Beyond the Aperture - the art of paying attention
Sat, 26 Sept
|Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Building on his popular talk Widening the Aperture, Dr Chris McKeown returns to explore a new question at the intersection of art, wellbeing, science, and nature: What is an artist really hoping to transfer to the viewer of their work?
Time & Location
26 Sept 2026, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 55 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
About the event
Drawing on photography, neuroscience, and lived creative practice, this talk introduces a new project in formation exploring contemplative creative arts. These are moments where artists create not just objects, but invitations to notice, shaped by attention, care, and presence.
Through stories from photography, conversations with creatives, and portraiture and documentary work, Chris reflects on how art can become a meeting place between maker and viewer, and how creativity, when approached with stillness and intention, can support wellbeing and spiritual growth for both.
Weaving together insights from art, science, contemplative creativity, and nature, this talk considers how slowing down, noticing, and creating space may allow something meaningful to be transferred, not just seen.