Tim Li: Te Tini a Tangaroa

Our oceans are under siege! Immerse yourself in the detail, beauty and complexity of our marine species with graphite-on-paper drawings by Wellington artist Tim Li. Tim’s work is concerned with the guardianship and safekeeping of our water.

Tim grew up in his family-owned fish ‘n’ chip shop in Taupō, an experience he says “baited the hook for my enchantment with NZ’s aquatic fauna”. Tim says he spent hundreds of childhood Fridays and Saturdays gazing at the iconic NZ Commercial Fish Species poster! His works are offered “as an antidote to a growing brag-culture egged on by social media. Too often publicly shared images of fish are deconstructed into objects of status, or ego-baiting”.