Tauranga art gallery in line for indigenous art

New Tauranga Art Gallery director Karl Chitham. Photo/Andrew Warner.

Tauranga Art Gallery could host major indigenous exhibitions featuring works by Australian Aboriginal and Canada First Nation artists.

It follows the selection of gallery director Karl Chitham as one of four Maori to take part in a First Nations curators' exchange programme.

The first get-together of gallery experts from New Zealand, Australia and Canada happens later this month at the Queensland Art Gallery's flagship exhibition of contemporary art from the Asia/Pacific region.

Mr Chitham (Ngapuhi) said the First Nations Cultural Exchange was about developing relationships, exchanging ideas and better understanding how to present indigenous works to international audiences. The curators will explore each other's cultural practices, culminating in the development of a foundation to cement long-term goals.

Mr Chitham applied to Creative New Zealand to take part in the cultural exchange programme, which will see New Zealand hosting Aboriginal curators in 2016.

Benefits included the prospect of bringing projects by Aboriginal and First Nation artists to Tauranga. He said it was also an opportunity for the Tauranga Art Gallery to raise its profile in the Asia/Pacific region.

"It's developing an awareness between institutions and professionals and developing projects with these institutions."

As well as attracting projects to Tauranga, the gallery could send some of its exhibitions to galleries associated with the exchange programme.

"It is about what connections you can make. We will be building networks to make projects happen," Mr Chitham said.

The gallery was already looking at sending the first major show by a Tauranga carver to Canada, where his high quality work was sought after by collectors. "He is more well known over there than here."

The exchange takes place from November 19 to 25.

Karl Chitham's career highlights:
Exhibitions and programme co-ordinator, Whakatane Museum
Curator of Waikato University's art collection
Curator of Art, Rotorua Museum of Art and History
Director of Tauranga Art Gallery