Vernacular is an online journal for art criticism with a focus on artist-run and independent projects in Aotearoa. Vernacular commissions and hosts critical responses and discussion papers in order to highlight spaces, projects and artists you might not otherwise have known about. 

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See With training wheels on to read more about Vernacular.

Vernacular is generously supported by Creative New Zealand from July 2022 – August 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 texts and select pitches, as well as share the task of editing and providing feedback to writers. 

Orissa has just realised she has no groovy website to link to. She works at The Physics Room as the Writing and Publications Coordinator. She is also a gallery technician. Orissa wants to focus her time more on inconsequential making. Orissa is based in Ōtautahi. 

Nina Dyer is a curator and art writer based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She is currently Exhibition Curator and Manager at Depot Artspace and a collective member of artist-run space RM Gallery. Independent of these roles, Dyer has curated for Ilam Campus Gallery and MEANWHILE, with writing published by The Art Paper, Aotearoa Digital Arts Network and local galleries.

Piupiu Maya-Turei     (Ōtepoti)
Andrea Bell                  (Ōtepoti)