28 Nov 2012

Maori panel for Hundertwasser building appointed

9:04 am on 28 November 2012

Whangarei District Council has appointed eight eminent Maori scholars and artists as advisors for its Hundertwasser Art Centre project.

The council has committed $8 million towards building the centre which is based on sketches by the late Austrian artist, and hopes to have it built by 2015.

Whangarei Art Museum Trust chair Sharon Morgan says Hundertwasser, who lived near Kawakawa, wanted a dedicated Maori Art Gallery to be included in the Whangarei building.

She says the gallery will show the work of Maori contemporary artists and works loaned from major museums, and the panel will advise on the curating of those exhibitions.

The Hundertwasser advisory panel members are: Elizabeth Ellis, Professor Jonathan Mane-Wheoki, Dr Patu Hohepa, Allen Wihongi, Shane Cotton, Lisa Reihana, Manos Nathan, Ngahiraka Mason and Taipari Munro.

Ms Ellis - who will chair the panel - heads the Maori art body, Toi Iho Kaitiaki and she also chairs the Auckland Art Gallery's Maori advisory group.