Ōtautahi based artist Polly Gilroy graduated with a BFA (first class honours) from Toi Rauwharangi, Massey University College of Creative Arts, Wellington in 2017. Since, Gilroy has consistently exhibited across Aotearoa, New Zealand and Australia. Most notably, her recent solo exhibitions: To a Shadows Edge, at McLeavey, Wellington, November 2025
Between the Lines, at Hutch, Dunedin, August 2025 & In between Expanses, PG gallery192, Christchurch, July 2024
Polly is represented by OTOMYS (Melbourne, Aus) & PG Gallery192 (Christchurch, NZ).
She was a finalist in the Zonta Female Art Awards, Ashburton Art Gallery in 2020, 2021 & 2024


Polly’s deceptively minimal constructions encourage her audience to question the boundaries of traditional painting and the expected confines. She embraces the point of transition between sculpture and painting, binding the two through multi-faceted structures. She responds to the complexities of colour through nuanced hues which are enhanced by the translucence of her silks. No paint can be seen on the surface and by bringing the support frame into the formal composition she is encouraging viewers to look through and beyond.

EDUCATION

2017 - Bachelor of Fine Arts, First Class Honours, Toi Rauwharangi, Massey University, Wellington

CURRENT

UPCOMING

  • November 2025, Solo Exhibition, To a Shadow’s Edge, McLeavey, Wellington

  • 2026, PG gallery192

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

  • 2025 Materiality, with Emma Fitts and Leah Creaven, Twenty Six Gallery, Wellington

  • 2024 Solo exhibition, In between expanses, PG gallery192, Christchurch

  • 2024 Commissioned site specific series for commercial space, facilitated by OTOMYS

  • 2023 The Land of Wonder, Group show, OTOMYS, Melbourne, Australia

  • 2023 A colour has many faces, Group show, PG gallery192, Christchurch (curated)

  • 2022 Solo exhibition, Traces, PG gallery192, Christchurch

  • 2022 Summer Group show, PG gallery192, Christchurch

  • 2022 Playground in a lake, Group show, Foenander Galleries, Auckland

  • 2022 Tomorrows Harvest, Group show, Foenander Galleries, Auckland

  • 2021 Christmas Group show, PG gallery192, Christchurch

  • 2021 Cinder and Smoke, Group show, Foenander Galleries, Auckland

  • 2020 Solo Exhibition, In absence of, PG gallery192, Christchurch

  • 2019 Christmas Group show, PG gallery192, Christchurch

  • 2019 Solo Exhibition, Within and Without, PG gallery192, Christchurch

  • 2018 new works, PG gallery192 Pop up, Christchurch CBD

  • 2017 Exposure, Graduate Exhibition, Massey University, Wellington

  • 2017 Loose Leaf, Group show, Potocki Paterson Gallery, Wellington

  • 2016 Boundless Perceptions, Group show Massey University, Wellington


AWARDS

  • Finalist - ZAWAA’24, Zonta Women Art Awards, Ashburton Art Gallery

  • Finalist - ZAWAA’21, Zonta Women Art Awards, Ashburton Art Gallery

  • Finalist - ZAFAA’20, Zonta Women Art Awards, Ashburton Art Gallery

NEWS