Foundation Chairman's Message
The City Gallery, Wellington is a dynamic and affirmative cultural presence in the capital. The City Gallery has captivated, inspired and challenged its audience with a world-class programme of exhibitions and arts-related projects. In its ongoing commitment to both national and international art, the Gallery has become an integral part of the cultural life of the city.
As well as initiating such ground-breakingnational exhibitions as Hotere — Out the Black Window and Dick Frizzell — Portrait of a Serious Artiste , the City Gallery has hosted international exhibitions, providing New Zealanders with a rare chance to see works by modern masters such as Van Gogh, Chagall, Mondrian, Malevich and Picasso. The Exhibition of the Century, for which the City Gallery was the sole New Zealand venue, attracted a record-breaking audience for modern art of 84,500.
The City Gallery is a vital catalyst for New Zealand’s vibrant contemporary art, exhibiting senior artists such as Tony Fomison, Ralph Hotere and Bill Culbert alongside newer figures such as Michael Parekowhai, Seraphine Pick and Peter Robinson. Located in the heart of Wellington, the City Gallery places New Zealand art and artists in the centre stage.
It is vital that we ensure that the City Gallery continues to thrive and grow, securing future shows of the stature of Exhibition of the Century and Viva La Vida: Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Mexican modernism.
To this end, we have established the City Gallery Wellington Foundation to help underwrite major national and international exhibitions. The Foundation will help to ensure that New Zealanders will continue to have the opportunity to see great art that would otherwise never reach our shores, as well as some of New Zealand’s best art. By joining the Foundation, you can help the City Gallery secure world class art exhibitions that will enrich all of our cultural lives.
I invite you to join the City Gallery Wellington Foundation, to meet artists and people interested in the visual arts and to participate in the future success of the Gallery.
Yours sincerely
Dr Roderick Deane
Chairman, City Gallery Wellington Foundation