Myth, magic, and makeup _{by Finlay Langelaan}

Megan Dunn, writer in residence at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington’s International Institute of Modern Letters, has made quite a splash at Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery with her collection of works entitled The Mermaid Chronicles. Featuring a selection of artworks, photographs, videos, stories, and artifacts curated by Dunn, this exhibit explores everything to do with mermaids.

“It’s personal, joyful, and mermazing—if only I'd known I could be a real-life mermaid when I grew up!” Dunn says. “So many of us lose a sense of playfulness in our adult working lives. I want The Mermaid Chronicles to fill your cup with salty sirens, bottomless puns, and endless possibilities.”

Dunn has been interviewing mermaids for years and says she has learned about everything from climate change to the personalities of fish. “Telling their stories has made my family life more fin-tastic too! The show is for everyone who has heard the mermaids calling, and everyone else besides.”

Highlights of the exhibit include a vintage mermaid tail from the early 1900s that belonged to the Australian swimmer and silent film star Annette Kellerman, Dunn’s own neoprene mermaid tail The Madison, and video installations of underwater burlesque performer MeduSiren.

If you fell in love with mermaids at a young age, if you’re intrigued by the mythology of these wondrous creatures, or if you just like cool stuff, check out The Mermaid Chronicles, on display until the 18^th of December.