Robinson quickly established an exhibiting career after graduating from art school, and was included in a number of international exhibitions including the Asia Pacific Triennial and the São Paulo Art Biennial (1996), the Biennale of Sydney (1998), the Lyon Biennale (2000), and the Baltic Triennale (2002).[4]
In 2001 Robinson and Jacqueline Fraser were New Zealand's co-representatives at the Venice Biennale, the first time New Zealand participated with a national pavilion at the event.[5] Robinson's biennale work, Divine Comedy, was originally developed while he was artist in residence at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth.[4] In 2006 Robinson first exhibits his Walters Prize winning installation Ack at Auckland's Artspace.[6] In 2012 Robinson was selected for the Biennale of Sydney, where he filled a massive warehouse space on Cockatoo Island with a huge installation titled Gravitas Lite, crafted from carved polystyrene.[7]