Archive

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Vessels

(23 February '10 to 21 March '10)

Vessels was a world premier interactive multimedia installation commissioned by the Museum for the 2010 New Zealand International Festival of the Arts.

It consisted of 33 transparent vessels of water suspended upon the central atrium wall of the Museum, illuminated by spotlights from above. The wall formed a backdrop upon which a myriad of water reflections emanated from the vessels.

Vessels was inspired by Dante?s early-14th century epic poem, the Divine Comedy, and was created by internationally renowned artist Daniel Brown with original music by Mark K Johnson. Brown's first New Zealand exhibition followed his highly successful work at the City of Rome ?Birthday of the Eternal City? celebrations and the New York River to River Festival.

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10 Years in Wonderland

(27 November '09 to 23 May '10)

The Museum celebrated ten years of being Wellington's city museum with its birthday feature exhibition 10 Years in Wonderland ? an exhibition into the inner world of your museum. With unusual objects from the museum collection on display in a Mad Hatter tea party inspired setting, this quirky and whimsical exhibition took you into a wonderland of hidden treasures.

There was also a weekend of fantasy-fuelled fun on Wellington's waterfront on Friday November 27 and Saturday November 28 with special museum opening hours of 10am to 10pm on the Saturday, giving the public every chance to join in the birthday celebrations.

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Sampler Season '09 / audible identities

(18 July '09 to 25 October '09)

Samples of Wellington's vibrant creative menu were brought together in the Museum's frist Sampler Season. 8 weeks and over 60 events of craft activities, talks, music and drama perfromances were all set within the Audible Identities exhibition of carved wooden heads with sonic interpretation.

The carved wooden heads of prominent early Wellington businessman were salvaged ffrom the old Identities Hotel when it was demolished in 1929. Students of the New Zealand School of Music's Sonic Arts Programme researched these characters and created soundscapes for each with the mix of sounds painting a vivid picture of their lives in the late 1880s.

The Audible Identities exhibition also set the scene for theatrical music performances by The Pioneers who completed a sell-out national tour with four concerts at the Museum.

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SHAPED BY HAND

1957 - 2009 NZ Potters Inc.

(4 March '09 to 28 June '09)

This unique exhibition looked at the 50 national exhibitions held by New Zealand Potters Inc. and the ceramic scene since its early pioneering days.

Stunning examples of a range of works were on display visitors learnt how the style of pottery had changed over the years. Visitors were also privy to the processes and techniques used to create these beautiful works of art by watching the Potters, who were on-site in the exhibition studio, every Wednesday and Saturday..

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Welcome

Celebrating Wellington Access Radio programmes and their communities

(1 November '08 to 8 February '09)

An altar, a kitchen and a caravan were all part of this exhibition to celebrate the vibrant contribution Wellington Access Radio makes to local communities.

WELCOME embraced the role this radio station plays in allowing these diverse communities to have a strong voice. A different radio programme was featured each month, and various programmes broadcast live from a caravan in the exhibition.

WELCOME commenced with 'Oye Latino!' and its celebration of Day of the Dead. Next up was 'ZCO Tonga' which highlighted the role of the church in the Tongan community. WELCOME concluded with a vibrant display from the 'Indian Community Programme' which focused on food and hospitality in the kitchen and home environment.

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Treaty 2 u

(12 July to 12 October)

The touring exhibition TREATY 2 U made its transition to an in-house exhibition at the Museum of Wellington. TREATY 2 U explored the events that led up to the Treaty, from first contact between M?ori and Pakeha, to the lengthy debate that occurred the night before signing.

It aimed to show that despite the controversy over the years, the Treaty of Waitangi continues to help New Zealanders understand the past, make sense of the present, and build for the future. The Museum of Wellington was pleased to offer people the opportunity to experience this significant exhibition.

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The Gallery of Helen Hitchings

-From fretful sleeper to art world giant

New Zealand International Arts Festival 2008 Exhibition

(20 February to 29 June 2008)

This feature exhibition celebrated the pioneering Wellington art dealer Helen Hitchings with a re-creation of her original gallery.

Opening her gallery in 1949, when she was just 28, Hitchings was one of the first dealers to present locally made modernist fine art in a contemporary studio-style space.

Helen Hitchings was meticulous in her approach to presenting art and her clean modernist style was faithfully replicated in this exhibition. Where the original artworks and objects could not be sourced, a silhouette indicated its location.

The exhibition catalogue is available at the Museum Shop.

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it is rocket science

(February to June 2008)

For their 60th anniversary the NZ Playcentre Association created this exhibition explaining the importance of play for young minds.

re-telling tales

Contemporary interpretations of the Museum's permanent exhibition Telling Tales by groups of various artistic disciplines:

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DIGITAL DESIGN

(November 2008 to February 2009)

Victoria University School of Design students each took a contemporary look at one event from the city?s colourful 20th century. From fake fur to arcade?style games, students created the controller that allowed the user to experience a more direct form of input than the usual computer mouse.

FOUND BENEATH THE BYPASS

(October 2007 to May 2008)

Wellington Institute of Technology (WelTec) Visual Art students presented eleven outlandish (and fictitious) objects unearthed during the excavation for Wellington's inner-city bypass.

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CONTEMPORARY TRANSLATIONS IN JEWELLERY

(Opened 14 May 2008)

Whitireia Jewellery Students present eight sculptural interpretations, each looking at one event presented in Telling Tales.

DOCUMENTARIES

(June 2008 to March 2009)

One dozen mini-documentaries devised and directed by students of the New Zealand Film & Television School.

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War In Paradise

- the unofficial story of New Zealand soldiers in New Caledonia 1942-44

(August 2007 to 27 January 2008)

The exhibition used archival photography alongside extracts from historical documents to give an insight into the experience of 20,000 New Zealanders who passed through Bourail during World War 2. Central to the exhibition design was a re-creation of the Bourail cemetary where 235 New Zealanders are buried.

The soundscape was produced by Wellington composers Plan 9, and the public programme included Wellington Repertory Theatre and Footnote Dance. The Museum also hosted the New Zealand New Caledonia Conference (23/24 Aug) in association with Victoria University & New Caledonia University.

The exhibition catalogue is available at the Museum Shop.

This exhibition toured to New Caledonia and was developed in partnership with Association Passe de Bourail, Musee de Bourail, with assistance form Archives New Zealand and was part of the New Caledonia New Zealand Festival '08.

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Alfred Mabel & Charles

a portrait from Hills Hats to Waiata Poi

(02 June to 28 July 2007)

This exhibition and concert series introduced visitors to the commercial and artistic achievements of a once famous Wellington family.

Entrepreneur Charles Hill established the nationally successful Hills Hats company while nurturing his talented children. Composer Alfred and artist Mabel thrived in the vibrant Wellington of the late 19th century.

A series of free weekend concerts accompanied the exhibition. Highlights included Alfred Hill?s celebrated compositions ?Waiata Poi? and ?Hinemoa? with performances from the Dominion String Quartet, the Wellington Chamber Orchestra and descendants of the Hill family. The Wellington Repertory Theatre also performed the gay music of Music Hall including ?The Drunkard?s Dilemma or Her Honour for a Tenpence? melodrama.

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Public Zoo - celebrating 100 years of Wellington Zoo

This exhibition recreated the magic of past visits to the Zoo. Public Zoo combined contemporary art mixed with Zoo history and artifacts. It led visitors from the entertainment of chimp tea-parties & elephant rides, to today's focus on conservation, learning and fun.

There was also an interactive imagination wall, where visitors could create their own animal, as well as a large interactive area and 'whose poo' boxes!

Re-Telling Tales - Photography by students of Massey University's School of Fine Arts

(October 2006 to May 2007)

Interpretations of the Telling Tales exhibition by invited artists. Pictured: Rebecca James' interpretation of a poster of Mary Pickford to represent the opening of the Paramount Theatre (1917).

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Fishy Art

Regional and national winners of the School Art Competition run by the Ministry of Fisheries for Sea Week 2007.
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1913 Strike - War on the Wharves

(August to December 'O6)

The exhibition of the dramatic and violent 1913 waterfront strike that began on Wellington?s wharves and attracted world attention because of its scale and intensity.

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Re-Telling Tales - Master Poets from Victoria University's International Institute of Modern Letters

(May '06 to Oct '06)

Students use poetry as a medium to interpret and re-contextualize an archival item and its story from a year in the Museum?s Telling Tales exhibition.

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Wellingtonia LIVE - winter festival 2006

(June and July '06)

This two month long festival of 72 events included dance, theatre, talks and concerts. The Museum hosted everything from the Boutique Opera to the Beat Girls, from talks on Pavlova to walks on the waterfront.

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Wellingtonia - Photographs by Julian Ward

(June and July '06)

During the festival the exhibition space was lined with evocative photographs by Julian Ward that depicted some of Wellington's curiosities and quirky moments.

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man if es to - Controversy has a positive role in architecture

An interactive exhibition from the Architecture Centre. A whole room was wallpapered with provocative text and visitors were encouraged to add their comments using post-it notes.

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Whimsical badges

A humourous look at traditional badges held in the von Kohorn Collection. The 55 intricate badges were created by the Wellington Embroiders Guild to celebrate their 40th Anniversary.

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Innocents Abroad

New Zealand International Arts Festival 2006 Exhibition

(January to June '06)

Fiji, Samoa and Tonga featured in this unique installation of photographs taken in 1884. The photographer was Alfred Burton, a passenger on board one of the first Pacific island cruises to leave Wellington.

Innocents Abroad in now touring nine major Museums throughout New Zealand.
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A Shepherd and his Ships - Maritime Art by Frank Barnes

Very little is known about Frank Barnes even though he is one of New Zealand?s most prolific maritime artists. This collection of 70 works was the most significant exhibition of maritime art by one artist ever shown in Wellington.

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Telling Tales LIVE

(June to July '05)

A two month programme of concerts, poetry & talks to celebrate the opening of a new permanent exhibition. Telling Tales explores the diversity of 20th century Wellington life and illuminates some lesser-known corners of our colourful history.

(Pictured: model of New Zealand's contemporary Parliament Building, the 'Beehive', made out of Beehive matches)
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Songs of Innocence

Official government photographer and Chief Archivist John Pascoe shares his family photo album. Pascoe used his beloved Rolleicord to snap his wife, and daughters from babyhood to their early teenage years. Songs of Innocence reveals typical New Zealand family life in the 1940s and 50s.

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Unseen Worlds

This major exhibition explored the shared ground between art and science. It was designed to provide opportunities for people to see the amazing images that scientists create in the course of their everyday work ? images of a world unseen by the naked eye.

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Colours Flying

(September to October '04)

With ?Wellington?s past and present? as the brief, six Wellington artists worked together to create striking flags that express their concepts of city and sea. The flags were displayed on existing flagpoles mounted on the Museum?s roof.

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Lodge Laughs at Wellington

Celebrating the life and works of cartoonist Neville Lodge. From 1946 to 1988, Neville Lodge helped Wellington laugh at itself with cartoons in the Evening Post and Sports Post. His work showed the city not just as windy ? but as wild and odd.

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Ringing in the Watches

(24 February to 9 May '04)

Bells have been used onboard ships for centuries but are rarely seen in an exhibition. Twenty-two historic bells from the Museum?s collection were digitally sampled and a piece of music written from their sound. They were exhibited in a unique way to create Ringing in the Watches, an exhibition of objects, music and written word.

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Three exhibitions profiling well-known Wellington personalities and displays of objects they treasure and objects they?ve chosen from the Museum?s own collection.

LIVING TREASURES III

Award winning architect Ian Athfield; dance teacher and founder of Footnote Dance Company Deirdre Tarrant; innovative cyclists the Kennett Brothers; acclaimed obstetrix specialist Dr. Diana Mason, Maori leader Dr. Ngata Love; and f ormer All Black Tana Umaga.

LIVING TREASURES II

Plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Swee Tan; photographer Ans Westra; artist Gordon Crook; double Oscar winner Richard Taylor; composer and drag queen Gareth Farr (aka Lilith); and caterer and chef Ruth Pretty.
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LIVING TREASURES I

Chef and city missioner Des Britten; innovative educator Susan Baragwanath; acclaimed Maori writer Patricia Grace; top athlete and 2001 New Zealand sportswoman of the year Melissa Moon; poet and academic Bill Manhire; and artist Michel Tuffery.

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Ten out of Ten ? Art at the Museum

Artists from Vincents Art Workshop were invited to create works inspired by the Museum?s own collection. The result was quirky and surprising, in an exhibition of drawing, painting and mixed media.

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A Catch of Characters

Fishing communities of early Wellington - Island Bay, Makara, Eastbourne, Paramata. An exploration of the unique mix of cultures, traditions and work practices that the early fishing settlers from Europe brought with them.
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Personal Choices ? Doreen Blumhardt

Personal Choices celebrates the life and works of world renowned potter and teacher, Doreen Blumhardt. For the exhibition Doreen selected more than 50 of her works to offer visitors an insight into her illustrious career. At the time of the exhibition the then 87-year old was still firing up her kiln and tackling ambitious works from her home studio.

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Green and Promised Land

(26 June to 2 November '01)

The story of the Wellington town Belt and Botanic Garden as the 'jewels in Wellington?s crown'. The exhibition explored the history and key issues surrounding this vital open space, from the early 1840s to the present day.

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The Southern Octopus

The rise and demise of the Union Steam Ship Company 1875-2000. From humble beginnings in Dunedin it become one of the largest shipping companies in the world with the largest fleet south of the equator. As New Zealand?s first multinational company its reach was so wide it was nicknamed the Southern Octopus.