zealand24
  • 2015: Toutoutā, Olivia Laita Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand25
  • 2014: I See Red, I See Red, I See Red, Fresh Gallery, Otara, Auckland, New Zealand26

Selected group exhibitions

  • 2023: Horizon, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand27
  • 2023: Tukufakaholo – Tongan Contemporary, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand28
  • 2022: Te Atuitanga – Beneath our Cloak of Stars, Bergman Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand29
  • 2021: The Most Dedicated, Dowse Art Museum, Wellington, New Zealand30
  • 2015: PGP, AMbush Gallery, Sydney31
  • 2013: If These Walls Could Talk, TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre, Auckland, New Zealand32
  • 2013: Serigraph show, Olivia Laita Gallery, Auckland32
  • 2011: Primary Flight, Art Basel, Miami, United States of America32

Publications

  • Work, Benjamin; Kitto, Brendan; Turei, Pita; Johansson, Paul; Wolfgramm, Stan (2022). Motutapu. Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand: Rim Books. ISBN 978-1-9911652-0-6.
  • Work, Benjamin (2017). Whenua Fonua 'Enua. ISBN 978-0-473-41566-2.
References

References

  1. "BENJAMIN WORK". TAUTAI – GUIDING PACIFIC ARTS. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  2. Woods, Dr Reuben (2021-06-09). "Benjamin Work Talks About His Giant Mural, Motutapu II". Canterbury Museum. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  3. "Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery | Benjamin Work And Brendan Kitto: Motutapu". Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  4. "Benjamin Work". Tautai Pacific Arts Trust. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  5. "Artwork Production: Benjamin Work". Auckland Museum. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  6. Gates, Charlie (2021-04-14). "Artist creates huge mural in Canterbury Museum inspired by Tongan art". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  7. "Benjamin Work, the inaugural Fatu Feu'u Pacific Arts Prize recipient". Artnow. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  8. "Benjamin Work | Matafatafa Aho".
  9. "Benjamin Work | McCahon House". mccahonhouse.org.nz. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  10. "Artist-in-Residence: Benjamin Work". Para Site. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  11. "Artwork". Auckland Museum. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  12. "Artwork: Motutapu II, Bejamin Work". Canterbury Museum Collection Online. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  13. "Benjamin WORK". The Arts House Trust Collection Online. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  14. https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/participants/benjamin-work/
  15. https://gowlangsfordgallery.co.nz/events/81-artist-studios-elam-te-waka-tuhura-school-of-fine-arts/
  16. "Bodies of Water, Made of Land". Artnow. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  17. "Artist Talk: Harrison Freeth and Benjamin Work | Humanitix". events.humanitix.com. 2023-04-02. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  18. "BENJAMIN WORK AND BRENDAN KITTO: MOTUTAPU". Te Uru. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  19. "To'a Motu". Artnow. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  20. "TeTuhi". tetuhi.art. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  21. digital, mata (2018-11-05). "BENJAMIN WORK: WHENUA FONUA 'ENUA". Uxbridge. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  22. "Return to Havaiki | UFO Islands | Benjamin Work & Andy Leleisi'uao". Tautai Pacific Arts Trust. 2017-09-18. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  23. Latif, Justin (2016-09-01). "Benjamin to bring Tongan war clubs to Big Apple". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  24. "For King And Country – Ma'ae Tu'i mo e Fonua". Tautai Pacific Arts Trust. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  25. Laita, Olivia. "TOUTOUTĀ – A Solo Exhibition by Benjamin Work". Olivialaita. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  26. "I SEE RED, I SEE RED". Depot Press. 2014-03-13. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  27. "Horizon". artguide.artforum.com. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  28. "Tukufakaholo – Tongan Contemporary". Artnow. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  29. Vano, Kendall (2022-07-13). "Bergman Gallery Exhibition: Te Atuitanga – Between our Cloak of Stars". TP+. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  30. "The Most Dedicated: An Aotearoa Graffiti Story". Artnow. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  31. "Post-Graffiti Pacific". The Arts House Trust. 2016-12-13. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
  32. "Benjamin Work". PIMPI KNOWS. 2016-11-13. Retrieved 2023-11-28.