Ursula Christel

 

Artist | Tutor | Inclusion advocate

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Ursula Christel (BA Majors in Fine Art & Art History, DipEd) is a multidisciplinary artist - art maker, art writer, teacher, curator, and social practice artist. Born in South Africa of Irish/German descent, she immigrated to Auckland, New Zealand in 1996. As a member of the University of Kwazulu-Natal Alumni, Ursula is well travelled, and maintains a wide network of academics and artists around the world.  

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Ursula is particularly drawn to collaborative projects with fellow creatives and diverse communities. Projects often combine art making, environmentalism, social & political activism, theatre, community organising and cross-cultural networking. This participatory art tends to flourish outside the gallery system. 

 

In 2016, she represented Yllwbro - an anonymous sibling duo - for the New Perspectives show at Artspace in Auckland​ and is now honoured to be included in the Mokopōpaki whānau. Mokopōpaki is a unique art-promoting entity based in Auckland City.

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Ursula has three sons, one of whom lives with a rare disorder called Angelman syndrome. Being personally involved in the disability sector in New Zealand for over 27 years has made her acutely aware of disability as a social construct that (even in the 21st century) causes a large percentage of the population to remain alienated, every single day of their lives. Ursula is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in the broadest sense - from human rights to environmental conservation, and the holistic practice of permaculture. 

 

Oct 2021, P2P Podcast:  Family, Whanau and Disability - The Importance of Beginning Early

Nov 2023, Radio NZ interview: Ursula Christel on Angelman Syndrome

March 2024, Newsroom, RDNZ: Rare disorders aren’t unusual enough to ignore