New milestones for the University Art Collection

Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery is celebrating the University’s 125th anniversary with new acquisitions to Ngā Puhipuhi o Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Art Collection, a new online searchable database, and the launch of an emerging artist prize sponsored by Chris Parkin.

Adam Art Gallery Patrons viewing new art piece.
Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery Patrons view new acquisition to the Ngā Puhipuhi o Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Collection, Chris Corson-Scott’s A Poet Writing Before the Falls and Freezing Works, Mataura, (2016), hanging in the Victoria Room, 23 November 2022.

Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery cares for, manages, and develops the Ngā Puhipuhi o Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Art Collection. An event held on 23 November celebrated several new milestones.

A new online art collection database will allow the public to view over 600 works of art―almost the entire collection.

The online catalogue was developed with the help of funding from the Museum Hardship Fund, facilitated through National Services Te Paerangi. This funding allowed Adam Art Gallery staff to prepare records, obtain copyright, check data, and take new images of works in the collection.

Adam Art Gallery Director Christina Barton welcomes these new developments and says that making the University’s art collection more visible and accessible has been the Gallery’s goal for some time. “We know how many alumni remember the art they studied with on campus even years later. We want new generations to experience the same joy.”

Access to the new online database can be found here from 5 December.

The Gallery also unveiled new works added to the art collection in 2022. These new works, which were specifically gathered for the University’s 125-year anniversary, have been carefully selected to signal the diversity of artists and practices undertaken in Aotearoa New Zealand today.

The event also heralded the launch of a new partnership with Wellington philanthropist and Adam Art Gallery Patron, Chris Parkin, for a new emerging artist prize.

“Chris is a long time supporter of the arts in Wellington and we are so pleased he has come on board to award the Parkin New Art Prize, which will see a work by an emerging artist added to the University Art Collection. This is a real opportunity to support and highlight up and coming artists,” says Christina.

Follow the Art Collection on their new Instagram @ngapuhipuhi for more updates.

Adam Art Gallery Patrons’ Programme

The Adam Art Gallery Patrons’ Programme is designed for individuals who wish to support the gallery, and patrons are invited to a tailored programme of events. This contribution directly supports the Gallery and its artists, and is crucial to helping the Gallery fulfil its vision. More information on this programme is available here.