Gallery flood repairs under way
Published on 30 July 2015
30 July 2015
Building crews are stripping floor boards and wall linings in the flood-affected ground floor of the Sarjeant on the Quay gallery as staff continue their work in the upstairs offices and art storage area.
The Sarjeant team enacted its emergency procedures, moving exhibited art works and shop stock to safety on June 20, before mud-laden floodwaters from the nearby Whanganui River swamped Taupo Quay overnight and left the Wanganui District Council and business owners facing a huge clean up.
Senior Curator Greg Anderson said that he and Council managers were working closely with the building owner to confirm the date that restoration work would be completed.
“It’s reassuring to see good progress being made and we’re determined to resume our programme of exhibitions and functions as soon as possible,” Mr Anderson said.
“It’s disappointing to be closing the doors, albeit temporarily, so soon after we’ve celebrated our successful first year in Sarjeant on the Quay. We’ve had many thousands of visitors and a very full programme of exhibitions and events.”
Mr Anderson said the gallery’s education programme is still under way, although the purpose built classroom space on the ground floor has been off-limits since the flood. The education team is working with schools to ensure that the full teaching programme can continue and is firming up alternative teaching venues.
The gallery has been located in the Taupo Quay premises since May last year, after high earthquake risk assessments put the 95-year-old iconic building in Queen’s Park out of bounds. Staff had just completed the challenging project of moving the Sarjeant’s collection of some 8000 artworks into state-of-the-art, climate-controlled storage on the first floor of the Taupo Quay premises.
The downtown gallery at 38 Taupo Quay will continue to house the Sarjeant while fundraising and planning for redevelopment and earthquake strengthening of the Queens Park building continues.
“We’re on track to start the redevelopment construction process in 2017 and to be back in the Queen’s Park gallery to celebrate its centenary in September 2019. To that end, the Sarjeant Gallery Trust’s fundraising programme is in full swing and is now focused on potential individual and corporate donors,” Mr Anderson said.
“There’s a very high level of interest and support from people across the country who realise the importance of the Sarjeant both as an iconic heritage building that is unmatched in this country and as the custodian of a remarkable collection of important art spanning four centuries.”
He said the recent flood and consequent disruption to the gallery’s public programmes had given increased urgency to the Queen’s Park redevelopment project.
“We’ve had overwhelming support from many individuals and organisations associated with the arts who want the project to succeed. We need to ensure we meet the fundraising targets that will trigger the release of the Government’s $10 million contribution.”