
Andrew Paul Wood
It is with this in mind that I peruse Auckland Art Gallery’s Art Toi, which sets itself up as a kind of overview of art by and about New Zealand: from Isaac Gilsemans, who sailed with Tasman, right up to the present day, as seen through the lens of AAG’s collections. One feels that this might be a slightly piqued riposte to Te Papa’s 2009 Art at Te Papa, part of those two institutions’ long-running rivalry, but it is also a clarion announcement of AAG’s concluded refurbishment and reopening. Despite a certain inevitable geographical bias, Art Toi manages remarkably well at being representative (Canterbury regionalist Bill Sutton finally ascends to deserved national relevance), largely due to the excellence of Auckland’s collections and to being edited by the knowledgeable Ron Brownson of AAG’s curatorium.
ANDREW PAUL WOOD is Christchurch-based writer and art critic who reviews for a range of publications. He is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Canterbury, and a sometime tutor there in art history and academic style.
Leave a Reply