Sarah McGaughran

Sarah McGaughran (b. 1994, Timaru) is an award-winning Ōtepoti artist who works across sculpture, painting, sound, and writing to explore the various ways that surface serves as an experiential interface between interiority and exteriority.

They hold a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Otago, a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) with First Class Honours from Te Kura Matatini ki Otago the Dunedin School of Art, and a Certificate in Māori and Indigenous Art from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

Sarah is the founder and director of Slant Art Project Space, an Ōtepoti artist-run initiative they established in July of 2024. Sarah has recently been awarded the William Akel Runner-up Award at the 2025 Molly Morpeth Canaday Awards for their collaborative work “Intertrigo” with Julia Holden. Sarah has been a practising sound artist since 2016, performing with both local and international artists. Their work has been featured in Art New Zealand and they frequently contribute written responses to the Ōtepoti arts community. 

Contact: sarah.km@hotmail.com

Dea matrona (2023), latex, soil, weeds

Dea matrona (2023), latex, soil, living weeds, steel, polyester, 2500 x 4000 x 3000, in Awen at SITE:2023, Dunedin School of Art