
View of Christchurch Art Gallery's forecourt, which includes the sculpture "Reasons for Voyaging", a collaboration between Canterbury sculptor, Graham Bennett and architect, David Cole. Behind it is the HSBC House and the new Christchurch City Council Civic offices.
The Christchurch Art Gallery is on track to reopen late next year, almost five years after the most devastating of the city's earthquakes put it out of commission. One of the key players in this important next step is Dr Lara Strongman who is the gallery's new senior curator.
Looking down Montreal Street, with the Christchurch Art Gallery on the left, and the sculpture "Reasons for Voyaging", a collaboration between Canterbury sculptor, Graham Bennett and architect, David Cole. Behind it is the new Christchurch City Council Civic Offices building.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Prime Minister John Key visited Christchurch after its 7.1 magnitude earthquake at 0435 Saturday morning. Civil Defence have set up base at Christchurch Art Gallery. Pictured with Mayor Bob Parker and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Prime Minister John Key visited Christchurch after its 7.1 magnitude earthquake at 0435 Saturday morning. Civil Defence have set up base at Christchurch Art Gallery. Pictured with Mayor Bob Parker and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Prime Minister John Key visited Christchurch after its 7.1 magnitude earthquake at 0435 Saturday morning. Civil Defence have set up base at Christchurch Art Gallery. Pictured with Mayor Bob Parker and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Prime Minister John Key visited Christchurch after its 7.1 magnitude earthquake at 0435 Saturday morning. Civil Defence have set up base at Christchurch Art Gallery. Pictured with Mayor Bob Parker and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee".
This thesis looks at the protocols museums and galleries adopt for the safeguarding of art, artefacts and cultural heritage. In particular, it analyses these procedures in relation to the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes in Christchurch, and considers how these events shaped the preventative conservation measures in place in museum and gallery institutions. Through gathering, assessing, and comparing this information about Christchurch’s institutions to disaster management best practices in national and international organisations, this thesis gauges the extent to which disaster management was changed in response to the events in Christchurch. This thesis first considers the growth in disaster management as a field, before examining what are considered best practices within this sector. Finally, it looks at specific institutions in Christchurch, including the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu, Canterbury Museum, and the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
This exhibition, eight years in the planning, had the misfortune to open one week before the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake; the exhibition was immediately taken down and never went up again – the Christchurch Art Gallery has still not reopened. Although in my book Fantastica: The World of Leo Bensemann (NRO1) I covered the whole of Bensemann’s career, in the exhibition I took responsibility for the paintings (portraits and landscapes) , while Dr. Noel Waite (University of Otago) looked after Bensemann’s graphic work, book design and printing. This was the most extensive exhibition of Bensemann’s work ever mounted and together with Fantastica will compel a major reassessment of his place in New Zealand culture. Art New Zealand wrote of it: ‘The exhibition (including more than 100 items) is significant in bringing together what has in the past appeared disparate and unrelated; here Bensemann's entire oeuvre - the output of a painter, illustrator, calligrapher, typographer, designer and publisher is given equal billing. Although this exhibition is an important re-assessment and valuable for a new generation unfamiliar with his work, a national touring show would have precipitated an even greater awareness’.
A video of an interview with Mayor Bob Parker, recorded at the Civil Defence Headquarters in the Christchurch Art Gallery on the evening of the 22 February 2011. Parker talks about the fatalities and damage caused by the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Veteran Christchurch art dealer Jonathan Smart at Queenstown's Toi O Tahuna yesterday, where a valuable collection of New Zealand art has found a temporary home after Mr Smart's new gallery was condemned because of earthquake damage".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Civil Defence centre has now moved from the Christchurch Art Gallery to the new civil offices in Hereford Street. Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt has been working on the phones for the last two days".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Civil Defence centre has now moved from the Christchurch Art Gallery to the new civil offices in Hereford Street. Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt has been working on the phones for the last two days. Shadbolt and Christchurch mayor Bob Parker speak to the media".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Civil Defence centre has now moved from the Christchurch Art Gallery to the new civil offices in Hereford Street. Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt has been working on the phones for the last two days. Shadbolt and Christchurch mayor Bob Parker talk to the media".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Civil Defence centre has now moved from the Christchurch Art Gallery to the new civil offices in Hereford Street. Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt has been working on the phones for the last two days. Shadbolt and Christchurch mayor Bob Parker talk to the media".
A red double-decker tour bus sits outside the former Registry building of the Christchurch Arts Centre. A broken window has been boarded up and security fencing has been placed around the building. A sign pointing towards the Christchurch Art Gallery is attached to the fence.
A video of a tour of Gloucester Street from Dallington to Rolleston Avenue, a five kilometre journey which can be seen as a cross-section of the Canterbury rebuild. The video includes footage of the site of the demolished St George's Presbyterian Church in Linwood, New Regent Street, the Rendezvous Hotel, the Isaac Theatre Royal, the Press building, the Christchurch Art Gallery, and Christ's College.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Civil Defence centre has now moved from the Christchurch Art Gallery to the new civil offices in Hereford Street. Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt has been working on the phones for the last two days. Fiona Lees talks to Shadbolt".
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Civil Defence centre has now moved from the Christchurch Art Gallery to the new civil offices in Hereford Street. Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt has been working on the phones for the last two days. Fiona Lees talks to Shadbolt".
A PDF copy of pages 76-77 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Bag-O-Love'. Photo: Reuben Woods
A compilation video of footage about the 4 September 2010 earthquake. The video includes footage of the damage to the central city, members of the police guarding cordons, residents at a Civil Defence Emergency Centre, a fire on Worcester Street, and aerial footage of New Brighton, the central city, and Homebush. It also includes an interview with local resident Quentin Garlick, and a press conference with Mayor Bob Parker outside the Christchurch Art Gallery.
Damage to The Bone Dude's Bone Carving Studio and Cultured Gallery on Fitzgerald Avenue. The brick wall is cracked, and the guttering has fallen. The photographer comments, "This building was damaged in the September earthquake in Christchurch. It was the Bone dude's bone carving studio. The motto on the wall was 'Carve your own' and it looks like the earthquakes did just that".
Pipes lead into a shipping container. The photographer comments, "In Christchurch containers are so very versatile: They are used as barricades, supports, homes, shops, art galleries, artworks, Malls, pubs and bars, Thai takeaways and now sewage works".
It's been a long, long wait but Christchurch's Arts Centre finally has a contemporary art gallery space again - and it's just opened. It's the latest 'reveal' in the Arts Centre post-earthquake rebuild. The new gallery's called The Central and is housed in the original Canterbury College Library. Four Christchurch families and gallerist Jonathan Smart have made it happen and artists including local sculptor Neil Dawson, photographer Peter Peryer, glitter specialist Reuben Patterson and painter Dick Frizzell are in the mix for the opening group show. There are some new names there too. Lynn Freeman speaks to The Central's Jonathan Smart and Ngai Tahu artist Lonnie Hutchinson who has work in the opening show.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Civil Defence Centre has now moved from the Christchurch Art Gallery to the new civil offices in Hereford Street. Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt has been working on the phones for the last two days".
A PDF copy of pages 350-351 of the book Christchurch: The Transitional City Pt IV. The pages document the transitional project 'Concrete Propositions'. Images: Ash Keating Concrete Propositions 2012. Acrylic house paint on concrete. Copyright the artist. Courtesy the artist and Fehily Contemporary, Melbourne Australia. Photo: John Collie.
Time Capsule from the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church investigated by left to right Rev Chris Chamberlain, Senior Minister OTBC. Mike Crudge, Minister OTBC Lynn Campbell, Paper Conservator Christchurch Art Gallery Jeff Palmer, archivist Jill Durney from the Macmillan Brown library. 15.7.11
Time Capsule from the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church investigated by left to right Rev Chris Chamberlain, Senior Minister OTBC. Mike Crudge, Minister OTBC Lynn Campbell, Paper Conservator Christchurch Art Gallery Jeff Palmer, archivist Jill Durney from the Macmillan Brown library. 15.7.11
Time Capsule from the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church investigated by left to right Rev Chris Chamberlain, Senior Minister OTBC. Mike Crudge, Minister OTBC Lynn Campbell, Paper Conservator Christchurch Art Gallery Jeff Palmer, archivist Jill Durney from the Macmillan Brown library. 15.7.11
Time Capsule from the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church investigated by left to right Rev Chris Chamberlain, Senior Minister OTBC. Mike Crudge, Minister OTBC Lynn Campbell, Paper Conservator Christchurch Art Gallery Jeff Palmer, archivist Jill Durney from the Macmillan Brown library. 15.7.11