It will take some months for our gallery to reopen. Let me explain why. One reason the Gallery survived so well is that it was designed to particularly high specifications. Key among its functions is the need to safely house the art treasures in our care; and it has performed superbly, with less than 0.05% of the items scuffed, chipped or, in one case, punctured (but all repairable). It wasn't cheap to build, but has served its protective purpose well, at the same time becoming a symbol of what can be done in this city with good engineering. I've always enjoyed the audacity of its modernity in the midst of a largely Victorian Gothic Cultural Precinct, but our now iconic home has also become a symbol of possibilities. As everyone who asks me when we'll reopen also wonders: How did all that glass survive?

At the time it was built, it was agreed the Gallery might double as Civil Defence HQ, if needed before another is prepared for this purpose (we fully expect this will happen in the context of the city's next Long-Term Plan). No one anticipated such as series of traumatic events, and we cannot be ungracious and churlish at this time of need.

On the other hand, we're desperate to do what we're designed to do: to get art back into our lives; to give Christchurch people something to do at weekends; to ensure tourists don't think the whole city is closed for business; to help towards a sense of cultural and economic recovery. We relish seeing people enjoying what we offer.

We loved seeing the queues for Ron Mueck, neatly sandwiched between the September and February earthquakes. We particularly enjoyed discovering that 1 in 5 Christchurch residents came to this, and that 33% of those who saw Mueck were first-time gallery visitors. We were glad the exhibition contributed $2.98 million of new money to the Canterbury region.

We are excited by being a busy and energised social place; just as we value providing a place of contemplation, a series of 'away' spaces for looking and thinking. Most of all we enjoy our public role.

So it feels profoundly wrong to be closed. We're definitely not like a light switch, to be turned on and off at will. But over the last months we've had to close and cancel exhibitions and public programmes, to return many loans, to re-negotiate and re-arrange schedules. Of course, we know ours is not the only business in town to have been so affected and we're pleased that some important creative planning for the new inner city has taken place recently within the gallery spaces.

However, a real milestone will be reached when this phase is over. As I write, the recovery effort and city planning teams move out by end-August (midnight on 29 August, to be precise – and I've promised to change the locks), but snow may cause further delay.

We are then faced with another reality: both towers of the adjacent Gallery Apartments have been given one of the city's infamous red stickers and will demolished, taking some three months from early October. Their proximity will impact on our ability to function.

Among a range of consequences is our need to move the entire collection (more than 6,300 items) from normal storage spaces to reduce the chance of damage by vibration. We have begun this, but it will take at two-three weeks after the exhibition galleries are fully vacated. Most gallery staff will ourselves need to move from the gallery to be away from the 'drop zone' for at least the first 2 months of demolition. As for many of our friends and colleagues in Christchurch, it feels like someone is playing a macabre game of dominoes in this city.

During this time, we'll attend to our own repairs and get our own house in order. Parapets above our two main blocks have been secured as a precaution, but some need further work; our wavy glass façade will be gone over with a fine-tooth comb to ensure each pane remains tight and in place. The ceiling in our large foyer needs replacing (its tiles were made in Scandinavia, and they and the systems holding them in place are no longer available). We must re-design this and will take the chance to upgrade it to the new code. Another milestone will be reached as we return collections to storage, repair walls and re-install planned exhibitions. Our opening will be important and celebratory when it happens; but alas, it cannot be tomorrow!

So what are we doing in the meantime (another question I'm often asked)?

As well as checking and securing our collections, and giving staff time to deal with their own families and homes, our first thoughts were for our local creative community. We have helped a number of artists move from inner city studios and assisted with the transfer of works from Brooke Gifford Gallery and CoCA and also with preparations few the new art space on Moorhouse Avenue, Chambers@241.

It's been a thrill to see how staff have quickly adapted and are enjoying working on some back-of-house projects. We've certainly 'upped the ante' with our web presence, with blogged 'Bunker Notes' now daily and fun. We're digitising archives and increasing the amount of material available on the web and have worked hard to photograph even more of the collection. Now more than 90% of works is available online with images and shortly web visitors will be able to curate their own online exhibitions. When we reopen, our website will be available on mobile devices as well.

Reconstruction: conversations on a city is another web-based initiative and will make the most of the new online galleries. The curator has chosen a range of architectural images from various collections to open up conversations around the future shape of Christchurch, an important discussion which I believe the Gallery should be involved in.

We've updated a range of our legal forms and are systematically seeking copyright clearance for all standard uses of collection items – a task that will save us time from now on. We've fitted all our paintings with new secure fixtures imported from Japan (the first $10,000 worth were a post-earthquake gift from their manufacturers). We've renewed bean bags which the small objects rest in and made new boxes for many after the area they were stored was flooded; some staff are sewing special corner pockets to further protect paintings in storage.

The schools programme is being offered on an outreach basis now, with our lively education officer booked up until the year end. Various public programmes have been re-scheduled in the Dome or other Christchurch locations. Julia Morison's new design for the bunker on our forecourt is eye-catching and literally gorgeous. We're enjoying having a SCAPE Biennale of Public Art work out there too.

You may have seen our 'Missing Art?' postcards around town over the last few weeks and we're delighted with what people are telling us already about what they miss and hope to see again when we reopen. There'll be one of these in the next gallery Bulletin, an 'earthquake edition' almost ready for the printers; or you can pick one up from our shop which is open via Worcester Boulevard.

So, a strong and clear message: we're still here and working hard to reopen for you as soon as possible. But, alas, tomorrow is too soon.

Jenny Harper

Director
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū

16 August 2011