“Every joke is a tiny revolution” George Orwell.

Grave earnestness casts a long shadow in our nation’s art history, but some of our most daring artists possess a humour all their own. The comic takes centre stage in this exhibition, a showcase for the showstopping ability of comedy in portraiture to upset the established order and change the way we think and live together. Reaching across a half-century of portraiture in Aotearoa, this exhibition offers a potted history of how painters, photographers and video artists have snuck punchlines into the white cubes of the gallery, and to what end.

Curated by Matthew Whiteman, Liz Stringer Curatorial Intern 2025

Proudly sponsored by
Liz Stringer, Wellington City Council, Freemasons Foundation, The Oroya and Melvin Day Trust,
Aileen Drewitt Charitable Trust, Perpetual Guardian

Access information: The New Zealand Portrait Gallery is an accessible venue, all on one level. There is an accessible wharepaku (toilet) at the back of the venue. The gallery has automatic sliding doors and glass doors that can be pushed or pulled to enter. We have a wheelchair available for use within the gallery, and there is low stool seating throughout. You can find more accessibility information here. If you have any questions regarding accessibility or if there is something we could do to make your visit easier, please get in touch. The current exhibition in our main Gallery includes looping audio, areas of low lighting and CRT Screens.