New Zealand Portrait Gallery facts for kids
New Zealand Portrait Gallery at Shed 11
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Location | Shed 11, Queen's Wharf, Wellington Waterfront |
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata is a special art gallery located in the Shed 11 building on the waterfront in Wellington, New Zealand. It's a place where you can see amazing portraits of people who have made a difference in New Zealand.
Contents
How the Gallery Started
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery began in 1990. It was set up as a charitable trust, which means it's a group that works for the public good, not for profit. In 2005, the gallery hired its first full-time director, Avenal McKinnon. She helped the gallery's collection grow a lot, from just six artworks to over 200! After she left in 2014, Gaelen Macdonald became the director. Later, in 2017, Jaenine Parkinson took on the role.
Where to Find the Gallery
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery has its main home and exhibition space in a building called Shed 11. This building is very old and important, built way back in 1904–1905. It's located on Wellington's Queens Wharf, right by the water. William Ferguson, a chief engineer, designed this historic building. In 1985, Shed 11 was turned into a gallery. The New Zealand Portrait Gallery moved in and got a long-term lease for the building in 2010.
What You Can See: The Collection
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery has a collection of portraits. These are paintings, sculptures, or photos of people. All the artworks are either by New Zealand artists or show important New Zealanders.
- You can see portraits of famous people like Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to climb Mount Everest.
- There's also Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, a world-famous opera singer.
- You might see Sir Peter Blake, a legendary sailor.
- And Janet Frame, a very well-known writer.
In 2014, the gallery asked a New Zealand artist named Nick Cuthell to paint a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. He painted it while she was sitting right there! Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, helped to show the portrait for the first time at Government House in Wellington. After that, it was proudly displayed at the gallery in Shed 11.
You can also explore many of the gallery's artworks online. Just visit their website here to see more.
Special Awards
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery also hosts two special competitions every two years. These are called biennial awards.
- The Adam Portraiture Award is for artists who create amazing portraits.
- The Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award celebrates portraits that show Māori people and culture.
