The Water Project

Gregory O'Brien

With one foot in the literary world, the other in the visual art realm, Gregory has been a prolific and busy presence on the cultural scene for nearly three decades. As Lara Strongman says “Greg O’Brien is one of New Zealand’s most distinguished ‘cultural odd job men’. As a curator, poet, novelist, art writer, and visual artist he makes major contributions to our culture. 

As an artist, Gregory has held solo exhibitions and participated in group shows in Auckland, Wellington and elsewhere. Since 2008, he has made over 30 etchings with master printmaker Michael Kempson at Cicada Press, University of NSW, Sydney. He has also worked collaboratively with John Pule and Euan Macleod on ongoing series of etchings and paintings. Gregory has exhibited regularly at Bowen Galleries, Wellington, since 1990. In 2009, he exhibited ‘For Maxwell Fernie I & II’ at Peter McLeavey Gallery Wellington. He also held two solo shows at Jane Sanders Art Agent, Auckland.

Gregory received an Arts Foundation Laureate Award in 2012.  In the same year, Gregory was the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achivement for Non-fiction. At the end of 2013 Gregory was acknowledged in the New Year’s Honour’s list as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. He received an honorary doctorate of literature from Victoria University in 2017.

Source: Arts Foundation