New Zealand Portrait Gallery

Art museum in Wellington, New Zealand

41°17′01″S 174°46′42″E / 41.283475°S 174.778240°E / -41.283475; 174.778240WebsiteOfficial website

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata is an art gallery in the Waterfront Shed 11 building in Wellington, New Zealand.

History

The gallery was registered as a charitable trust in 1990.^[1] In 2005 the board hired its first paid director, Avenal McKinnon, who held the position until her resignation in 2014.^[2] During this time the permanent collection grew from six works to more than 200. In 2014, Gaelen Macdonald was appointed as McKinnon's successor.^[3] In 2017, Jaenine Parkinson took over the role of director.^[4]

Location

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery's permanent home and exhibition space is in Shed 11, a heritage listed building located on Wellington's Queens Wharf.^[5] Shed 11 was built in 1904–5 and designed by William Ferguson, chief engineer of the Wellington Harbour Board.^[6] In 1985, Shed 11 was transformed into a gallery space and in 2010 the New Zealand Portrait Gallery secured a long term lease on the building.

Collection

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery holds a collection of portraits featuring works by, and of, New Zealanders. In the collection are portraits of many influential and well-known identities including Sir Edmund Hillary, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Peter Blake, and Janet Frame.

In 2014, a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was commissioned for the gallery. It was painted by New Zealand artist Nick Cuthell in a live sitting. The portrait was unveiled by His Royal Highness Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, in a ceremony at Government House, and was subsequently hung at the gallery's home in Shed 11.^[7]

Additionally, the museum makes its collection available online here.

Awards

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery hosts two biennial awards: the Adam Portraiture Award and the Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award.

References

^ "About New Zealand Portrait Gallery | The New Zealand Portrait Gallery". www.nzportraitgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 2016-09-01.
^ "An enduring portrait". Stuff. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
^ "Young director to head Portrait Gallery". www.scoop.co.nz. November 18, 2014. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
^ "Percy Thomson Gallery | Emergence Award 2018". www.percythomsongallery.org.nz. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
^ "Search the List | Wellington Harbour Board Shed 11 | Heritage New Zealand". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 2016-09-10.
^ "Explore Wellington" (PDF).
^ "New Royal Portrait Unveiled - scoop.co.nz".