A presentation/talk with Katy Cottrell, Matteo Collina and Alice Rogers
1 - 2pm
Saturday 30 August
Gallery
Alice Rogers, Matteo Collina and Katy Cottrell ( L- R)
Marine Reserves have obvious benefits to the environment, protecting species and providing underwater appeal to snorkelers and divers but a little realised benefit is what they can offer to artists of all mediums. Join artist Katy Cottrell as she chats with academic researcher Matteo Collina and director of the Victoria University Coastal Ecology Lab – Alice Rogers. Alice and Matteo will talk about their work with marine reserves from a scientific perspective and how this has inspired the artworks by Katy Cottrell and Rick Allender for their exhibition Taputeranga: Above and Below.
Presenter’s Biographies
Alice Rogers
Originally from the UK, Alice Rogers initially studied Zoology at the University of Sheffield, where she also learnt to scuba dive and discovered the wonder of the marine realm. After a few years exploring different research positions around the world, in 2012, Alice was awarded a PhD from Imperial College London. Her thesis focussed on the recovery dynamics of a sea urchin species in the Caribbean that had been wiped out by a mass mortality event. Between 2012 and 2017 she worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, where she focused on the impacts of coral reef degradation for coastal fisheries, and developed tools to support marine spatial planning in the Caribbean and South East Asia. Alice joined Victoria University of Wellington in January 2018. She is a Senior Lecturer in Fisheries Science and leads the Marine Ecology and Ecosystem Modelling group. Her passion is understanding and predicting the impacts of climate change and habitat degradation on coastal ecosystems, with a hope to protect the services that they provide to people into the future.
Matteo Collina
Matteo Collina is a designer and photographer with a BA in Graphic Design and an MA in Cultural Heritage Photography. He is also a technical and cave diver with years of experience in 3D documentation of underwater heritage sites across the Mediterranean. Now a PhD candidate, his research explores how Virtual Reality can raise awareness of underwater heritage by blending science, art, and museum practice. Focusing on Fiordland, he collaborates with Victoria University’s Coastal Ecology Lab to transform 3D data of black corals, sharks, and sponges into immersive experiences. His work investigates new storytelling approaches, and he is exploring the possibility of narration through the embodiment of the land concept.
Katy Cottrell
Katy Cottrell received a MFA with Design from Massey University in 2020. In 2015 she founded Economate, a social enterprise which facilitates the diversion of waste from construction to community and education projects. She currently teaches design technology at Chanel College and is a Teaching Fellow with Victoria University of Wellington where she is undertaking a PhD in Marquetry. She is an active member of the Marquetry Society.
Taputeranga: Above and Below
Saturday 16 Aug - 11 Sept
Taputeranga: Above and Below is an exhibition celebrating the vibrant life of the Taputeranga Marine Reserve on Wellington’s south coast on at Toi Pōneke Arts Centre from Saturday 16 August to Friday 12 September 2025. Artists Katy Cottrell and Rick Allender explore the connection between land and sea through intricate works crafted from natural wood veneers. Katy delves beneath the waves, illustrating native marine flora and fauna with a Victorian-era scientific flair. In contrast, Rick maps the reserve’s surface with bold, modernist marquetry inspired by its geography, human structures, and natural landmarks