Toroa by Hone Tuwhare

Toroa by Hone Tuwhare

Today's poem is a long one so your hands will be scrubbed as clean as they have ever been. We are extremely grateful to the poet's son Rob for identifying this poem as 'one of our faves!' Curator Nathan Pohio is the reader and he knows the royal albatross colony at Taiaroa Heads well: his mum used to be a guide there and still lives nearby. Take your time with this one - it's well worth it!

Grasses by Aileen Fisher

Grasses by Aileen Fisher

We leave Aotearoa New Zealand today with an American poet and an English painter, brought together just for fun. Grasses by Aileen Fisher (1906-2002) is read by Karin Bathgate who works as a Visitor Host here at the Gallery. 

We hope it makes you smile for the full 20 second hand-washing routine.

Home Thoughts by Denis Glover

Home Thoughts by Denis Glover

Today our former director Jenny Harper reads a poem that is the very essence of New Zealand, and specifically Canterbury, identity, and one we just could not leave out.

It's a decent length for hand-washing, but no harm in that. I could have selected half the works in our collection to accompany this one, but have gone for John Weeks's depiction of a bustling Cathedral Square. We very much look forward to experiencing such a scene again before too long.

The Polar Bear by John Summers

The Polar Bear by John Summers

Lily and Thomas Semple, whose Dad (Neil Semple) works with us - as did their Mum (Lara Strongman) until recently - read John Summers's poem The Polar Bear.

So this one is for all of you in lockdown with children. Children who perhaps like Billy in this poem will not go to bed when they should. 

For handwashing purposes it's over a minute long, so perhaps ideal for washing a whole load of little hands in turn.

There Is Only One Direction by James K Baxter

There Is Only One Direction by James K Baxter

Dr Peter Simpson reads James K Baxter's poem There Is Only One Direction. Baxter wrote this poem in response to Colin McCahon's painting of the same name, now in the collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū.

The poem has been generously provided by the Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena and is reproduced with kind permission of the family of James K. Baxter.

There is a Solemn Wind Tonight by Katherine Mansfield

There is a Solemn Wind Tonight by Katherine Mansfield

 Visitor Host Michael Purdie reads a favourite Katherine Mansfield poem. 

Matching a work from our collection for this gentle verse proved difficult. The wind in New Zealand is rarely solemn or gentle and whether coming from north, south or east, it's always vicious. This is reflected in our paintings which depict plenty of dramatic storms, but little that could be called gentle.

In any event we hope you enjoy washing your hands to both Katherine Mansfield and to Juliet Peter's Rising Wind. Rising into a hurricane force storm no doubt.

For a Child by Denis Glover

For a Child by Denis Glover

Sumner beach may be off limits at the moment but we hope this poem will stir some happy memories. It did for the reader, Rupert Glover, the poet's son, who says he 'grew up on Sumner beach.'

Five Little Piggies

Five Little Piggies

Violet Richards, daughter of our Registrar Gina Irish, recites This Little Piggy Went to Market.

Two hands, right? So play it twice, once for washing each hand.

Blue Globe: Stories from Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū

Blue Globe: Stories from Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū

You are invited to take part in Blue Globe: Stories from Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. It’s a chance to feed your curiosity, feel inspired and challenge your creative side. And it’s easy. All you have to do is choose any artwork from the Gallery’s collection online and create a short piece of writing inspired by it. 

In the Vast Emptiness by Basil Dowling

In the Vast Emptiness by Basil Dowling

Curator Peter Vangioni reads the poem In the Vast Emptiness by Basil Dowling. Back in 2015, when re-opening from our previous forced closure, Peter took this poem as the inspiration for an exhibtion of Canterbury landscapes.

From the hand-washing point of view, this is a two minute marathon, but where's the harm in that?

See all the images at once and find out more about each one.

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