Blue Oyster & Caselberg Summer Residency Announcement

Caselberg Trust is pleased to announce the Summer resident, in collaboration with Blue Oyster Art Project Space. 

Piupiu Maya Turei, director of Blue Oyster, shares: "We are thrilled to announce that Daphne Simons has been selected as our Caselberg Summer Resident. Daphne will be carrying out the residency in January 2026, and will work with us to present an exhibition in October 2026.

From Daphne: “I’m absolutely fizzing. To be able to spend three weeks in a studio to focus on my work will be an absolute dream. I cannot wait to pull on the various loose (cannon) threads that I have been scheming away on lately. I'm also really excited to explore the surroundings of Broad Bay, Ōtepoti and to get to know folks in the arts community around there!”

They plan to use the residency to develop a new video work. Daphne hopes to connect with people through an open studio event while they are here.

Daphne Simons (NL) is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa. Their work traverses sculpture, video, drawing and self publishing. Unapologetically ridiculous and camp, their work draws from a referential whirlpool of gender performance, media and technology as they love to exaggerate these references to push the limits of queer (dis)identification.

Daphne has a Master of Fine Arts from the Piet Zwart Institute (NL), and has exhibited in Aotearoa and abroad; take a look at Daphne’s website to see past projects. Some recent projects include; SMASH (2024) at MEANWHILE Gallery (NZ); First Impressions (2023) at Gastatelier Leo XIII (NL); Tamara and the Swan (2023) at San Mei Gallery (UK); Peach Teats at the Dude Ranch (2023) at Te Tuhi (NZ); I Found it on the Internet (2022) at The Performance Arcade (NZ); and POISON PAWN (2021) at RM (NZ). Alongside their solo practice, their long-term collaborations are with Josie Perry (Plasma Spring), and with Li-Ming Hu (RIFF RAFF).

Thanks to our funders for helping us help artists do cool things! This residency is only possible with the support of Caselberg Trust, who are providing the Caselberg studio and house, and to Otago Community Trust, Dunedin City Council, and Creative New Zealand for their funding which enables the residency to happen."

We look forward to welcoming Daphne to the house and studio!