Campaign to acquire significant artwork a success
The Govett-Brewster Foundation’s campaign to support the Gallery’s acquisition of Brett Graham’s monumental sculpture Cease Tide of Wrong-doing has been a success, with the final goal reached, and the work secured for public display.
The work, valued at over $500,000, was created as the result of artist Dr Brett Graham’s 2019 residency in Taranaki, and installed at the Govett-Brewster in highly acclaimed 2020 exhibition Tai Moana Tai Tangata. It has since gone on to tour to Christchurch, and will be shown offshore in 2024 as part of Queensland Art Gallery|Gallery of Modern Art’s 11th Asia Pacific Triennale in Brisbane.
“The Govett-Brewster Foundation was established in 2003 to connect the Gallery with a wide range of donors and patrons, and provide a charitable mechanism for philanthropic giving for acquisitions and additions the Gallery’s programme that sit outside its core funding,” says Foundation Chair John Leuthart.
“Cease Tide of Wrong-doing is such an impressive and important work, which tells a distinctly Taranaki story, which has global relevance. It was created for the Govett-Brewster space, and is the result of Brett Graham’s residency here in Taranaki. It was a bold and ambitious target, and one which the Foundation and its members and donor network was more than happy to work towards.”
The campaign, which began in late 2022, has reached its target of $250,000.
“The artist was generously offered a substantial discount to the purchase price, which enabled us to contemplate such a big goal – the largest in the Foundation’s history.”
“We owe the success of this campaign to the Foundation Members who contributed through their membership, a number of private philanthropic donors who were very quick to offer their support, and those who took tickets in a unique fundraising raffle – a first for the Foundation.”
The Gallery has welcomed the support, and acknowledges the important role the Foundation plays in enabling works of this scale to be retained in public ownership.
“An important part of the Gallery’s work is the collection of works by artists who have exhibited in the Govett-Brewster that will be present in the ongoing programme and offer lasting public value,” says Gallery Director Dr Zara Stanhope.
“Owned and primarily funded by New Plymouth District Council, the Gallery receives no ratepayer funding to acquire new art works – any additions to the collection rely solely on contributions of external donors, managed by the Govett-Brewster Foundation,” Zara says.
Cease Tide of Wrongdoing, by artist Brett Graham, is on show at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery until 11 February 2024 as part of the exhibition Te Hau Whakatonu – A series of never-ending beginnings, a comprehensive survey of works in the Gallery’s permanent collection by Māori artists.