Alumni Spotlight: Izzy Hillman

This article is part of a series focusing on Alumni from Art History, Art Curating, or Museum & Heritage Studies. Izzy Hillman is the Kairauhī Whakaaturanga / Exhibitions Curator at the Aigantighe Art Gallery, South Canterbury’s regional art museum. In this article, she reflects on her studies and burgeoning arts career.

One thing that has stayed with me professionally from my degree is the understanding that the historical, social, and personal contexts behind artworks or objects profoundly shape interpretation and presentation.

Izzy Hillman at work

I graduated from the University of Sydney in 2023 with a Master's in Art Curating, a natural progression from my undergraduate degrees in Classical Studies, Ancient History, and Art History (BA, University of Auckland and University of St Andrews), and Art History (BA Honours 1st Class, University of Canterbury). My honours thesis, "Renegotiating British Imperialism in Public Space: How British Artists are using public installation art to critique the institution", examined how art interventions in public spaces challenge traditional narratives of colonialism. These academic foundations continue to inform my curatorial approach today.

Building on this background, I am currently the Kairauhī Whakaaturanga / Exhibitions Curator at the Aigantighe Art Gallery, South Canterbury’s regional art museum. In this role, I am leading two major retrospectives opening in March and April: New Vision Gallery” and “Rosemary Campbell: Undulations of Memory”. I am also developing a major exhibition of Māori artists with Paemanu (the Kāi Tahu visual arts trust), which opens in October.

Over the last year, I researched, wrote, and served as lead editor of the hardback publication “Rosemary Campbell: Undulations of Memory” (April 2026 release), the first major monograph I’ve worked on with leading art historians from around Aotearoa. I’m now beginning work on the next monograph, which will focus on New Zealand screenprinter Malcolm Warr (2028 release). Alongside these projects, I continue to develop exhibitions, educational programs, and public initiatives that explore the intersections of art, regionalism, and cultural engagement.

 Aigantighe Art Gallery, South Canterbury, NZ.

Before stepping into my current role, I developed my curatorial practice through several formative experiences during my studies at USYD. I completed two internships that shaped my approach. As Curatorial Intern at Wagner Contemporary, I helped curate their contribution to Sydney Contemporary (2023) and worked with internationally recognised abstract painter Llewelyn Skye. At the Chau Chak Wing Museum, I took on a Public Programs Internship, working under Dr Craig Barker and Katrina Liberiou on curriculum‑linked educational packets, materials for Arterie (an educational arts program at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital), and co‑developing public programs for Consuelo Cavaniglia: Seeing Through You (2025). I also collaborated with other students to compile a catalogue raisonné of New Zealand-born Australian artist Rosalie Gascoigne for a paper at the MCA. These experiences allowed me to explore different facets of curatorial practice, including audience engagement, archival research, and exhibition writing.

One thing that has stayed with me professionally from my degree is the understanding that the historical, social, and personal contexts behind artworks or objects profoundly shape interpretation and presentation. This has informed all my projects, including “Domestic Reveries”, a major exhibition exploring domestic spaces, memory, and contemporary art. Curated to mark the reopening of the heritage building at the Aigantighe, it involved working with New Zealand artist Jacqueline Fahey and our significant collection, employing a porous, spatial, and intersectional curatorial approach to explore the layered social histories of the gallery, from its origins as a settler house to its current role as a regional gallery. Sometimes your site is also an extension of the exhibition, a work of art in itself.

Izzy Hillman in the collection stores.

Most recently, I was honoured with a “Highly Commended mention in the AAANZ Awards” for Best Small Exhibition Catalogue for Fiona Pardington: Te taha o te Rangi (2024), which I had the privilege to edit.

Contributors included Dr Andrew Paul Wood, South Canterbury Museum Director Philip Howe, and myself, published by our gallery’s imprint. The judges described it as “a delightfully enjoyable encounter with Fiona Pardington’s photography,” noting its lateral, poetic and highly voiced writing, engaging across cultures and references from First Nations stories to Marcel Proust. This recognition was especially meaningful as it was my first exhibition and catalogue developed in the role (June 2024). Following this exhibition, the artist Fiona Pardington was selected to represent Aotearoa at the Venice Biennale (2026).

As I reflect on my pathway into the sector, one piece of advice I would offer current students is to be curious, persistent, and open to unexpected opportunities.

My first sector role was as a Front Desk volunteer, which led to work as an exhibition assistant and even a chance to assist with the heritage Opera House ceiling restoration alongside conservator Carolina Izzo. I support student interns in my current role, and the most memorable are those who ask unconventional questions, step outside their comfort zones, and actively pursue knowledge.

Museum and art careers often follow unconventional paths, so cultivating a broad skill set—research, writing, public engagement—while following your passions will open doors you might not anticipate.

Izzy Hillman is the Kairauhī Whakaaturanga / Exhibitions Curator at the Aigantighe Art Gallery, South Canterbury’s regional art museum in New Zealand.