Dowse Art Museum

Lower Hutt art museum

Dowse Art Museum

Established| 1971
Location| Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Website| dowse.org.nz
Detail of a poupou by Rangi Hetet hanging in The Dowse Art Museum. One of a pair of poupou commissioned by the museum on their fifth anniversary in 1975. The poupou are carved wooden figures with inset pāua shell eyes. This figure represents Te Puni. One of Paul Dibble's 'Swimmers in Space' in front of The Dowse Art Gallery

The Dowse Art Museum is a municipal art gallery in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.[1]

Opening in 1971 in the Lower Hutt CBD,[2] The Dowse occupies a stand-alone building adjacent to other municipal facilities. The building was completely remodelled in 2013.[3] The Dowse's holdings generally focus on New Zealand artists of both national and local significance.

## History

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The Dowse Art Museum is named after Mayor Percy and Mayoress Mary Dowse, both of whom died prior to the museum opening. Percy Dowse served as the mayor of Hutt City from 1950 to 1970. He was a firm believer in the principle of having physical, social, and cultural facilities in modern cities and he initiated a building phase in the city that saw the construction of landmark buildings such as the War Memorial Library, the Lower Hutt Town Hall, and the Ewen Bridge. He championed the addition of an art gallery to the building spree. His wife, Mary Dowse, was the first president of the Hutt Valley National Council of Women.[4] She was also an ardent supporter of the arts. She teamed up with Elizabeth Harper from The Hutt Art Society, and the duo lobbied the City Council. They succeeded in their endeavor when, in 1963, the Council agreed to provide space for an art gallery. The gallery was originally housed in an extension of the War Memorial Library but after Mary died in a road accident in 1964 the City Council made a unanimous decision to honour her by constructing a new building for the art gallery. The museum was only partially completed when Percy died in 1970.[5]

### Directors

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* David Millar was the founding director, heading the museum 1971–1976. He set the direction of the institution, including buying ceramics and decorative arts.[6][7][8][9]
* Jim Barr was director 1976–1981.[6][9] Under his watch the Dowse's controversial work, Colin McCahon’s Wall of Death was acquired.[10][11]
* James Mack was director 1981–1988.[6][9]
* Bob Maysmor was director 1988–1998.[6][9]
* Tim Walker was director 1998–2008.[6][9]
* Cam McCracken was director 2008–2012, having had roles at Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts and the Auckland Art Gallery in Auckland and the Waikato Museum of Art and History.[12] He left to become director of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.[13]
* Courtney Johnston was director 2012[14]–2018,[15] after roles at the National Library of New Zealand and Boost New Media where she worked in communications and web roles.[14] In 2019 she was appointed chief executive of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.[16]
* Karl Chitham started as director January 2019,[17] having been the director of Tauranga Art Gallery.

## Holdings

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Holdings include national figures such as Ralph Hotere, Colin McCahon, Don Peebles and Gordon Walters[18] as well as locally connected, nationally significant, artists as Rangi Hetet,[2] Rangimārie Hetet,[19] Gordon Crook and Hariata Ropata-Tangahoe. There have been strong exhibitions of modern Maori and Pacific artists and issues.[20][21] The Dowse has a bust of Carmen Rupe by Paul Rayner[22][23] and significant collections of jewelry by Alan Preston.[24][25]

## Significant exhibitions

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* Casting Light – Ann Robinson – 1998[26][27]
* Thrift to Fantasy – Rosemary McLeod – 2003[28]
* Respect – Hip Hop Aotearoa – DLT, Upper Hutt Posse, Doug and Joella Wright, and Chris Graham, aka Science – 2003[29][30]
* Fruits Tokyo Street Style – Shoichi Aoki – 2004[31][32][33]
* Bill Viola: The Messenger 2010 [34]
* Legacy: The Art of Rangi Hetet and Erenora Puketapu-Hetet \- 2016. Included kākahu (cloaks) woven by Dame Rangimārie Hetet, Lillian Smallman Hetet and Veranoa Hetet.[35][36][37][38][39][40][41]
* Gavin Hipkins: The Domain – 2017–2018[42][43][44][45]

## References

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1. ^ "The Dowse – Wellington places – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
2. ^ a b "Our History – The Dowse Art Museum". Newdowse.org.nz. 5 October 2008. Archived from the original on 17 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
3. ^ "The New Dowse Art Museum / Athfield Architects" 19 September 2013. ArchDaily. Accessed 7 November 2013. http://www.archdaily.com/?p=428705
4. ^ Pierce, Jill (1995). The Suffrage Trail. Wellington: National Council of Women New Zealand (NCWNZ). p. 105\. ISBN 0-473-03150-7.
5. ^ "Our History". Hutt City Council. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
6. ^ a b c d e "Ruby: A 40 Year Love Affair with The Dowse | The Dowse Art Museum". Dowse.org.nz. 14 August 2011. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
7. ^ "The Dowse turns 40 – capital-life – dominion-post". Stuff. 15 May 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
8. ^ Bhonsule, Priyanka (10 May 2011). "Dowse looks back on 40 years". Stuff. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
9. ^ a b c d e "The History of The Dowse – EyeContact". Eyecontactsite.com. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
10. ^ Arts : Colin McCahon : a great oracle Listener, 21 March 1987; v.115 n.2456:p.30-31 http://innz.natlib.govt.nz/vwebv/holdingsInfo?bibId=22073 Archived 17 March 2015 at archive.today
11. ^ "Index New Zealand Holdings Information". Innz.natlib.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
12. ^ Resumes by Name. "Dowse director Cam McCracken | The Big Idea | Te Aria Nui". The Big Idea. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
13. ^ "Could not refuse job at 'amazing' gallery | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News". Odt.co.nz. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
14. ^ a b Simon Edwards (11 September 2012). "Courtney Johnston can't wait to start at Dowse". Stuff. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
15. ^ "Leadership appointments bring new expertise to Te Papa". www.scoop.co.nz. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
16. ^ "Appointment of Te Papa's New Chief Executive". 18 December 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
17. ^ "We have a new Director | The Dowse Art Museum". dowse.org.nz. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
18. ^ "Drawing Conclusions – The Dowse Art Museum". Newdowse.org.nz. 30 May 2010. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
19. ^ Putaranui, Atawhai. "Rangimarie Hetet". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
20. ^ "Graffiti artist, Wellington, 2004 – Creative life – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
21. ^ "Plastic Māori – Ngā tuakiri hōu – new Māori identities – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
22. ^ thedowse (16 February 2012). "Crate Expectations | The Dowse Blog". Thedowse.wordpress.com. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
23. ^ "Tijdlijnfoto's – The Dowse Art Museum". Facebook. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
24. ^ Klimt02. "Between Tides: Jewellery by Alan Preston jewellery design publications". Klimt02. Retrieved 27 January 2014.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
25. ^ "Kauri Seed Necklace/Lei; Preston, Alan; 2006; 2007/5/5 – The Dowse Art Museum on NZMuseums". Nzmuseums.co.nz. 5 May 2007. Archived from the original on 9 March 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
26. ^ "Ann Robinson". Masterworks Gallery. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
27. ^ "Jonathan Grant Galleries – Ann ROBINSON ONZM". Artis-jgg.co.nz. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
28. ^ "Thrift to Fantasy – The Dowse Art Museum". Newdowse.org.nz. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
29. ^ "'Disrupt the System'; Ewok, Gasp, Deus, Prompt & Sens; 2002; 2003/2/1 – The Dowse Art Museum on NZMuseums". Nzmuseums.co.nz. 17 August 1920. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
30. ^ "Respect – Hip Hop Aotearoa – The Dowse Art Museum". Newdowse.org.nz. 2 June 2003. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
31. ^ nzgirl (22 March 2004). "Tokyo Style Revolution". nzgirl. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
32. ^ Melanie Swalwell (9 May 2004). "Introduction: 'Asian' Media Arts in/and New Zealand | NZETC". Nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
33. ^ "Art New Zealand". Art New Zealand. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
34. ^ "Bill Viola: The Messenger". www.dowse.org.nz. 2010. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
35. ^ "Legacy: The Art of Rangi Hetet and Erenora Puketapu-Hetet | The Dowse Art Museum". dowse.org.nz. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
36. ^ "Exhibition Celebrates the Legacy of Excellence | The Dowse Art Museum". dowse.org.nz. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
37. ^ The Dowse Art Museum, Legacy: The Art Of Rangi Hetet and Erenora Puketapu-Hetet, retrieved 10 January 2019
38. ^ "Legacy: The Art of Rangi Hetet and Erenora Puketapu-Hetet". www.hetetschoolofmaoriart.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
39. ^ "Weaving love and art". Stuff. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
40. ^ "Waiwhetu couple's huge impact on Maori art scene marked at the Dowse". Stuff. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
41. ^ Puketapu-Hetet, Erenora (1989). Māori weaving. Lower Hutt. ISBN 978-0-473-37129-6. OCLC 974620127.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
42. ^ "Gavin Hipkins: The Domain | The Dowse Art Museum". dowse.org.nz. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
43. ^ "Gavin Hipkins - Tourist of photography". Radio New Zealand. 18 November 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
44. ^ "The Only Show in Town | City Gallery Wellington". citygallery.org.nz. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
45. ^ "Unmissable moments – Gavin Hipkins: The Domain | The Dowse Art Museum". dowse.org.nz. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2019.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dowse Art Museum.

* Official website
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