TOM KREISLER
1938-2002, ArgentinaTom Kreisler is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most significant yet under-recognised artists, widely celebrated for his visually witty, subversive, and original contemporary art. Kreisler’s life and art reflect his experience as a perpetual outsider—from his traumatic beginnings as the child of Jewish refugees in Argentina, through his migration to New Zealand, to his enduring influence as a teacher, painter, and poetic observer of the everyday. His paintings are known for their sophisticated wit, economy of means, and their ability to both provoke and delight.
Early Years
Born in Buenos Aires to Austrian Jewish refugees, Tom Kreisler’s early life was marked by displacement and loss. After his father’s death, he was sent at age 13 to Christchurch, New Zealand, where he was adopted by his aunt and uncle. Kreisler attended the University of Canterbury’s Ilam School of Fine Arts, studying under noted teachers including Bill Sutton and Rudi Gopas, as well as alongside contemporaries Dick Frizzell and John Coley. In the late 1960s, he moved to New Plymouth with his wife Lesley, raising three sons and teaching art at New Plymouth Boys’ High School and later at local Polytechnics. Kreisler spent two formative years in Mexico in the late 1970s, where he was deeply influenced by Latin American culture and folk art, particularly the Day of the Dead traditions and ceramics.
Tom Kreisler Artworks
Tom Kreisler’s art practice fused painting works on paper, and assemblage. He is renowned for a ‘deadpan’ visual humour, enigmatic imagery, and a unique ability to transform everyday objects and clichés into poetic visual puzzles. Kreisler’s playful, sophisticated approach to contemporary art shapes some of the most original artworks in late 20th-century New Zealand.
Dancing Dogs (1984)
Inspired by Mexican funeral ceramics, Dancing Dogs reflects Kreisler’s fascination with the Day of the Dead and traditional artefacts, blending cultural motifs with his signature wit and pathos.
Comma Dot Dogma (2004, posthumous monograph)
Published after his death, this monograph—and the retrospective touring exhibitions accompanying it—reveal the breadth of Kreisler’s interest in language, representation, and the overlooked ‘stuff’ of daily life.
Works of the Late 1990s–2002
Kreisler’s later paintings, works on cardboard, and drawings (exhibited in Misrepresentations at Sumer Gallery in 2024) highlight his mastery of visual puns, allusions to art history, and a sardonic approach to the serious and the absurd.
Select Awards and Accolades
- Faculty member and initiator of the Taranaki Polytechnic Artist in Residence programme (with Priscilla Pitts)
- Foundational supporter and advocate for the establishment of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand.
- Inaugural Trustbank Canterbury Artist in Residence, Christchurch (1989).
- Posthumous recognition through the documentary Tom Who? The Enigma of Tom Kreisler (2015).
- Comma Dot Dogma monograph was a finalist in the 2008 Montana New Zealand Book Awards.
Exhibitions
Tom Kreisler has been the subject of numerous solo and group exhibitions at major public art institutions across New Zealand.
Solo Exhibitions
- Tom Kreisler: Misrepresentations, Sumer, Auckland (2024)
- Tom Kreisler, touring retrospective: Govett-Brewster Art Gallery (New Plymouth), Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery (Wellington), Artspace Aotearoa (Auckland), Dunedin Public Art Gallery (2007–2010)
- Tom Kreisler: Themes and Recent Variations, Christchurch Art Gallery.
Group Exhibitions
- Featured at Barry Lett Gallery, Auckland (1960s–1970s)
- Included in public collections: Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Chartwell Collection/Auckland Art Gallery, Christchurch Art Gallery, Sarjeant Gallery, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Waikato Museum
Website and Instagram
Tom Kreisler’s artist overview and selected works can be found here. Additional background and selected works are also available at his Ocula artist profile.
More Reading and Viewing
Kreisler’s influential practice is discussed in numerous essays and exhibition catalogues, including the award-nominated monograph comma dot dogma. The documentary Tom Who? The Enigma of Tom Kreisler, directed by Shirley Horrocks, is the definitive film exploration of his life and impact on New Zealand art.
Tom Kreisler FAQs
Where can I see Tom Kreisler’s artworks in person?
Tom Kreisler’s paintings and works on paper are held in major public collections throughout New Zealand, including the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery (New Plymouth), the Chartwell Collection at Auckland Art Gallery, and Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. His work is also occasionally exhibited at Sumer Gallery and has toured institutions such as Dunedin Public Art Gallery and Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery.
What is Tom Kreisler’s main contribution to contemporary art?
Tom Kreisler is celebrated for his visually witty, enigmatic contemporary art, his pioneering use of humour and language, and his refusal to conform to mainstream expectations. He significantly influenced generations of New Zealand artists and helped establish vital art institutions and residency programmes.
How did Tom Kreisler’s background influence his art?
Kreisler’s upbringing as an immigrant informed his lifelong fascination with themes of displacement, cultural hybridity, and the oddities of daily life. His time spent in Mexico enriched his visual language, infusing his artworks with global art references and folk traditions.
Which Tom Kreisler artworks are most significant?
Major works include Dancing Dogs (1984), his late 1990s–2002 paintings, and series featured in comma dot dogma and Tom Kreisler (2007–2010) exhibitions. Kreisler’s unique approach often transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Are there any interesting facts about Tom Kreisler?
Tom Kreisler is the subject of the documentary Tom Who? The Enigma of Tom Kreisler, and his influence is known in part through his connections with well-known artists like Dick Frizzell, and his involvement in shaping New Plymouth’s vibrant art scene. His three sons have all pursued careers in the arts.
How do you pronounce Tom Kreisler’s name?
Tom Kreisler is pronounced ‘TOM CRY-sler’.
Ocula | 2025
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