Generously supported by the Edmiston Trust, the Edmiston Gallery showcases artworks from both the Museum's and the Edmiston Trust's collection plus a range of temporary exhibitions. The Gallery also tells the story of New Zealand’s worst maritime disaster in which 189 aboard the Royal Navy corvette Orpheus men lost their lives.
29 May – 8 September 2019
Meet the man at the helm of many maritime projects and uncover his curious collection from Auckland’s century-old ship chandlery. This exhibition celebrates the vision and determination of John Street – a man with a passion for preserving New Zealand’s maritime heritage. Uncover Auckland’s boating world through the wonderful wares of John Street. Peek inside his treasure trove of eclectic curiosities and discover the projects he’s steered to help shape the city of sails.
Exploring the themes of human migration and identity Kazu Nakagawa’s exquisite sculpture – a remodelled wooden Niuean outrigger canoe and 18 carved paddles, was accompanied by a richly textured composition created by Helen Bowater. Visitors could listen to the voices of more than 50 individuals, many of them belonging to migrants, sing, speak and narrate in their native language. Other content comprised DNA mapping by Andrew Caldwell and poetry by Riemke Ensing.
World Builder presented the life and work of an extraordinary self-taught artist whose work has rarely been seen outside of Wellington. Strange, mysterious and deeply inventive, Bob Gerrard’s artwork offfers a view into another world.
An installation by Jae Kang that invited visitors to touch and play - suspending the traditional museum practice of not touching exhibition objects. Using netting, rope and a range of maritime knots, Kang delivered a tactile experience, stimulating the imagination and inviting interaction.
Exploring the journeys made by migrants to New Zealand in a compelling exhibition inspired by real-life experiences. Social practice artist, Tiffany Singh, worked with Auckland Resettled Community Coalition to unpack conversations around the process of making a home in Aotearoa. An audio archive was created to record stories of joy, heartache and confusion of moving to a new land.
Powerful ethereal imagery, compelling conceptual drawings and models created by third-year students from the University of Auckland’s School of Architecture. The student's work reflected on how technology could influence the future urban landscape on the city's waterfront.
A collaboration between Ema and Kaliopate Tavola, a father-daughter duo that explored the cultural transmission of knowledge. Touching on the connections enabled by their blog, the curators also investigated the history, legends, and contemporary issues relating to Dravuni from the perspective of a ‘Kaidravuni’, one who is indigenous to the Fijian island, Dravuni. The centrepiece of the exhibition comprised a mat woven by the Dravuni community that was gifted to the Museum.
The Roots Creative Entrepreneurs Collective worked with individuals from the Waitematā Youth Collective and several mentors around a philosophy designed to empower communities to make a difference. Three groups took design inspiration from objects in the museum’s collection, to create sculptures using collected and recycled materials – including trash.
Celebrating changing beach fashions and culture from the early 1900s, this project was delivered in partnership with the New Zealand Fashion Museum. Featuring fashion made or designed in New Zealand the exhibition also charted an informal history of our fashion industry in a local and global context.
A selection of paintings by W. W. Stewart (1898-1976) and photographs capturing the romance of the era when steam ferries once operated on the Waitematā Harbour.
