Abstract

"The impetus for this PhD research arose following my father’s death. He was the artist Paul Cullen, and he died on 13 March 2017. My brother Ry and I inherited his life’s work and archive, which comprises an extensive collection of artworks, drawings, workbooks, documentation, and materials he had amassed over his forty-year-long career. In this practice-based research, I approach the archive as a dynamic and fragmented entity, constantly shifting and characterised by an interplay of loss and abundance, and inherently subject to interpretation and bias. In examining the archive’s complexities, I explore the paradoxes and challenges of archiving the artist’s temporary, event-based, and site-specific installations. My approach reflects current shifts in conservation discourse, transitioning from an object-centred perspective to a relational one, acknowledging the agency of the artwork and its surrounding context. I consider the influences of societal shifts, evolving technology, and changing methods for documenting and writing history, incorporating queer, feminist, and decolonial perspectives. My research culminates in various outputs, including publications, exhibitions, performances, written work, and a digital archive of Paul’s work. I also realise his 2011 conceptual proposition to install a selection of sculptures in the Musick Memorial Radio Station on Te Naupata Reserve / Musick Point in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland, delving into the factors that influence site-related installations and their presentation over time. My methodology synthesises design, editing, cataloguing, documentation, and publishing, and integrates an approach to writing that oscillates between academic analysis and personal reflection." – Layla Tweedie-Cullen

This PhD thesis will be available for access in early 2025.