Vernacular is an online journal for art criticism with a focus on emerging practice in Aotearoa. Vernacular commissions and hosts critical texts responding to exhibitions at artist-run initiatives (ARIs), community spaces and smaller galleries across Aotearoa with the idea that emerging artists and small galleries produce important work that doesn’t often get critical coverage.

See With training wheels on to read more about Vernacular.

Vernacular is generously supported by Creative New Zealand from June 2022 – June 2023. 

Vernacular will always be grateful for the support which came from our Boosted campaign in 2021. Thank you to each individual donor who made a contribution, you helped to kickstart Vernacular and make it possible to pay our writers and editors fairly during our first year of operations. 

We have editors across Aotearoa who help commission text and select pitches alongside sharing the task of editing and providing feedback to writers. 

Amy Weng is an art writer, editor and curator based in Ōtautahi Christchurch. She is the founder of Hainamana, a website dedicated to Asian New Zealand contemporary art and culture, and was the organiser of the inaugural Asian Aotearoa Artists Hui in 2017.

Felixe is the curatorial intern at Te Tuhi. She has written for all the usual suspects in Aotearoa including different project spaces across the motu. Felixe is armed with a bachelors in Fine Arts from Elam (2016) and a Masters of Museum and Heritage Practices from Victoria University of Wellington (2021). Felixe is currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau. 

Misong is a writer based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. She has written for CIRCUIT Artist Moving Image and Vernacular. For Vernacular, Misong recently wrote Papatūnga: Reflecting on the curatorial approach of James Tapsell-Kururangi.

Orissa has just realised she has no groovy website to link to. Orissa works with Amy at The Physics Room as the Writing and Publications Coordinator. She is also a gallery technician. Orissa is passionate about passion — whether in art or writing, “I want to make a critical and joyful fuss”. Orissa is currently based in Ōtautahi.