Gallery sights in New Zealand
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Auckland Art Gallery
The Auckland Art Gallery spreads over two neighbouring buildings. The Main Gallery, built in French chateau style, houses important works by Pieter Bruegel the Younger and Guido Reni in the European collection, and an extensive collection of NZ art. It’s worth calling in for the intimate 19th-century portraits of tattooed Maori subjects by Charles Goldie and Gottfried Lindauer alone. The New Gallery concentrates on contemporary art and temporary exhibitions (with varying admission charges).
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Grainstore Gallery
In the world's most ornate grain storehouse , you'll find the lavishly decorated stage of the theatre company Living History , which does live theatre around historical themes. Their energetic Great Storm show, based in 1868, receives rave reviews. Much of the set and many of the props incorporate ‘found' objects, and dispalys the work of locals artists, including Oamaru's best-known artist, Donna Dementé, who is one of the artists that run the Grainstore Gallery upstairs.
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Govett-Brewster Art Gallery
The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery is arguably the country’s best regional art gallery and the crowd-pulling jewel in the town’s crown. Presenting contemporary – often experimental – local and international shows, it’s most famous for its connection with NZ sculptor, filmmaker and artist Len Lye (1901−80). His work is well represented here, with showings of his 1930s animation as well as sculpture and super-clever kinetic works. The glass-fronted Café Govett-Brewster (meals $5-20; [hours] 8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat & Sun) is also here.
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Tauranga Art Gallery
The Tauranga Art Gallery presents historic and contemporary art, and houses a permanent collection along with frequently changing local and visiting exhibitions. The building itself is a former bank, although you’d hardly know it − it’s an altogether excellent space with no obvious compromise (cue: applause!). Touring the ground and mezzanine galleries, with a stop to poke your nose into the video cube, will take an hour or so.
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Public Art Gallery
Explore NZ’s art scene at Dunedin’s expansive and airy Public Art Gallery. Climb the iron staircase for great city views. Works on permanent show are mainly contemporary, including a big NZ collection featuring local kids Ralph Hotere and Frances Hodgkins, Cantabrian Colin McCahon, and some old CF Goldie oils. Rotating exhibits include some European works and Kiwi masters.
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Christchurch Art Gallery
Set in an eye-catching metal-and-glass construction built in 2003, the city’s art gallery has an engrossing permanent collection divided into historical, 20th-century and contemporary galleries, plus temporary exhibitions featuring NZ artists. Guided tours provide an excellent overview, or you can hire an audio guide ($5) for a self-guided tour.
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Temple Gallery
The Temple Gallery was Dunedin’s first synagogue (1863), and then for 30 years a Masonic temple. The building retains marks of both, and is a fabulous artspace. The Chills recorded their last album here, and Dunedin bands still launch new offerings here. Artists represented are predominantly Otago locals and include Ralph Hotere, Donna Demente and Anita DeSoto.
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Artspace
The plain white walls and concrete floors of this public gallery come to life with an open field of art practices, including sculpture, photography, the moving image and sound art. Artspace exhibits many of New Zealand's leading contemporary artists and promotes a cultural dialogue, both locally and internationally, through speaking programmes and publications.
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Jade Country Greymouth
Jade Country Greymouth has original jade jewellery costing from $30 to thousands of dollars. There’s a walk-through Jade Trail display on the precious pounamu, and the Jade Boulder Café serves organic coffee, whitebait and other ‘wild food’ that’s more difficult to catch.
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John Leech Gallery
At over 150 years old, John Leech Gallery was among the city's first commercial galleries. Considering its own historical standing, it's little surprise that historic works comprise part of its collection, representing NZ's most influential, controversial and coveted artists (the likes of Charles Goldie and Theo Schoon).
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Forrester Gallery
Housed in a beautiful, columned 1880s bank building, Forrester Gallery has an excellent collection of regional art, and hosts diverse temporary exhibits, including contemporary media. This fantastic gallery is a good place to see works by Colin McCahon, renowned for his darkly melancholic style.
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Artstation
The public gallery of this community arts centre provides a professional space for emerging artists to exhibit their work. Shows turn over every three weeks, and might include contemporary Polynesian themes or those of the modern Goth. If you find the gallery locked, ask the office downstairs for the key.
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ArtsPost
ArtsPost, near the Waikato Museum, is a contemporary gallery and gift shop housed in the grand former post office. It focuses on the best of local art: paintings, glass, prints, textiles and photography. Check out the awesome floorboards.
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Sarjeant Gallery
‘Historical, Contemporary, Unique’ – the elegantly neoclassical Sarjeant Gallery covers all the bases with its extensive permanent art exhibition and frequent special exhibits (including glass from the annual Wanganui Festival of Glass).
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Chronicle Glass Studio
The pick of Whanganui’s many glass studios is the Chronicle Glass Studio where you can watch glass-blowers working, check out the gallery, take a weekend glass-blowing courseor a ‘Make a Paperweight’ lesson, or just hang out and warm up on a chilly afternoon.
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Southland Museum & Art Gallery
This museum & gallery is definitely worth a visit. The art gallery hosts visiting exhibitions from contemporary Maori and other local artists as well as occasional international shows.
If you’re headed for Stewart Island, check out the museum’s interesting ‘Beyond the Roaring 40s’ exhibition showcasing the natural history of New Zealand’s rugged southern islands. Fans of Burt Munro and The World’s Fastest Indian (2005) movie should race to the small theatrette in the 1st floor sports gallery for a screening of the original 1971 TV documentary Burt Munro – Offerings to the God of Speed.
The museum’s rock stars are undoubtedly the tuatara, NZ’s unique lizardli…
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Nga Taonga a Maui Gallery
Nga Taonga a Maui Gallery has a wonderful collection of Maori art for sale including wooden carvings, contemporary glass sculptures and traditional feather cloaks (around $1900).
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Suter
Adjacent to Queen’s Gardens, the Suter is Nelson’s bastion of high art, with changing exhibitions, musical and theatrical performances, films, a craft shop and cafe.
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Oedipus Rex Gallery
Familiar names in the contemporary art world grace this upstairs city space, as do emerging artists working in a variety of forms, including painting, print and photography.
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Millennium Art Gallery
Conspicuously blue opposite Seymour Sq, the Millennium Art Gallery is a contemporary gallery presenting changing exhibitions by local and national artists.
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Real Tart Gallery
To see what local artists have to offer, visit the reconstructed warehouse Real Tart Gallery. Exhibitions change regularly and most works are for sale.
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Left Bank Art Gallery
The Left Bank Art Gallery houses contemporary NZ jade carvings. Prints, paintings and photographs also get an airing.
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Academy Galleries
Part of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, Academy Galleries features works by New Zealand artists.
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The Gables
The Gables is a former hospital, now an art gallery and medical museum.
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