The 80s Show, with paintings from the Fletcher Trust Collection, has been curated by Tauranga Art Gallery to give those born after 1990 an opportunity to contextualise the period, while reacquainting earlier generations with a time that has become synonymous with pop culture classics and tumultuous events.

“The 1980s represented a global boom in conspicuous consumption. It was a decade known for neon Lycra, leg warmers, pop art and the Rubik’s cube and during this time, New Zealand made international headlines for its anti-nuclear stance and protests against apartheid.” says Tauranga Art Gallery director Karl Chitham.

“What’s fascinating is that things that might have appeared shocking in the 80s are now accepted as essential parts of our visual culture, and very much enjoyed wherever they are hung.” says Fletcher Trust Collection curator Peter Shaw.

The Fletcher Trust Collection, which had its beginnings as long ago as 1962, has collected contemporary New Zealand art since 1967.

The 80s Show features paintings by significant New Zealand artists such as Philip Clairmont, Julian Dashper, Dick Frizzell, Max Gimblett, Jeffrey Harris, and Gordon Walters.