New Zealand Portrait Gallery at Shed 11
|
|
Established | 1990 |
---|---|
Location | Shed 11, Queen's Wharf, Wellington Waterfront |
Coordinates | 41°17′01″S 174°46′42″E / 41.283475°S 174.778240°E |
Website | Official website |
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery is an art gallery located in Wellington, New Zealand, in the historic Waterfront Shed 11. The Gallery was registered as a charitable trust in 1990.
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery's permanent home and exhibition space is in Shed 11, a heritage listed building located on Wellington's Queens Wharf. Shed 11 was built in 1904-5 and designed by William Ferguson, chief engineer of the Wellington Harbour Board. In 1985, Shed 11 was transformed into a gallery space and in 2010 the New Zealand Portrait Gallery secured a long term lease on the building.
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery holds a collection of portraits featuring works by, and of, New Zealanders. In the collection are portraits of many influential and well-known identities including Sir Edmund Hillary, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Peter Blake, and Janet Frame.
In 2014, a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was commissioned for the gallery, and was painted by New Zealand artist Nick Cuthell in a live sitting. The portrait was unveiled by His Royal Highness Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, in a ceremony at Government House, and was subsequently hung at the gallery's home in Shed 11.
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery hosts the Adam Portraiture Award competition, New Zealand's premier portrait prize. The first competition was held in 2000 as the National Portrait Competition, and since 2002 has been funded by the Adam Foundation. Since 2006, the winning entry has become part of the Gallery's permanent collection.
Coordinates: 41°17′01″S 174°46′42″E / 41.283475°S 174.778240°E