Tag Archives: Auckland

News from Loans: Where to see Te Papa collection items

15 October 2012 – 12.40pm

Over the next little while I am going to let you know where you will see Te Papa’s collection items on display at other places. Today I am going to let you know where to see some of the items in our history collection in Northland and Auckland.

Anchor, circa 1760, France. Maker unknown. Gift of Kelly Tarlton, 1974. Te Papa

Anchor, circa 1760, France. Maker unknown. Gift of Kelly Tarlton, 1974. Te Papa

If you are in Kaitaia be sure to visit the Far North Regional Museum to see the de Surville anchor.  The anchor is one of three that were lost from the French vessel Saint Jean Baptiste, captained by Jean François Marie de Surville, in Doubtless Bay, Northland in 1769 and one of two that were recovered in 1974.  Both anchors are enormously significant to New Zealand’s history being the earliest authentic European objects found in New Zealand.  If you are ever in Wellington you can see the second anchor high on the wall above the entry foyer at Te Papa.

To find out more about the anchors go to Te Papa’s Collection Online

When visiting Auckland Museum you will see an articulated skeleton of a Minke Whale in their Oceans Gallery.  It’s not that often you see a whale skeleton and when you do it surprises you with how big it is.  This skeleton is about 7 meters in length and suspended from the ceiling so don’t forget to look up!  I’m sorry I don’t have a photograph of it but you can find out more about the Oceans Gallery on the Auckland Museum website.

At Voyager: New Zealand Maritime Museum in Auckland you will see two of Te Papa’s collection items. 

Lifeboat (ship’s gig), circa 1890, New Zealand. Maker unknown. Gift of the Department of Lands and Survey, 1973. Te Papa

Lifeboat (ship’s gig), circa 1890, New Zealand. Maker unknown. Gift of the Department of Lands and Survey, 1973. Te Papa

The first is the Auckland Islands lifeboat.  In the nineteenth century the New Zealand Government set up a number of depots to aid shipwreck survivors.  This lifeboat was recovered from the depot on Adams Island in 1973 when the depots were no longer needed.

NZL 32, 1993 - 1995, Auckland. Davidson, Laurie, Peterson, Doug, McMullen & Wing Ltd, Southern Spars. Gift of Team New Zealand Limited, 2003. Te Papa

NZL 32, 1993 – 1995, Auckland. Davidson, Laurie, Peterson, Doug, McMullen & Wing Ltd, Southern Spars. Gift of Team New Zealand Limited, 2003. Te Papa

The second Te Papa item is the iconic NZL32 – the New Zealand yacht that won the America’s Cup in San Diego in 1995.  NZL32, or Black Magic as it is otherwise known,  is the centrepiece of the exhibition Blue Water Black Magic.  The exhibition is a tribute to Sir Peter Blake who captained the yacht and led the sailing campaign.

You can learn more about the exhibition on the Voyager website.

Four-poster bed, circa 1870. Maker unknown. Te Papa

Four-poster bed, circa 1870. Maker unknown. Te Papa

By jumping on a ferry and visiting Kawau Island you can see Governor Grey’s bed in the beautiful Mansion House.  Kawau Island was purchased by Sir George Grey in 1862 and he spent a fortune remodelling the house, planting the garden and introducing many exotic and native animals.

Learn more about Mansion House

Next time I will tell you about history collection items in the Wellington region.

By Jo Torr | Posted in Borrowing and Lending, Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)

News from Loans: What to see this month

7 September 2012 – 1.59pm

 Have you ever been curious about where Te Papa lends its collection items?  Well…. 

 If you are in Auckland then trot along to Objectspace to see 43 pieces of jewellery by Kobi Bosshard in the latest in the Objectspace Masters of Craft series exhibition.  Kobi Bosshard: Objectspace Masters of Craft opens to the public on Saturday 8 September 2012 and you have until 17 November 2012 to enjoy it.  If you are in Ponsonby at 11am on Saturday 27 September 2012 you have the opportunity to hear Justine Olsen, Curator Contemporary Decorative Arts at Te Papa talking about why Te Papa acquired a significant collection of Kobi Bosshard works, many of which feature in this exhibition.

Brooch, circa 1988, Dunedin. Bosshard, Kobi. Purchased 2002. Te Papa

 If you are in Wellington take the opportunity to see Te Papa collection items in one or both of the following exhibitions.

 The exhibition at the Adam Art Galley at Victoria University of Wellington titled Peripheral Relations: Marcel Duchamp and New Zealand Art 1960-2011 features 24 works from Te Papa’s collections.  Two of these works are by Marcel Duchamp himself.  They came to New Zealand as part of a bequest from Judge Julius Isaacs of New York, in 1983.  Judge Julius and his wife, Betty, knew Duchamp and one of my favourite works is the ‘readymade’ waistcoat that features personalised buttons that spell “B E T T Y”

Portrait of my wife (red scarf). Isaacs, Julius. Bequest of Judge Julius Isaacs, New York, 1983. Te Papa

 At Pataka: Porirua Museum of Arts & Cultures you can see the exquisite bird-shaped, scissor-like, jade implements from Te Papa’s collection in the exhibition Joe Sheehan: Stone Works 2002-2012. This exhibition opened on 25 August 2012 and you have until 25 November 2012 to visit.  It is definitely worth it!

“Final Cut” Assemblage, 2006, Wellington. Sheehan, Joe. Te Papa

 If you are in Dunedin you can see two of Te Papa’s paintings by A H O’Keeffe in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery exhibition A.H. O’Keeffe: Light in the Shadows.  The exhibition opens later in the month on 29 September 2012 and closes on to 9 December 2012.  Alfred O’Keeffe (1858-1941) is known for his spirited brushwork, explorations of light, and meditations on the passing of time. His works encompass portraiture, genre, still life and landscape.

The broken vase, 1929, Dunedin. O’Keeffe, A. H. Purchased 1972 with Ellen Eames Collection funds. Te Papa

 

Charlie, 1937, Dunedin. O’Keeffe, A. H. Gift of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, 1938. Te Papa

 

By Jo Torr | Posted in Borrowing and Lending | Also tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Report from our latest book launch

15 April 2010 – 5.42pm

Antonia Prebble launched our newest Te Papa Press book New Zealand Fashion Design by Angela Lassig on Thursday night at the Grand Tearoom at the Heritage in Auckland.  That amazing piece of Queen City retro looked all the more beautiful decked out in the A1 poster blowups from the book and so did all the dollies (thanks again, Purfex), dressed museum-style in archival garments loaned by the designers. (Thanks to all 25 of you.) 

Early guests admire the garments on display

Garments on display at The Grand Tearoom, in the Heritage Hotel, Auckland

Te Papa Press Publisher Claire Murdoch with authors Peter Shand and Angela Lassig and MC Antonia Prebble

Te Papa Press Publisher Claire Murdoch with authors Peter Shand and Angela Lassig and MC Antonia Prebble

It must be said that the real people looked pretty fine too! As a big book geek I was delighted by the great turnout of industry supporters and designers. Murray Crane, Liz and Neville Findlay from Zambesi, Benny from WORLD, Doris de Pont, Tanya Carlson, Kate Sylvester, Adrian Hailwood, Cybele Wiren, Kylie from Stitch Ministry, Beth Ellery, James Dobson, Liz Mitchell –- we only got to talk to some of you and a few more sadly couldn’t make it, but we salute you all, all over again, for your inspiring creative and entrepreneurial work.

Angela Lassig, Liz Findlay (Zambesi – featured designer in ‘New Zealand Fashion Design’) and Colin Mathura-Jefree

Angela Lassig, Liz Findlay (Zambesi – featured designer in ‘New Zealand Fashion Design’) and Colin Mathura-Jefree

Kate Sylvester (featured designer in New Zealand Fashion Design’), author Angela Lassig and Wayne Conway

Kate Sylvester (featured designer in New Zealand Fashion Design’), author Angela Lassig and Wayne Conway

Now the impossible has been achieved (book made, outfits chosen, Auckland and Wellington united in creativity and celebration, all that crème de cassis and bubbles…gone) and now that our 5kg baby is out in the world, it’s even better to see all the online discussion about the book and its contents – keep it coming, critics and watchers!

Book review by Isaac Likes
Quick note on Front Row Diary
Preparing for the event, Pilot Magazine
Preparing for the event, by fashion loaf
Fashion Heritage, on thread.co.nz
Angela Lassig interviewed in TV One’s Good Morning
A celebration of fashion in New Zealand, on The A List

Staff at the Unity Books stand, selling ‘New Zealand Fashion Design’ to eager readers

Staff at the Unity Books stand, selling ‘New Zealand Fashion Design’ to eager readers

Adrian Hailwood (featured designer in ‘New Zealand Fashion Design’), Bronwyn Illingworth and Josh Kronfeld

Adrian Hailwood (featured designer in ‘New Zealand Fashion Design’), Bronwyn Illingworth and Josh Kronfeld

See more great photos of the event on Te Papa’s Flickr site

It’s awfully true that we couldn’t fit in all the great designers we wanted to — and some essential names are getting named — but we at Te Papa Press believe in compost, so the feedback’s great for the next time.

Claire Murdoch, Publisher, Te Papa Press

Buy the book from Te Papa Store
Attend Talking Fashion, a series of conversations with New Zealand fashion designers
Learn more about the book

By Te Papa | Posted in Events, Fashion, Te Papa Press | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Porcupine fish on Petone foreshore

19 August 2009 – 2.04pm

I had a call yesterday from Wellington’s Dominion Post newspaper needing an expert to identify some fish found washed up on the Petone foreshore.  Andrew Stewart, Te Papa’s fishes collection manager, identified them as porcupine fish - you can view the article here.

Porcupine fish Allomycterus pilatus, NMNZ P.35109; 185mm SL. Photo: A. Stewart, Te Papa.

Porcupine fish Allomycterus pilatus, NMNZ P.35109; 185mm SL. Photo: A. Stewart, Te Papa.

Andrew says that the porcupine fish lives around in-shore reefs, especially along our northern coasts where divers commonly see it underwater.  Most specimens are captured accidentally by dragnets or found dead on the beach, but occasional specimens are caught by recreational anglers.

 Porcupine fish are related to pufferfishes, and have a similar ability to blow themselves up like a ball by swallowing water (or air), which makes the spines stand out erect from the body.  Though this makes it hard for predators to swallow them, Andrew says that he has found porcupine fish in the stomachs of long-snouted lancets.

The toxin common to the fish in this family is tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin that can cause paralysis and death in a very short timeframe. This has also been found in sea slugs found recently on Auckland’s Eastern beaches and was reported to have been the cause of death of two dogs.  So heed the warning and DO NOT TOUCH!

We have specimens of porcupine fish in Te Papa’s collection but, for me, the most intriguing is the puffer fish helmet in the Pacific collection.

Puffer fish helmet, 1900s, maker unknown. © Te Papa.

Puffer fish helmet, 1900s, maker unknown. © Te Papa.

The helmet is part of a war costume from Kiribati and was collected by Albert Ellis and his wife in the 1930s and gifted to the museum by their grand-daughter.

A warrior kitted out in this would have made a fearful sight, but the helmet wouldn’t have given the wearer much protection against weapons like these!

Rere (hand weapon), maker unknown, Kiribati, part of the Oldman Collection.© Te Papa.

Rere (hand weapon), maker unknown, Kiribati, part of the Oldman Collection.© Te Papa.

See more of Te Papa’s fish and Pacific collections on Collections Online.

By janekeig | Posted in Collections Online, Fish, Pacific | Also tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Black Magic hits the waters one last time…

5 August 2009 – 4.05pm

Well … kind of!  NZL 32 aka Black Magic will be barged tomorrow morning from Team New Zealand’s shed in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour to its new home within the National Maritime Museum’s Blue Water Black Magic – A Tribute to Sir Peter Blake exhibition, opening in December this year.

The new exhibition wing at the National Maritime Museum, Auckland. ©NMM Collection.

The new exhibition wing at the National Maritime Museum, Auckland. ©NMM Collection.

Black Magic is the yacht that Sir Peter Blake and Team New Zealand won the America’s Cup with in San Diego in 1995 – a win that thrilled all New Zealanders who welcomed the team home with tickertape parades across the country (I still have Sir Peter and Russell Coutts’ autographs from the parade in Dunedin!)

Sir Peter Blake and friends opening Te Papa in 1998.©Te Papa

Sir Peter Blake and friends opening Te Papa in 1998.©Te Papa

 It was Sir Peter’s wish that NZL 32 become part of the national collection and, in 2003, the yacht was gifted to Te Papa.  Since that time, Te Papa and the National Maritime Museum have worked together to develop a fitting tribute to Sir Peter’s contribution to New Zealand yachting.

 The National Maritime Museum have also started a blog detailing the development of the exhibition and behind the scenes insights  as it is installed.

You can watch the yacht being moved into its new home on TVNZ’s Breakfast programme with Tamati Coffey reporting live from the Maritime Museum from 6am tomorrow.

By janekeig | Posted in Exhibitions | Also tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)
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