Behind the scenes at the Gallery with new exhibition

A new exhibition at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū will shine a light on the often-hidden world of art archives.

Living Archives delves into the Gallery’s collection and archives, charting personal stories about art and history in Aotearoa. The exhibition explores how trends, taste, technology, politics and social norms have shaped record-keeping, and thereby how we remember and think about the past.

Ngataiharuru Taepa Te Mahara 2018. Oxides and acrylic on wood. Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, purchased 2018.

Gallery Curator Melanie Oliver says this show embraces questioning but doesn’t offer definitive answers, inviting us to reflect on artistic processes and networks, as well as how art history is written.

“Considering the archive from an art historian’s perspective offers an opportunity to consider both how art is written about, and why it is valued,” Ms Oliver says.

“We draw on the legacy of three key art historians who were based in Ōtautahi Christchurch – Jonathan Mane-Wheoki, Julie King and Karen Stevenson – examining the links between their work and the Gallery’s collections.

“Jonathan Mane-Wheoki’s influence can be traced in materials like the invoices and telegrams authorising the purchase of major works, including Edgar Degas’ Manet assis, tourné à droite, which he bought for the Gallery in 1974 and which will be on show in the exhibition.

“Karen Stevenson’s deep commitment to Pacific art has significantly enriched the Gallery’s collection. We’re showcasing several of the fifty-seven works that Karen generously donated to the Gallery alongside archival materials – such as her correspondence with artist Filipe Tohi – that illuminate the stories and cultural contexts behind the works.

“The richness of our archives is demonstrated by Julie King’s detailed notes on artists including Margaret Stoddart and Olivia Spencer Bower, which will be displayed alongside a work from Emma Fitts inspired by Olivia,” Ms Oliver says.

Christchurch Art Gallery archivist Tim Jones says visitors to the exhibition will get a behind-the-scenes look at the materials that shape curatorial decisions.

Peter Robinson Cascade 2007. Polystyrene. Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, purchased 2007

“Our archives are immense and include receipts, papers, letters, books, floppy disks and more – you name it, we’ve got it,” Mr Jones says.

“Living Archives will look somewhat different from a traditional exhibition. The aesthetic of the show is exposed and imperfect, reflecting the nature of archives themselves – always incomplete, flawed, and problematic.

“Among the highlights are hundreds of exhibition posters dating back to the 1970s, which will be displayed on a dedicated wall.

“There will also be sound recordings – waiata, stories, and conversations – showing that archives do not exist solely on paper.”

Living Archives will run until 8 March 2026.

Image: Nina Oberg Humphries Avaiki 2021. Resin, polymer clay, tapa, weed mat, plastic bags, fala, plastic woven mat, fabric, dowel, fake grapes, feathers, plastic beads, shells. Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, gift of Karen Stevenson, 2022.