The friendly face of the Gallery

Last week I spent two days in Wellington at the National Digital Forum having my mind blown. Some of the most brilliant minds in the international galleries, libraries, archives and museums sector were there, talking about the wonderful ways we can reach our visitors and improve access to our collections online.

Courtney Johnston, director of The Dowse and the Petone Settlers Museum (and who blogs over at Best of 3), gave an especially inspirational talk that reminded me of the importance of making emotional connections with our visitors.

At one point Courtney mentioned a friend who’d felt lost and confused while visiting a gallery. She compared these feelings to the online experience of getting a 404 (page not found) or 403 (access forbidden) message while browsing. The best way to prevent or counter them? Make your front of house staff the ‘fail whales’ of your organisation – the friendly reassuring face who explains what’s going on and gets you back on track.

As I sat in Te Papa’s lecture theatre listening to Courtney’s talk, I felt so proud of our guide team back home. We have 50 friendly gallery guides on staff, from many different backgrounds, but all with an astounding knowledge of the visual arts. If you do find yourself wandering in circles, they can help with that, but more importantly, they love to talk about the stuff on the walls. If you’re wondering what on earth you’re looking at or why it’s important, have a chat with one of them.

The guide team don’t roam the galleries to keep you in line. They exist to enrich your experience.

Guides are easy to spot – they all have the same t-shirt or jacket (right now they’re sporting ‘CREW’ t-shirts in conjunction with our exhibition Who Shot Rock & Roll), and most have a handy bag with an ‘i’ on it that’s packed with useful things like maps and brochures.

If you’re adventuring in our galleries and realise you need some direction – be it physical, intellectual or emotional – look around you. There’ll be a guide nearby who can give you what you need.

I should also mention the stellar job done by the volunteer guides who give our free daily tours – another crucial part of the visitor experience we provide.

We’re constantly getting feedback from our visitors about the amazing work our guide team does:

•    ‘Thanks for being so helpful and informative about the gallery.’
•    Visitor commented on how much she enjoyed having guides to discuss art with, as she was travelling on her own, and said it was a great initiative, something she hadn’t come across elsewhere.
•    ‘The guides bring this space alive! It’s great to hear the stories.’
•    ‘You were wonderful – you really opened it up for us.’
•    ‘Thank you! Our guides and guards don’t talk much. What an absolute pleasure to talk with you – it has made our visit!’ (Couple from New York)
•    A visitor said she had been told at the entrance to ask guides about the art in each of the rooms, and she had found it very rewarding: ‘I’m very pleased I did!’
•    ‘It’s great how the guides have encouraged us, and facilitated us around the gallery.’
•    ‘Thank you for all your knowledgeable information. It makes it so much more enjoyable when people explain things.’
•    ‘The guides are an asset to the gallery, and all so lovely to talk to.’

I’m so proud to work in an organisation with such a friendly face. Hurrah for the guides!

One year on

It’s been an entire year since we opened the doors of the newly restored and expanded Auckland Art Gallery!

Crowds enter the Gallery on opening day

I've been enjoying reading back through the archives of this blog to see the years of hard work that led up to this moment, right from the moment we closed our doors and emptied the galleries. A webcam kept the public (and staff!) up-to-date as demolition began. In 2009 we let people see into the future with an animated ‘fly-through’ of the Gallery. In early 2010 we looked back at the progress to date with a nifty timelapse video. Finally work drew to a close and on 6 June 2011 we were able to announce an opening date!

But before that could happen, we had to start moving everything back in… Being allowed to explore the newly restored building was an exciting and humbling experience. The moment when the first painting was hung in the developed galleries was momentous. Finally we took over the new office spaces and the Gallery and its Māori dimension commissions were blessed in a dawn ceremony.

And finally on 3 September 2011 we opened, with fanfare and fun and performances and street art and crowds. Hearing the feedback from visitors in those opening weeks never gets old:









In the last year we’ve:

• Held 32 exhibitions
• Seen the gallery spaces taken over by dancers, string quartets, blues bands, and hip-hop crews
• Released multiple publications
• Won 12 awards for our beautiful building
• And welcomed more than 677,000 visitors through our doors! 

Thank you to everyone who's visited us in the last year. It's exciting every day to see people experiencing the galleries and our collection, and we've got plenty of surprises in store for you, so stay tuned...

Have you seen Degas to Dalí yet?

Degas to Dalí has been getting a great response from our visitors - we're loving hearing the comments made to our Gallery guides, volunteer guides and other front of house staff. In addition to this feedback, everyone who visits the show gets handed an entry form to win a trip to Melbourne, on which we ask them:

‘What would you tell someone, who hasn’t yet been to the exhibition, about Degas to Dalí?’

It seems the artworks on display have our visitors’ creative juices flowing, as some of the answers we’ve seen are downright poetic.

So here, in our visitors’ own words, are 10 great reasons to come and see Degas to Dalí: 

10. It’s here, now, right in front of your eyes

• ‘This is a once in a lifetime chance to see the works of the best modern artists in the world.’
• ‘Go and see it! You rarely see a touring show of this calibre in Auckland.’
• ‘A wonderful collection of art rarely seen down under!’
• ‘It's an amazing experience to see the masters' work in real life and to see the scale and textural detail of the work.’
• ‘The best exhibition to hit town in ages: Broad in scope, informative, intelligently presented. Some truly iconic works!’
• ‘It is a must-see, and how lucky we are to have an exhibition of this calibre here at a reasonable cost.’
• ‘Please go - you will see the best of the best and be home in time for tea.’
• ‘Go! I am so privileged to have seen, first hand, masters' works here in New Zealand. A rare and precious opportunity.’
• ‘Unprecedented close access to major artists of the period in a coherent precise and relevant order. Must-see show for all.’

9. It’s alive!

• ‘Really special exhibition, so great to see the works leap out of their frames with aliveness.’
• ‘You have to see the originals. Even the best copy lacks the "aliveness" of the originals. Amazing!’
• ‘The atmosphere, from the ticket seller to other members of the public, was warm and friendly. Could go again.’
• ‘Vivid liveliness of original paintings. One off chance to see work of famous artists.’
• ‘Just go! The pictures are alive and waiting to enrapture.’

8. There’s art in it. Lots of art.

• ‘An impressive journey through outstanding areas of art.’
• ‘Lots of various styles of art so something for everyone.’
• ‘An amazing walk through time!’
• ‘A sizzling spin through modern art.’
• ‘Grand variety of artists of the period.’

7. You’ll learn something new

• ‘Make a point of seeing this watershed exhibition. It shows you how art changed so much in those crucial years.’
• ‘Go, see, listen and hear. The artists speak to us through their work, of history, of change, challenge the conflicts of emotion of society, theirs and ours. You'll come away excited by new ideas and with a fresh perspective about our life and our place in this place, New Zealand.’
• ‘It vividly illustrates the ideas behind the way art has evolved.’
• ‘Degas to Dalí is not just about artists beginning with D but gives a great presentation and insight into the birth and evolution of modern art.’
• ‘Ever wondered what happened to painting after the invention of photography? Go to Degas to Dalí and see.’
• ‘Do Go! It is an exemplary exhibition-stimulating, thought-provoking, captivating.’
• ‘It’s not only interesting but also very “edumacational”.’

6. It’ll stimulate your senses:

• ‘A feast of colour and light.’
• ‘Go, see, listen and hear the artists speak through their work.’
• ‘You will walk into the gallery and approach the first frame. Your eyes will grow wide and you will quietly mouth "wow!"’
• ‘I was blown away by the light, the colour, and the knowledge that I was viewing original paintings!’
• ‘An adventure in colour and time.’
• ‘It was a real P-art-y for my eyes.’
• ‘A stunning range of work in gorgeous galleries- the works really sing!’
• ‘You’ll come away excited by new ideas and with a fresh perspective.’
• ‘The whole exhibition is enchanting and will lead you into visions of European rich culture, colourful and imaginative beyond words.’
• ‘The explanations given were enlightening. I was enthralled to learn details of familiar paintings. It gave me new eyes.’

5. It’s something the whole family will enjoy

• ‘A great introduction to art for my kids aged 9,7 and 5. Beautiful gallery extension.
• ‘Bring a child - it's wonderful to experience art through their eyes.’
• ‘Definitely go! Great for the kids also with fabulous interactive spaces. The exhibition makes art easily digestable even for those not inclined to peruse. Fabulous opportunity to see who has shaped what art is.’
• ‘DON'T MISS IT! A superb exhibition, breathtaking to be in the presence of such masterpieces. Even my teenage son enjoyed it.’
• ‘If you have teenage children (or any children at all) grab them and take them to it. My 16-year-old daughter was reluctant to come but is coming back with her friends.’
• ‘It was great to take my mum to this great exhibition.’

4. The building’s not too shabby, either…

• ‘You must go! What a treat to have such a fabulous collection in Auckland. It's a super excuse to check out the new gallery and all it has to offer.’
• ‘Superb exhibition almost a spiritual experience. After many visits to the gallery of NSW in Sydney our gallery is so south pacific in its outstanding beauty.’

3. It’s a chance to meet old friends (and make new ones)

• ‘Degas' brushwork will mesmerize you and that's just the first room!’
• ‘Outstanding, most of the gang are here!’
• ‘There is a head with a building inside by Dalí and it's beautiful.’
• ‘I was thrilled to see a Lowry, my favourite artist.’
• ‘Enjoy the colours of Van Gogh's Olive Trees.’
• ‘I knew that Degas’ ballet paintings were good but to see them was just fantastic.’
• “No better place to see the Scots get an exotic makeover or to glower at a Lowry.”
• ‘Look for The Lustre Bowl, 1911, by Sir William Nicholson.’
• ‘Stunning to see the masters’ works in person! Loved the Lichtenstein – grand and exhilarating!’
• ‘There were many paintings/sculptures I loved and felt touched by, eg Picasso’s Mother and Child.’
• ‘Really enjoyed the variety and excellence of the exhibition – Warhol’s daschund was worth the price of admission.’

2. It will inspire creative outbursts on your feedback form:

• ‘Degas to Dalí... delightful, daring, delirious, dazzling, delectable, divine... don't delay.’
• ‘Delightful Exhibition Giving Absolute Satisfaction To Dedicated Art Loving Individuals.’
• ‘Green light means GO, red light means STOP and look – treasure this journey into the minds of great artists.’

1. Look, haven’t we convinced you yet? Just go!

• ‘Go, go, go!! Something for everyone, the ambiance, the quality, all awesome.’
• ‘Well, naturally I would impore and beseech them to see it too!’
• ‘Go! Fascinating seeing and reading about the paintings through that era.’
• ‘JUST GO’

And if you’re now sold on coming to see Degas to Dalí, our visitors have even left some handy tips for you:

• ‘Be sure to catch the art bites!’
• ‘Walk through the exhibition twice as by the second time you realise the impact of the art on your mind and soul. Also the gift shop sells great small art replica gifts.’
• ‘Take plenty of time, as there are a lot more artworks than expected. Appreciate the new art gallery as well.’

Degas to Dalí is open until 10 June. Take a look at our website for information on ticket prices, FAQs, the full list of works and exhibition floorplan, useful tips and resources for visiting with children and more. Everyone who visits the exhibition can enter the draw to win a trip for two to Melbourne, including tickets to Napoleon: Revolution to Empire at the National Gallery of Victoria.

A Sculpture Plinth

In the week before our opening we wanted to get people excited about the Gallery and the concept of seeing art in everything. So we placed an intriguing piece of furniture near the Viaduct Events Centre in the new Wynyard Quarter development by the waterfront - A SCULPTURE PLINTH.

With a photographer on hand and some guides to get the plinth party started, we turned passers-by into living works of art.

Here's just a small selection from the hundreds of shots we took - we had little people...

...bikes...

...safety-conscious people...

...(of all sizes)...

...crowds...

...dogs...

...superheroes...

...fashionistas...

...sporty types...

... and our photographer even crept out from behind the camera to strike a pose.

The plinth was the perfect place for leaping...

...balancing...

...even fancier balancing...

...an inevitable bout of planking...

...snoozing...

or just a cosy kiss.

And you know what? All of this was ART. (Do you see it?)

Makes you ponder, doesn't it?

You can see all the images on the Gallery's Flickr page. The plinth is currently stationed on the Gallery forecourt where you're welcome to take your own photos - if you'd like to share them with us, you can email them to media@aucklandartgallery.govt.nz and we'll upload them.

Young people these days...

... are amazing. Seriously. Today the Gallery was the scene of an inspiring and evocative performance by 21 students from Matipo Primary School and cellist Katherine Uren of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.

Every year the APO and the Gallery collaborate with schools, helping them engage with artworks and create music in response. This year the students used Heart Book: Butterfly by Philippa Blair as their inspiration. They visited the Gallery to discuss the artwork with our education team and had workshops back in their classroom with Katherine to compose their piece.

Here they are introducing their performance:

A crowd gathered to hear the piece - we counted about 50 people in the audience!

I won't attempt to describe the piece because I'm hoping to show a video of the performance once it's been edited, but the students thought carefully about the themes in the artwork and worked hard to bring them out in three distinct sections of the composition: freedom, scribbles and captivity.

A very small audience member was transfixed by the performance:

The students received hearty applause before wowing us with their carefully thought-out answers in a short Q&A session. We then moved into another section of the Gallery to hear another piece of music inspired by art: young composer Callum Blackmore's piece 'D.S.I.R Man' which he wrote in response to Warren Viscoe's sculpture of the same name (seen below right).

I was really impressed with the way Callum spoke before his piece was played for us - he made sure the Matipo students could understand his thought process when composing the piece and the narrative behind its structure.

You can read more about Callum's piece here and more about Matipo Primary School and Katherine Uren's collaboration here.

Stay tuned for a video of the performance - it'll knock your socks off!

Visitors from far away

Happy New Year! I hope you’ve all had a relaxing holiday break.

The Gallery had some special visitors at the end of last week – a group of students and their teacher from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, who got a behind-the-scenes tour of our works on paper conservation lab.

Since 1996, Professor Fred Hagstrom has been visiting the Gallery every two years, bringing with him about 25 students. The Gallery visit is part of a 10-week tour of the South Pacific including the Cook Islands, New Zealand and Australia.

“Most people in the United States don’t know much about art in this part of the world,” says Hagstrom.

So he’s brought his students to the other side of the world to learn about it in person. Themes they’re discussing include artmaking and its relationship with nature, and different cultural contexts surrounding art. For example, the group started their trip in Rarotonga, where they studied tivaevae and other traditional art forms. Unlike most Western art, tivaevae are often made for a specific person and therefore not for sale.

Fred remembers seeing Patterns of Paradise: Tivaevae on one of his first visits to the Gallery – and this year’s students were able to see works from the same show in the current Call Waiting exhibition.

As well as exploring the three exhibitions currently showing in the NEW Gallery, the students visited the conservation lab to examine some of the works on paper in the Gallery’s collection. This functioned as an introduction to their next unit on printmaking – they got to see close-up examples of intaglio, mezzotint and relief prints before they begin learning how to recreate the techniques in the studio.


Professor Hagstrom says the Gallery’s collection of prints and works on paper is impressive - “You’ve got some terrific examples in your collection”. Of chief interest were works by old masters like Durer and van Leyden, but the students also studied pieces by Gordon Walters and Fatu Feu’u.

Wherever they are, the Carleton students are expected to be sketching as part of their drawing course. Professor Hagstrom has taught them to make and bind their own sketchbooks, which they carry at all times, effectively becoming a “mobile course”.


Before moving on to Australia, Professor Hagstrom and his students will head north for a marae stay in Waipoua, complete the Tongariro crossing, visit Te Papa and the Abel Tasman National Park.

What a fantastic way to study! You can find out more about their travels here - and more about the work our conservators do here.

Next time Professor Hagstrom is in Auckland he’ll be able to visit the redeveloped Gallery. This time around he had to be content with a stroll around the outside. “I think the new plaza area is lovely. I like the contemporary architecture in this part of the world and it’s a great example,” he says.

Thanks for your visit, Carleton folk! Looking forward to seeing you again in two years’ time…