The Sarjeant Gallery at Pukenamu, Queen's Park

Whanganui Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whanganui is ...

is a regional art museum with a collection of international and New Zealand art. It was closed for 10 years for redevelopment and re-opened on Saturday 9 November 2024. In 2024 it was announced as a 2024 NatGeo Best of the World pick.

Founding and building

The Sarjeant was built as the result of a bequest to the city by

Henry Sarjeant Henry Sarjeant (1829–1912) was a New Zealand farmer and benefactor. He was born in Rangeworthy, Gloucestershire, England in 1829. He married Ellen Stewart on 11 February 1893. She was the daughter of John Tiffin Stewart and Frances Ann Ste ...

in 1912. Sarjeant bequeathed the money "for the inspiration of ourselves and those who come after us." A competition was held to select an architect for the project; the winner was Dunedin architect

Edmund Anscombe Edmund Anscombe (8 February 1874 – 9 October 1948) was one of the most important figures to shape the architectural and urban fabric of New Zealand. He was important, not only because of the prolific nature of his practice and the quality of ...

, but it is likely the actual design was completed by a young student in his offices named Donald Hosie. The

cruciform A cruciform is a physical manifestation resembling a common cross or Christian cross. These include architectural shapes, biology, art, and design. Cruciform architectural plan Christian churches are commonly described as having a cruciform ...

, neo-classical style gallery was opened in 1919. Four galleries branch off a central space capped with an oculus in a hemispherical dome. Sarjeant's wife

Ellen Sarjeant Ellen Agnes Neame (formerly Sarjeant, Birth name, nee Stewart; 18 June 1868 - 22 September 1939) was an artist, curator, registrar and philanthropist based in Whanganui, New Zealand who was instrumental in the forming of the Sarjeant Gallery (n ...

( nee Stewart, later Neame) was instrumental in the formation of the early collection and establishing the administrative systems to support the operations in the early days of the gallery. The building is registered with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (now

Heritage New Zealand Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (initially the National Historic Places Trust and then, from 1963 to 2014, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust; in ) is a Crown entity that advocates for the protection of Archaeology of New Zealand, ancest ...

) as a Category I Historic Place with registration number 167, and has the highest possible listing under the New Zealand Historic Places Trust Act. The

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

name ''Te Whare o Rehua'', gifted by local

iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...

in 1995, means House of Inspiration.

Redevelopment Project

In 1999 the Christchurch-based architecture firm

Warren and Mahoney Warren and Mahoney is an international architectural and interior design practice - one of the few third generation architectural practices in the history of New Zealand architecture. It is a highly awarded architectural practice, with office ...

won a competition for the redevelopment of the Sarjeant Gallery. This redevelopment included seismic strengthening, restoration and the addition of a north-facing extension which would not be visible from the iconic south-facing facade. ExtensionSarjeantGallery_01

In 2014 the entire Sarjeant collection and gallery shifted to new, temporary premises on Taupo Quay, in central Whanganui while the redevelopment took place. Funds for the redevelopment came from central government, the gallery trust, private and public trusts, corporate sponsorship and the Whanganui Regional Council. Warren and Mahoney co-designed the redevelopment with local iwi artist group Te Kāhui Toi o Tūpoho which consisted of expanding the existing gallery, building a new storage facility and a new wing. The new wing was dedicated to local

leader

Archie Taiaroa Sir Archie John Te Atawhai Taiaroa (3 January 1937 – 21 September 2010) was a New Zealand Māori people, Māori leader who affiliated to the Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Apa and Ngāti Maru (Taranaki), Ngāti Maru ...

and named ''Te Pātaka o Tā Te Atawhai Archie John Taiaroa''. The re-opening took place on 9 November 2024. Writer Martin Edmond was commissioned to write a history of the gallery ''Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery: A Whanganui biography.''

Collections

There are more than 8,300 artworks in the gallery's collection, spanning 400 years. Initially focused on 19th and early 20th century British and European art but, given the expansive terms of the will of benefactor Henry Sarjeant, the collection now spans 16th century through to the 21st century. Among the collections are historic and modern works in all media – on paper, sculptures, pottery, ceramics and glass; bronze works; video art; and paintings by contemporary artists and old masters. International artists featured in the collection include

Edward Coley Burne-Jones Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet, (; 28 August 183317 June 1898) was an English painter and designer associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's style and subject matter. Burne-Jones worked with William Morris as a founding part ...

Domenico Piola Domenico Piola (1627 – 8 April 1703) was a Genoese painter of the Baroque period. He was the leading artist in Genoa in the second half of the 17th century, working on ceiling frescoes for many Genoese churches and palaces and canvas paintin ...

Frank Brangwyn Sir Frank William Brangwyn (12 May 1867 – 11 June 1956) was a Welsh artist, painter, watercolourist, printmaker, illustrator and designer. Brangwyn worked in a wide range of artistic fields. As well as paintings and drawings, he produc ...

Bernardino Poccetti Bernardino Poccetti (26 August 1548 – 10 October 1612), also known as Barbatelli, was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker of etchings. Biography Born in Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region ...

Gaspard Dughet Gaspard Dughet (15 June 1615 – 25 May 1675), also known as Gaspard Poussin, was a French painter born in Rome. Life Dughet was born in Rome, the son of a French pastry-cook and his Italian wife. He has always generally been considered as a Fr ...

William Richmond William Richmond or variants may refer to: * William Richmond (politician) (1821–1895), New Zealand politician * William Blake Richmond (1842–1921), English painter and decorator * William Henry Richmond (1821–1922), American coal mine operato ...

William Etty William Etty (10 March 1787 – 13 November 1849) was an English artist best known for his history paintings containing nude figures. He was the first significant British painter of nudes and still lifes. Born in York, he left sch ...

Lelio Orsi Lelio Orsi (1508/1511 – 1587), also known as Lelio da Novellara, was a Mannerist painter and architect of the Reggio Emilia school in northern Italy. He was born and died in Novellara, and much of his work was completed in Reggio. He appears ...

Frederick Goodall Frederick Goodall (17 September 1822 – 29 July 1904) was a British artist. Life Frederick Goodall was born in London in 1822, the second son of steel line engraver Edward Goodall (1795–1870). He received his education at the Well ...

, and

Augustus John Augustus Edwin John (4 January 1878 – 31 October 1961) was a Welsh painter, draughtsman, and etcher. For a time he was considered the most important artist at work in Britain: Virginia Woolf remarked that by 1908 the era of John Singer Sarg ...

. Among the New Zealand born or based artists featured in the collection are

Colin McCahon Colin John McCahon (; 1August 191927May 1987) was a New Zealand artist whose work over 45 years consisted of various styles, including landscape, figuration, abstraction, and the overlay of painted text. Along with Toss Woollaston and Rita Angus ...

Ralph Hotere Hone Papita Raukura "Ralph" Hotere (11 August 1931 – 24 February 2013) was a New Zealand artist. He was born in Mitimiti, Northland Region, Northland and is widely regarded as one of New Zealand's most important artists. In 1994 he was award ...

Pat Hanly James Patrick Hanly (2 August 1932 – 20 September 2004), generally known as Pat Hanly, was a prolific New Zealand painter. One of his works is a large mural ''Rainbow Pieces'' (1971) at Christchurch Town Hall. Early life Born in Palmerston N ...

, Peter Nicholls, Charles Frederick Goldie,

Gottfried Lindauer Gottfried Lindauer (5 January 1839 – 13 June 1926) was a Czech and New Zealand painter. He was famous for his portraits, including many of Māori people. Czech life and Austrian school He was born Bohumír Lindauer in Plzeň (Pilsen), Bohe ...

and

Petrus van der Velden Petrus van der Velden (5 May 1837 – 11 November 1913), who is also known as Paulus van der Velden, was a Dutch artist who spent much of his later career in New Zealand. Early life and career in the Netherlands Petrus van der Velden was born i ...

. The Sarjeant also has a major collection of the works of Whanganui-born painter

Edith Collier Edith Marion Collier (28 March 1885 – 12 December 1964) was an early modern painter from New Zealand. Biography Brought up and educated in Whanganui, Collier received a thorough although conservative art education studying at the Technical S ...

, and the most significant collection of works by Joan Grehan, also Whanganui-born. Another prominent Northland artist featured in the gallery's collection is Kathleen Airini Vane, known for her landscapes of New Zealand. The majority of the collection is accessible online
Explore the Sarjeant Gallery collection

Tylee Cottage Residency

Since 1986, the Sarjeant Gallery has facilitated the

Tylee Cottage Residency The Tylee Cottage Residency is an artist-in-residence programme facilitated by the Sarjeant Gallery in Whanganui, New Zealand. The scheme began in 1986 as a partnership between the Sarjeant Gallery, the Wanganui District Council and the QEII Art ...

Leadership

The gallery's first professional director was

Gordon H. Brown Gordon Harold Brown (12 April 1931 – 16 March 2025) was a New Zealand art historian, curator, and artist. Early life and education Brown was born in Wellington on 12 April 1931, the son of Gwynneth and Cecil Harold Brown. He was educated a ...

, who took the role in 1974 and resigned in 1977. Brown implemented a programme of changing exhibitions and made important contemporary acquisitions for the collection. For most of the Sarjeant's contemporary history, the gallery was led by Brown's successor,

Bill Milbank William Handley Milbank (25 October 1948 – 4 November 2023) was a New Zealand art curator and gallery director. He served as the director of the Sarjeant Gallery in Whanganui for 27 years, between 1978 and 2006. Early life and education Wi ...

, who joined the organisation in 1975 and served as director from 1978 to 2006. The

programme began during Milbank's tenure, as did the ongoing series of dome installations, which officially began with artist

Billy Apple Billy Apple (born Barrie Bates; 31 December 19356 September 2021) was a New Zealand artist whose work is associated with the London, Auckland and New York schools of pop art in the 1960s and NY's Conceptual Art movement in the 1970s. He worke ...

's removal of the sculpture, ''The Wrestlers'' in 1979, although there had been earlier installations. Greg Anderson took the role of director next, remaining for 15 years before departing for a role at Auckland Art Gallery in late 2022. Former Te Uru director, Andrew Clifford, was appointed at the end of 2022, taking up the role in March 2023.

Awards

The redeveloped gallery was selected in 2024 by

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...

as a Top 20 "Best of the World" Cultural site.

References

External links

Sarjeant Gallery website

Culture 101, RNZ programme on the re-opening of the gallery, 10 November 2024
{{Authority control Art museums and galleries in New Zealand Heritage New Zealand Category 1 historic places in Manawatū-Whanganui Buildings and structures in Whanganui Museums in Manawatū-Whanganui 1910s architecture in New Zealand