art and architecture

Not long ago I was listening to a talk by a man who, in his long career, had directed many of the world's  great art and history museums. He spoke vehemently about the urge of such institutions - by nature - to wish and pretend to know everything. I suppose it's that thing of being (or attempting to be) ALL things to ALL people: which is the way most large publicly funded institutions, like Te Papa, operate. 

Funnily enough all this got me thinking about architecture and the way that art museums have become the fabric for testing the limits of what is current and what is possible, with a frightening uniformity of 'out there-ness'. The list here is pretty extensive, with examples like the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the Guggenheim on Balboa to name a few. 

Aside from these purpose built, monolithic shrines to architecture though, the redevelopment and interior modernisation of the classical museum building is something that I find interesting in the context of an art museum's conversation with its location and with what it contains. This is also pretty prolific and has been done with great success around the world; my personal favorite being the K21 in Düsseldorf. 

Anyway, it should be interesting to see what New Zealand can contribute to this art and architecture relationship in the coming years; with City Gallery Wellington and Auckland Art Gallery both inflicting major renovations on heritage buildings, and with the proposed Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth being designed (if this is still going ahead amid strong anti-art sentiment).  

Posted by Jeremy

Images: Second steel fix complete, City Gallery Wellington 2009; K21, J. Booth 2008