Current home of the Academy, the Wharf Offices building

The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts (also referred to as the Wellington Art Society) was founded in Wellington in July 1882 as The Fine Arts Association of New Zealand.[1] Founding artists included painters William Beetham (first president of the Association) and Charles Decimus Barraud.[1] The association changed its name to the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts and was incorporated as a limited company in 1889.[2][3] Charles Barraud was elected the Academy's president at its first AGM on 1 July 1889.[4]

The Governor-General of New Zealand is the traditional patron of the Academy.

Galleries

The Academy was granted a section of reclaimed land on Whitmore Street by the government, and its premises were constructed there in 1892.[5] Architects involved in the building's design were Academy members Christian Toxward and Frederick de Jersey Clere.[6] The building was used for the Academy's exhibitions and made available for hire as a source of revenue.[7] It was later opened to the public as The Academy Free Art Gallery by Wellington mayor Thomas William Hislop, on 14 June 1907.[8] Extensions to the gallery building, funded by grants from the government and the Macarthy Trust and by a loan from the National Bank, were designed by de Jersey Clere and another architect named Baun.[9] The building ultimately proved unsatisfactory and, after protracted discussions within the Academy membership and negotiations with the government, the Academy decided to sell its land and gallery and put the proceeds towards the cost of constructing a national art gallery, in exchange for permanent accommodation in the new gallery. The Reserves and other Lands Disposal Act 1928[10] was passed to permit the sale and donation to go ahead, and in 1936 the Academy sold the Whitmore Street property and donated the proceeds to the new Dominion Museum and National Art Gallery of New Zealand, on the proviso that they would be accommodated in the new Dominion Museum building on Buckle Street.[11]

When the National Museum and the National Art Gallery of New Zealand moved to Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa the Academy was paid compensation of $1.2 million to enable it to establish itself elsewhere.[12][13] The Academy has been based in the Wharf Offices building at 1 Queens Wharf since 1998.[14] The refurbishment of the building for the Academy in 2000 won the architects Heriot + Melhuish the New Zealand Institute of Architects award 2001.[15]

Exhibitors

Artists who have exhibited their work at the Academy include Gottfried Lindauer, Frances Hodgkins, Charles Goldie, Rita Angus, Ralph Hotere and John Drawbridge.[14]

Collection

The Academy's Whitmore Street property had housed the national art collection as well as the Academy's permanent collection. During the transition to the new National Art Gallery all art belonging to the Academy was transferred into the national collection, despite some opposition.[16]

Officers

President[17]
Year(s) Name Notes
1882-1884 William Beetham First President of the Fine Arts Association of New Zealand
1884-1889 Charles Decimus Barraud
1889-1898 Charles Decimus Barraud First President of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts
1898-1907 Dr Walter Fell
1907-1911 H S Wardell
1911-1919 H M Gore
1919-1923,

1929-1931

T Shailer Weston
1923-1927 E W Hunt
1927-1931 C Wilson
1931-1932 George Troup
1932-1938 D A Ewen
1938-1949 G G Gibbes Watson
1949-1963 W S Wauchop
1963-1967 J O Mercer
1967-1971 R J Waghorn
1971-1974 Ian F Calder
1974-1988 Brian S Carmody[18]
-2014 Ian Hamlin[14]
2014–present Greg Chaston[14]

Fellows

The council of the Academy bestows the Governor-General's Award periodically to an artist who is a member of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, and who has made a significant contribution to the arts in New Zealand over an extended period of time. A maximum of one award is made in any given year. The recipient also becomes a fellow of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. The list of fellowships awarded to date is shown below.[19]

Year Name Notes
1983 Evelyn Page Inaugural award[20]
1984 Bill Sutton
1985 Peter McIntyre
1986 Brian Brake
1988 Roy Cowan
1989 John Drawbridge
1990 Doris Lusk
1991 Doreen Blumhardt
1992 Rangimarie Hetet
1993 Raymond Boyce
1994 Shona McFarlane
1996 Tui McLauchlan
2000 Philip Markham
2003 Mirek Smíšek
2004 Nahleen Markham Honorary award[21]
2006 Avis Higgs
2007 Robin Kay
2009 Jeanne Macaskill
2017 Michael Browne[22]

References

  1. ^ a b Kay, Robin; Eden, Tony (1983). Portrait of a Century: The History of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 1882-1982. Millwood Press Ltd. pp. 16–17. ISBN 0908582609.
  2. ^ "Town & Country". New Zealand Mail. Issue 898: 20. May 17, 1889 – via Papers Past. ((cite journal)): |volume= has extra text (help)
  3. ^ "The Gazette". New Zealand Mail. Issue 892: 31. April 5, 1889 – via Papers Past. ((cite journal)): |volume= has extra text (help)
  4. ^ Kay, Robin; Eden, Tony (1983). Portrait of a Century: The History of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 1882-1982. Millwood Press Ltd. p. 25. ISBN 0908582609.
  5. ^ Kay, Robin; Eden, Tony (1983). Portrait of a Century: The History of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 1882-1982. Millwood Press Ltd. p. 27. ISBN 0908582609.
  6. ^ Kay, Robin; Eden, Tony (1983). Portrait of a Century: The History of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 1882-1982. Millwood Press Ltd. pp. 26–27. ISBN 0908582609.
  7. ^ Kay, Robin; Eden, Tony (1983). Portrait of a Century: The History of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 1882-1982. Millwood Press Ltd. p. 28. ISBN 0908582609.
  8. ^ Kay, Robin; Eden, Tony (1983). Portrait of a Century: The History of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 1882-1982. Millwood Press Ltd. p. 51. ISBN 0908582609.
  9. ^ Kay, Robin; Eden, Tony (1983). Portrait of a Century: The History of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 1882-1982. Millwood Press Ltd. p. 67. ISBN 0908582609.
  10. ^ "Reserves and other Lands Disposal Act 1928". Section 10, Act No. 1928 No 46 of 9 October 1928. The New Zealand Parliament.
  11. ^ Kay, Robin; Eden, Tony (1983). Portrait of a Century: The History of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 1882-1982. Millwood Press Ltd. p. 102. ISBN 0908582609.
  12. ^ "Dominion Museum". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
  13. ^ "Windy Whitmore St's links to the justice system". Stuff. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
  14. ^ a b c d Cardy, Tom (December 18, 2014). "Cutting it fine: Academy of Fine Arts rebuilds". Stuff. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
  15. ^ "New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts". Graham Ford + Partners. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  16. ^ Kay, Robin; Eden, Tony (1983). Portrait of a Century: The History of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 1882-1982. Millwood Press Ltd. pp. 95–101. ISBN 0908582609.
  17. ^ Kay, Robin; Eden, Tony (1983). Portrait of a Century: The History of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts 1882-1982. Millwood Press Ltd. pp. 193–198. ISBN 0908582609.
  18. ^ Manson, Bess (December 17, 2016). "A Life Story - Watercolourist Brian Carmody dies". Stuff. Retrieved 2020-02-06.
  19. ^ "Fellowship". New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  20. ^ "Evelyn Page - Seven Decades". Bulletin (The Robert McDougall Art Gallery) (48). Christchurch City Council: 2. November–December 1986. ISSN 0111-1426 – via Christchurch Art Gallery.
  21. ^ Dekker, Diana (July 12, 2010). "Destined to live life as a dancer". Stuff. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
  22. ^ "Governor-General Art Award 2017 Winner - Michael Browne". www.scoop.co.nz. Wellington. November 3, 2017. Retrieved 2020-02-06.

External links

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