Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the collection galleries closed?
The original configuration of the collection galleries, designed when the Gallery opened in 2003, was intended to last for just five years. Although the works on display have been regularly changed, the time has arrived to refresh the spaces themselves. The need for a reconfiguration of the collection galleries was confirmed in the Paradigm Shift, a Council-led review of the Gallery in 2006, in response to public feedback. The new exhibition, Brought to Light: A New View of the Collection, will offer visitors a new way of viewing many of the spectacular works of art in the Gallery’s collection.
How long will they be closed for?
Four months. The upstairs collection galleries closed on 26 July and will reopen again in late November. The exact opening date is yet to be announced.
What will happen to the works currently on display?
Most will be returned to their back-of-house storage locations. The Exhibitions and Collections team will ensure all works are condition-checked and safely hung or crated back in their appropriate store.
A small selection of the public's favourite works of art from the collection can be seen upstairs in Gembox, as well as in White on White.
What will the new collection galleries look like?
The Gallery’s team of curators has selected more than 300 works of art to be displayed in Brought to Light: A New View of the Collection. Visitors can expect to see new acquisitions sitting side-by-side with old favourites. Long vistas will combine with more intimate spaces. A series of rooms will open up around a central arcade in which some of our most significant collection works will be displayed, with strong visual conversations taking place across the corridor and down its length.
How can I keep up to date with progress?
Check our website at www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz for regular updates, including photographs of what’s happening behind the scenes. You can also sign up online for our regular eNewsletter.
Will there be anything to see at the Gallery while the upstairs galleries are closed?
Absolutely! While the collection galleries temporarily close, there is still plenty of art on display for visitors to enjoy, including three high-profile exhibitions, Séraphine Pick, et al.: that's obvious! that's right! that's true! and Ronnie van Hout: Who goes there.
Gary Hill: Up Against Down runs until 23 August and White on White runs until 15 November, while Outer Spaces is an ongoing programme featuring works of art in spaces above and beyond the exhibition galleries. Cloud9 runs from 29 August to 8 November.
It's all very contemporary downstairs. Can I still see any of my favourite works from the collection?
Yes. Visitors can keep in touch with some old favourites in Gembox, a show of ten gems from the collection, during the refreshment of the collection galleries. Gembox will be on display until the middle of November.
