‘Oceania’ x 2 in Wellington

‘Oceania’ x 2 in Wellington

I was pleased to see both components of Oceania in Wellington on the opening weekend. A great idea for City Gallery and Te Papa to mount connected exhibitions, effectively two distinct components of one show, and to market these together. It's an effective and rewarding combo for all those international visitors coming to the city over the next month or two.

Gordon Crook 1921 – 2011

Gordon Crook 1921 – 2011

If, when we're open, an artist represented in our collection dies, we generally arrange for a work of theirs to be hung at the top of the stairs on the side of the entrance to the Burdon Family Gallery, with a label that notes their contribution and recent passing. I like this simple convention and the respect it shows for an arts practitioner whose contribution to New Zealand art we've thought well enough of to acquire.

Gazumped

Gazumped

'Art today longs to be topical, outward-looking, connected, responsive to site and situation. And it spends a lot of time fretting that it isn't. But an event like the earthquake short-circuits this logic horribly.'

I miss him so so so much!

I miss him so so so much!

Bailey from Church Bay misses 'the sick man on the chair'.

The Magic of Printmaking

The Magic of Printmaking

In these interesting times, Gallery staff are finding themselves turning their hand to a variety of tasks, sometimes a far call from their usual responsibilities when the Gallery is open to the public.

Venice Biennale

It's taken me a while to write about Venice, but the show's still on and the first week of the 2011 Biennale in this memorable and surprising city still fresh in my mind. I was New Zealand's commissioner again and it was a proud moment for us all as visitors poured in – and stayed to listen to the continuous concert – during the Vernissage (the opening few days, in 2011 from 30 May-3 June) of the longest-standing and most prestigious international art exhibition.

Inside the phantom abbatoir

Inside the phantom abbatoir

If I had to recommend one book to a course in curatorial studies it would be Victoria Newhouse's amazing study Art and the Power of Placement.

Some of our birds are missing!

Some of our birds are missing!

We ordered a selection of toy singing birds for our shop. But they didn't appear...

Uttër Drech at Christchurch Art Gallery

Uttër Drech at Christchurch Art Gallery

Bunker Notes Newsdesk, 25 August 2011: The biggest public art event in the country has been happening for months in Christchurch Art Gallery without anyone realising, organisers claimed today.

Unstill

Unstill

'Still life with blue table (earthquake)' by Kay Rosen

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