Pop-up art exhibition: Colombia Expedition - Shapes and colours of biodiversity

Check out the newest art exhibition which is now live in Te Papakura, Colombia Expedition - Shapes and colours of biodiversity. This exhibition will only be in the gallery for two weeks as a pop-up, so make sure you don't miss it!

This exhibition focuses on six main ecosystems of Colombia. Each of the ecosystems are illustrated by three stunning photographs taken by scientist and photographer Felipe Villegas Vélez.

Why is Colombia a megadiverse country?

Colombia, located on the north of South America, contains roughly 10% of the planet’s biodiversity within a territory that represents only 0.8% of the Earth’s land surface. The country ranks first in the number of bird and orchid species, and second in butterflies, amphibians and plants.

 But beyond rankings and lists, what makes Colombia unique is how its forms of life arose, how they are woven into the landscapes, and how they relate to the people and cultures that inhabit them. Its geography and location create particular environmental conditions that give rise to many different assemblages of species — in fact, more than 90 distinct ecosystems — all of them also inhabited by, and interdependent with, about 50 million Colombians.

This exhibition takes you through six ecosystems found in Colombia, chosen to represent part of the country’s natural richness. Each photograph in this visual journey is a window onto a specific place and a specific moment — an instant captured during the work of researchers and communities who together observe, record and protect what often remains invisible. This show not only celebrates beauty; it also aims to awaken wonder and create a connection with the nature that surrounds the country and that we still have to discover.

The Embassy of Colombia in New Zealand and the Humboldt Institute Colombia invite you to join us on this expedition: pause in front of each image as if it were a stop on the trail and discover, step by step, how this country’s biodiversity — as vast and surprising as that of any continent — is also intertwined with the people who live in its landscapes.

Planning your trip

Dates: Open from 27 November until Sunday 7 December

Entry to Te Papakura is via Parliament’s Visitor Centre, ground floor of the Beehive.

Please contact the Visitor Centre ahead of your visit to ensure it is open on the day of your intended visit. Email: tour.desk@parliament.govt.nz or Phone: 04 817 9503 for more information.