Nat Tozer explores narratives of the underground to unearth objects and knowledge. She attempts to dig, cast, frottage, film, imagine and animate the ground – splicing an expanded geological inquiry with science fiction and mythology. Working across moving image, materiality and social sculpture, she is interested in folk tales, the revision of mythologies into a local ecologies, tunnelling, anarchist anthropology and network theories.
Recent shows include ABSTRAXT ABSTRAXT at Northart (2024), The Metamodern in Literature, Art, Education, and Indigenous Cosmologies: An Interdisciplinary Symposium at AUT (2023), Deucalion & Pyrrha, Sluice Biennial, PADA Residency, Lisbon Art Weekend (2022), Māter Mater at Silo 6 (2022), Companion Pieces at Public Record (2021), National Contemporary Art Award finalists exhibitions at Waikato Museum (2022, 2021), The Table (2023), He Iti (2022) and Piki Mai: Up Here (2021) for mothermother at the Aotearoa Art Fair, Femisphere 4 (online), and Salted Earth at Sosage Gallery (2020).
Tozer holds an MFA with first-class honours (2022) and a PGDipFA with Distinction (2020) from the University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau. During her time at Elam she received The Lightship Award which funded the presentation of an open-air 110m video work at The Ports of Auckland, was selected for a summer scholarship, an academic scholarship, the Emerging Artists Show at Sanderson Gallery and represented Elam School of Fine Arts at the Guangzhou Graduate Art Fair.
Tozer is a director at LOT23 Media which specialises in delivering high-production moving image for visual artists. LOT23 is responsible for providing the filming, editing, compositing, VFX and technical direction for some of Aotearoa’s most successful moving image artists. They’ve also been involved in numerous mentoring programs and provide technical support and advice for emerging digital artists.
She is the founder and curator of mothermother ARI which continues to support curatorial activism for underrepresented artists since 2019.
PROJECTS & DEVELOPMENT
current since 2019 Founder and Organiser, mothermother artist-run project
current since 2013 Producer and Director, LOT23 Media
2022 MFA with first class honors (scholarship) Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland
2022, 2021 National Contemporary Art Award Finalist, Waikato Museum
2022, 2017, 2014, 2011, 2009 Walker and Hall Finalist – Waiheke Gallery, Auckland
2021 The Lightship Award, UoA & Crave Global Media
2021 Women’s Moving Image Archive, RM
2019 Summer Scholarship, Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland
2020 PGDipFA with distinction, Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland
2000 BFA Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland
SOLO & DUO
2022 Deucalion & Pyrhha, Sluice Bienale, PADA Residency, Lisbon Art Weekend
2021 Companion Pieces, Public Record, Auckland
2021 ONEPANEA, Lightship, Ports of Auckland
2020 Salted Earth (duo show with George Turner) Sosage, Auckland
2019 Goofer Dust (duo show with Inga Fillary), Elam Project Space, Auckland
2018 Future Fossils, Grey Gallery, Auckland
2015 If this then that (duo show with James Pinker), LOT23, Auckland
2014 subject to change (duo show with Philippa Blair), LOT23, Auckland
2014 Project Installation, Corner Window curated by Rob Garrett, Auckland
2013 Punch+Black, Waiheke Gallery, Auckland
2010 Biomorphs, Satellite Gallery, Auckland
GROUP SHOWS
2024 ABSTRAXT ABSTRAXT, Northart, Northcote
2024 GREEN, mothermother, Auckland
2023 Sub-Urban, Northart, Northcote
2023 The Table, mothermother booth, Aotearoa Art Fair
2023 The Metamodern in Literature, Art, Education + Indigenous Cosmologies: An Interdisciplinary Symposium
2022 Māter Mater, Silo6 Wynyard Quarter, Auckland 2022 Sluice Screens, IMT Gallery, London
2021, 2022 National Contemporary Art Award Finalists exhibition, Waikato Museum
2022 He Iti, Booth D6 for mothermother Aotearoa Art Fair
2022, 2017, 2014, 2011, 2009 Walker and Hall Finalists exhibitions, Waiheke Gallery, Auckland
2021 Femisphere 4, online
2021 Piki Mai: Up Here, Booth D5 for mothermother Aotearoa Art Fair
2020 Emerging Artists show, Sanderson Gallery, Auckland
2020 Guangzhou Graduate Art Fair
2018 Art Fair VIP event, Elam B, Auckland University
2015 Bene Commune, LOT23, curated by Stephen Bambury
2013 Headland Sculpture on the Gulf (Invited Artist, Pavilion), Waiheke Island, Auckland
2012 Mysterious Room 208, Art in the Dark (Cinema Entry), Western Park, Auckland