BIO
Dr Gabby O’Connor is an artist, transdisciplinary researcher, Antarctican, science communicator and educator. Her work operates across multiple disciplines and audiences– between contemporary art, science communication, social science and community action, and looks at different entry points to conversations to science, place and our changing climate. She frequently collaborates with scientists, other artists, researchers, policy-makers, audiences and school students, thinking beyond normal definitions of stakeholder and public. This strategy acts as an access-point for diverse communities to be part of the conversation around science with artistic methods as the delivery system.
Current project is Rau Whārangi – Communities of leaves made by communities of people from Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
A collaborative art project led by Dr Gabby O’Connor.
He rau whārangi, nā ngā rau ringa o ngā hapori o Te Whanganui-a-Tara i tārai.
He Kaupapa mahi tahi toi, nā Tākuta Gabby O’Connor I kōkiri
Rau Whārangi (20026) is the third project supported by the Wellington City Council that explores the plantscapes of Te Whanganui-a-Tara before it became a city.
https://www.wcl.govt.nz/news/artist-interview-gabby-oconnor/
Assembly (2025)
ReGreen (2022)
https://wellington.govt.nz/arts-and-culture/arts/creative-hoardings/hoarding-library
O’Connor is currently a Research Fellow in the School of Environment, Faculty of Science at the University of Auckland with the Te Moana Mahana Project.
Te Moana Mahana Project: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/02/09/forecasting-the-future-of-new-zealands-oceans-and-weather.html
and a Teaching Fellow in the School of Science in Society, Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University, Wellington
Science in Society https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/scis/about/staff
Upcoming projects: Sculpture on the Gulf on Waiheke Island 2026 https://sotg.nz
https://sotg.nz/gallery/gabby-oconnor/
LINKS
websites/social media
http://gabbyoconnor.squarespace.com/
https://www.instagram.com/theunseen_by_gabbyo/
https://www.instagram.com/studioantarctica/
https://gabbyoconnor.wordpress.com
Published research can be found here
