Matt Gauldie is the current NZ Army Artist. His evocative images have captured the men and women of the New Zealand Defence Force serving in the remote mountains of Afghanistan and the dense jungle of the Solomon Islands. He has also travelled with the NZ Army to the World War One battle fields in northern France as part of a commission to paint the Return of the Unknown Warrior series. The resulting exhibition recorded one of the most moving and dramatic events in recent New Zealand history.

The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon Helen Clark, officially appointed Matt Gauldie as the NZ Army Artist on April 11, 2005. Six months later he was issued the honorary rank of Captain by the then Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae. The role of NZ Army Artist has previously been held by Major Ion Brown, Graham Braddock and the highly regarded World War Two artist Major Peter McIntyre. Other New Zealand artists such as Garth Tapper and Bill Sutton have also added to the tradition of NZ Army art.

'Bang Bang Burlesque' series for those who may be interested...

'In my search for new and interesting sub cultures within New Zealand society to research and paint. I came across the vibrant and thriving Wellington Burlesque scene.. I was lucky enough to meet well known and respected Burlesque performers Eva Strangelove and Venus Star, and  through them experience a style of dance performance, fully intent on reviving the sophistication and class of late night entertainment from years gone by.
I have called my new direction in painting 'Eva-ism' where I have combined old fashioned grind-house movie posters, wartime propaganda art and classic pin up all in one composition. I have done this while trying to be sympathetic to the classical Dutch figure painting techniques I have been interested in through out my career.'