New Zealand visual artist Meg Gallagher creates contemporary abstract works using reclaimed denim and vintage textiles. Her practice centres on transforming worn materials into tactile compositions that sit between abstraction and landscape, drawing on the histories embedded within fabric while reflecting an enduring relationship with the surrounding environment.

Originally trained in fashion design, Gallagher spent over a decade working within the international fashion industry with brands including Camilla and Marc, Insight and Ksubi, where she developed a specialised expertise in denim design. This material knowledge continues to inform her art practice, where vintage and production offcuts are repurposed and layered to form richly textured surfaces.

Born in the deep south of New Zealand, Gallagher grew up amongst the rugged landscapes of Otago and was immersed in the arts from an early age through her father’s involvement with the city’s art centre. She later completed a Bachelor of Design (First Class Honours) in Fashion Design and was named One to Watch by Vogue Italia, receiving a scholarship to study at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan.

Working from her studio in Ōtepoti Dunedin, Gallagher’s work is informed by her lifestyle rooted in nature. Colour, gesture and material respond to the rhythms and structures found in her surrounding environment.

Gallagher has exhibited widely in contemporary gallery spaces in New Zealand and internationally, with exhibitions in Queenstown, Dunedin, Melbourne, Sydney and Milan. In 2025 she was invited as artist in residence at Bullo River Station in the Northern Territory, creating a bespoke work that was later auctioned for charity. Her recent solo exhibition Still Hungry was presented at Astor Bristed Gallery in Arrowtown. Her work is held in private collections and interior projects across New Zealand and internationally.