Public Celebration of New Christchurch Art Gallery
6 May 2003
The Christchurch and Canterbury public will be guests of honour when the
new Christchurch Art
Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu opens this Saturday.
The
Gallery will be officially opened by the Prime Minister Helen Clark,
heralding a weekend of celebrations that will include a
performance by Dame Malvina Major and a fanfare written especially
for the opening by
leading New Zealand composer Gareth Farr.
The official opening
programme, to be held in the Sculpture Garden at the Montreal Street
frontage of the Gallery, will commence at
9:45am on Saturday morning with performances by the Christchurch
Symphony. This
will be followed by a Karakia and solo by Dame Malvina, before
the Prime Minister officially declares the Gallery open at 10:30am.
The public will
then be invited to tour the Gallery or enjoy a variety of entertainment
scheduled until 4pm.
On Sunday 11 May at 10am, a special welcoming
service in honour of the new Gallery will be held for the public
at the Christchurch
Cathedral.
Gallery Director Tony Preston says it is extremely fitting
that the Canterbury public, who raised more than $15.25 million
for the new facility, will be first to tour the Gallery ’s exhibition spaces.
“
The new Gallery is a remarkable testament to the Canterbury community’s
commitment to the arts, ” says Tony Preston.
“
We believe that the Gallery will more than meet their expectations
and be a true reward for their extraordinary fundraising efforts. ”
Visitors
to the Gallery will be able to enjoy a broad range of short and
long-term exhibitions, including The Allure of Light: Turner to
Cezanne – European
Masterpieces from the National Gallery of Victoria, a selection
of Romantic and Impressionist paintings, W.A. Sutton: A Retrospective, featuring
over
100 works from one of Canterbury’s leading 20th Century artists, and
Te Puawai o Ngai Tahu, recent works by 12 contemporary Ngai Tahu
artists.
The new Gallery also gives scope for a major exhibition
of the Permanent Collection, as well as a selection of Works on
Paper, and a display of textiles, glass and ceramics in the Essential
Forms exhibition.
Two other short-term exhibitions, Refugees and
Antarctic Heart complete the works featured on the opening weekend
in the facility’s
nine galleries.
Christchurch Art Gallery Manager of Public Programmes
Hubert Klaassens says he is very confident that the opening exhibitions
will be well received by local and international visitors.
“
With 26 exhibitions and associated community programmes planned
for the next 12 months, we believe the new Christchurch Art Gallery
will become a major attraction for local and international visitors,” says
Hubert Klaassens.
The new Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu,
cnr Worcester Boulevard and Montreal Street, Christchurch
opens on Saturday May 10. The official celebration will commence at 9:30am,
with
the Gallery opened
by the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Helen Clark at 10:30pm. All public
are invited to attend.
Christchurch Art Gallery ~ Media Releases index
|
