Sex Workers of Aotearoa

It was with great pleasure wandering around the exhibition.  It is an eye, and mind, opener.  Great work in terms of display, writing and poem that challenges our mind and thoughts. The world would be a better place is we allow ourselves to learn from each other and what we do.

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Great exhibition – voice recordings particularly good to listen to especially considering consent /content/

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Amazing to hear and see the contrast and varying takes on the industry.  Excellent to see how positivity outshines negativity.

I liked that walking in felt warm and comfortable – vibe-wise.  I liked the variety of mediums and messages.  Very much appreciate the artist explanations accompanying the works.  I really hope some viewers will walk away from this exhibition with more open minds than before.

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Very cool.  Only in Welly for a few days on holiday and this was a highlight.

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To me sex workers are important in the society.  There are people who need the service, hence their (SW) existence is very important.  They can reduce the crime rate so those who need the service can buy the service without hurting innocent people.   It’s a job people choose to do, nothing good or bad.  I just can’t imagine a world without sex workers.  How many more women would have been hurt?  Respect their choice!

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Great – Repeat, hopefully bigger.

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Exposure to a part of society that you hear a bit about, yet I know very little about due to lack of exposure.  Nice to get to hear directly from the protagonists!  Thank you.

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This is a great piece and I think really challenges stigma that exists around sex work.  Displaying and normalising the lifestyle and career of sex work is really valuable.  Thank you.

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Really loved the true representation of our modern society.  Focusing on the now.  The personal. The unspoken lifestyle that many of us are involved /in/.  We need this representation.

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I very much enjoyed the exhibition and commend the museum for hosting such an oft-misunderstood aspect of society.  Decriminalising sex work was a great thing and enables and empowers those who choose to work in the sex industry, allowing (them) to be heard as individuals.  The exhibition was a great example of that.  Thank you!

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I love, love, love the SWOA exhibit.  It was empowering and also extremely revealing.  The pieces were honest and raw.   I used to be a SW when I had to pay my way through university.  Now, in my professional job, I often think back to my time in the oldest profession that kept me from being homeless.  There is so much more to be said around the stigma with SW.  All I can say is it kept a roof over my head and allowed me to graduate.  Thanks for this exhibit.

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In the face of so much stigmatisation and isolation it can be easy to forget to be proud of myself as a sex worker.  This exhibition made me feel so proud.

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Such a special exhibition.  Breaking taboos in such a central museum is so impressive.  Giving these people a platform and the general public access and insight.  Exactly what you should be doing – sparking conversation.  Progressive and interesting and some really great work!

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Wonderful especially Nova.  Thanks for showing this important work in all its forms.

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It has taken a very long time for the Victorian influences and ‘righteousness’ of the church to be overthrown.  This exhibition is real, it gives a voice to those in society who are largely unheard and gives over to expression, creativity and a very ‘human’ side to the industry.  The only change that the average New Zealander sees with our law changes is that sex workers are no longer ‘criminals’.

Really enjoyed this exhibition.  Unique.  Intense and incisive messages.  Stories that need to be told.

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Very interesting and enlightening exhibit.  Liked the different forms/media on show and which helped make the visitor walk around/interact with the works/space.  Some works very intimate and personal.  Love the concept and very good message for people to see/hear viewpoints of sex workers themselves.

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Very brave.  Expected more on advocacy for sex workers’ rights – take it a step further.  Also some historical and global aspects could expand this a great deal.

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I love how the exhibition is just so pure, raw and uncensored.   It really helps to understand the world of sex workers and there would be so much more to show.   What is fascinating for me is that it is so open and everybody can visit it.  That’s one big step into the right way.  Very good work!

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A fairly frank and honest look into the lives of women who work by choice in sex work.  I found it interesting in a non-prurient way.  Open and honestly curated exhibit – and a bit of an interesting surprise in Wellington Museum.  Good on you all.

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I wish to commend all those involved in the process of allowing the sex workers of Aotearoa Art exhibition to take place in this space.  Opening up the space for conversation to start normalising the sex industry.  An industry that, in my opinion, is vital to a healthy society.   Many thanks for taking what may have been a bold step for some.

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What an empowering exhibition.  Art without boundaries of social recognition.  Wonderful to exhibit such beautiful works.

Interesting, something I hadn’t thought about much.  Cheers for the insight.

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Some really cool and creative pieces that provide an intimate insight into different perspectives of sex work.  (This visitor went on to list favourites but not noted here in general comment JGM)

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It is really great to see stigmatised minorities given space and voice in mainstream spaces.  This is the one that brought me to the gallery (at WM) for the first time.  Tautaka!  Well laid out, easy to browse and see everything, great range and diversity of art, a chill and pleasant space.

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Lovely exhibition that actually gives us a point of view of the sex workers.  We tend to forget to ask their opinion when they are the ones actually concerned.  It feels great to give them back what they are owed.  It was beautiful, thank you.