NEWS

100 + Challenge for our Gallery Collection

Last year our Committee willingly took up the ‘100+ Challenge’ a unique fundraiser for the Gallery which took place quietly behind the scenes. Each committee member was given $100 dollars and tasked with the goal of bringing back to the Gallery a $100 plus more dollars in two months’ time. Each individual approached the challenge uniquely, they worked together and on their own, they hosted events, use their creative talents and sales skills all to maximise a profit. Their outstanding efforts are soon to make a real difference for two significant works own by the community in the Gallery Collection.

They raised an incredible total of $2700! which will be used to provide conservation work and reframing for Rudolf Gopas, The Trawlers and Philip Clairmont, The Chair. These works have not been on public display for some time due to their fragile and unstable condition. Both works have an interesting background as they were gifted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade as part of the New Zealand government repatriation artworks to New Zealand that had been housed in New Zealand consulates around the world. These are two of 59 works in total that were gifted to publicly funded museums and galleries in New Zealand during the Clark Government in 2001. They were gifted at a time when the Ashburton Art Gallery was establishing a formal art collection.

We hope to have the artworks on display for you to enjoy again once conservation work has been completed by Painting Conservator Olivia Pitts later this month.