Connect[ed]

connect[ed] is a celebration of connection—between ideas, people, and art. This exhibition emerged from a unique collaboration between Te Kura Whaiora ki te Tonga/Southern Health School and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery (DPAG). Nine participants, each bringing their own perspective, selected artworks from the gallery’s collection. While many chose to write labels to share their reflections and stories, others engaged in ways that felt right for them—each contribution adding to the richness of the exhibition.

One of the artworks chosen for the exhibition, The Thoughts of Youth are Long, Long Thoughts by Samuel Fisher, captures the essence of youthful reflection—a perfect fit for this project. While only one participant selected this particular work, the idea behind it resonates deeply with all of them. It speaks to the way young people think and feel: deeply, with intention, and often beyond the surface. In their own curatorial journey, each participant brought thoughtful reflections to the artworks, exploring how art can connect us to each other, to history, and to ourselves.

The act of choosing, writing, and sharing was an opportunity for the participants to build trust, use their voices, and make connections—whether through their relationships with the art, with each other, or with the audience.

connect[ed] is more than just an exhibition—it is an invitation to witness the power of collective creativity, to see through the eyes of those who have engaged deeply with these works, and to celebrate the connections that art can foster between people, ideas, and the world around us.

Te Kura Whaiora ki te Tonga/Southern Health School is a state school for ākonga (students) from Years 1 to 13 who are too ill to attend full-time education at their regular school. The kura (school) teaches ākonga anywhere in Te Waipounamu (the South Island).

Kaiako/Teachers at Te Kura Whaiora ki te Tonga/Southern Health School work with ākonga, their families, and their schools to provide an adapted programme that supports ākonga learning during their illness and recovery. The kura also helps them return to full-time education at their regular school when they are able.

To learn more about the Southern Health School and its work, we invite you to visit their website: https://www.southernhealth.school.nz