We have talked about what is on offer at the Auckland Art Gallery. What else is around the North Island.
Above is the Sarjeant Gallery in Wanganui.
Northland has the Whangarei Art Musuem
Housed in an Arts ansd Crafts Building in Cafler Park is the Whanagrei Art Musuem. It has an extensive collection of major NZ contemporary artists and heritage Northland related material. Artists include C. F. Goldie, Ralph Hotere, Pat Hanly, a very substantial Adele Younghusband bequest collection plus eight paintings by T. L. Drummond. The Musuem has regular touring exhibitions.
- Cafler Park Rose Gardens, Walter Street, Whangarei
- ph: 09 430 4240
- Open Tues-Fri 10-4, weekends 12-4
- Admission: Free
- Permanent collection: Selwyn Wilson, Selwyn Muru, Ralph Hotere, Para Matchitt, Buck Nin, C. F. Goldie, Pat Hanly
The museum is organised into four sections, one of which is Visual Arts. The collection has around 2500 artworks, dating from early colonial New Zealand with a focus on images and artists of the region. Arts Post has three exhibition spaces showing local and new artists.
Rotorua Museum of Art & History
In Rotorua’s historic Bath House building, set in a large garden that links to the Lake, is Rotorua’s art collection. Among its permanent collection are taonga of the Arawa people, the original inhabitants of the region, a collection of 70,000 photographs of Rotorua’s history and historic souvenir pieces.
Taranaki New Plymouth
Govett Brewster Gallery
Taranaki is the home of many artists. The streets are full of interesting galleries. Govett Brewster is one of the country’s more interesting galleries, it has a wonderful contemporary collection of NZ art, housing the archives and studio collection of the Len Lye Foundation, which looks after the works of the film-maker, kinetic sculptor, poet and painter. The Gallery holds regular exhibitions of local, national and international contemporary art.
Manawatu/ Wanganui
This building set on a hill was built in 1919 from Oamaru Stone; majestic and built in the shape of a cross – worth looking at even if you don’t see the art inside! But while you are there you may as well – the interior is pretty stunning with a central dome that lets lots of natural light in.
Inside you will find an excellent permanent collection of 19th and early 20th century British and European art. After 1940 the gallery began to focus on New Zealand art, with a strong photographic emphasis. A major feature of the gallery’s collecting policy is to acquire the work of selected important individual artists, including Philip Trusttum, Gretchen Albrecht, Anne Noble, Laurence Aberhart, Ans Westra and Peter Peryer.
Wellington The art gallery is closed for refurbishing. But there are other artistic treats like the Portrait Gallery. The New Zealand Portrait Gallery, is a national organisation promoting the display of New Zealanders through the perceptive eyes of painters, sculptors, caricaturists and photographers.
Don’t miss out on seeing the Norrie Collection, the art displayed in Government House in Wellington is the home of a remarkable collection of portraits. While Government House is being restored the art has been enjoyed by many.
