Kermadec opens at Voyager

Thursday 23 February 2012

Last week the long awaited exhibition ‘Kermadec’ opened at Voyager NZ Maritime Museum. The opening was a large and festive occasion with in excess of over 300 people in attendance. As one Sunday paper wrote “The who’s who of the local art world gathered at Auckland’s Maritime Museum to celebrate the opening of what was described as the “the most auspicious temporary exhibition the museum has ever hosted”.

‘Kermadec’ is mounted in the Edmiston Gallery and the exhibition comprises new works by nine
acclaimed South Pacific artists. Their collective inspiration was the result of an extraordinary expedition last year to the Kermadec Islands. The artists – Dame Robin White, Gregory O’Brien, John Reynolds, Phil Dadson, Elizabeth Thomson, John Pule, Fiona Hall, Bruce Foster and Jason O’Hara – were all in attendance.

As guests walked along the museum concourse immediately prior to the opening they were entertained by the Tongan Cultural Group – Oto’ota Fahina.

The Kermadec Initiative is a project of the Global Ocean Legacy of the Pew Environment Group. As a supporter off the artists’ voyage and exhibition, the Pew Environment Group is looking to raise awareness about one of the greatest and least known natural wilderness areas on the planet.

The artists traveled to the Kermadecs on board HMNZS Otago. For nearly a week they explored Raoul Island and imagined the Polynesian voyagers, adventurers and scientists who had traversed this remote region before them. Each artist found their own “Kermadec voice” and in their respective mediums has created an extraordinary story and exhibition. This resultant body of diverse work is a powerful statement of their unanimous commitment to first, confront real issues that threaten this pristine environment and secondly, to alert New Zealanders and audiences throughout the world of the urgent need to safeguard this remarkable marine environment.

The initial welcome and speeches were held in the Blue Water Black Magic Gallery.

The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was the museum’s CEO, Murray Reade. The speakers were Mr. Peter Buttle, Deputy Chair of the Edmiston Trust, (the Trust facilitated the funding for the Museum to host ‘Kermadec’), Mr. Jay Nelson, (pictured right, courtesy 2012 artsdiary) Director Pew Global Ocean Legacy, Bronwen Golder, the Director of Pew New Zealand and Dame Robin White who spoke on behalf of the artists.

Dame Robin White’s contribution to the exhibition is three tapa cloths (ngatu) totaling over 16 metres in length celebrating the things that bind New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. It is a collaborative effort with respected Tongan tapa cloth maker Ruha Fifita.
Dame Robin said of her Kermadec journey “it was more than a journey, more than an adventure – it was an experience where we were united in our commitment to the purpose of the journey and the cause associated with it. We are all passionate about this cause”.

Voyager NZ Maritime Museum’s CEO, Murray Reade said “It is a great honour for the Maritime Museum to host and welcome this spectacular exhibition – Kermadec. The subject matter, the
Kermadecs sits very comfortably with the Museum. We are a seafaring nation with a profound
maritime history and it is Voyager’s responsibility to embrace, celebrate and share these stories. The philosophy of conservation and preservation that has been the inspiration for these extraordinary works complements one of the primary principles of this museum, that is, to pursue and protect the sustainability of our seas”.


The exhibition Kermadec runs until Sunday 1 July. If initial numbers are an indication of the
successful tenure of this exhibition at the museum the future looks very positive indeed. The museum has received phenomenal feedback already from those who have enjoyed and marveled at this very ‘different’ exhibition.

Kermadec - Nine artists explore the South Pacific

Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum is proud to announce the hosting of a spectacular exhibition, Kermadec – Nine artists explore the South Pacific.

Kermadec comprises new works by nine acclaimed South Pacific artists. Their collective inspiration was the result of an extraordinary expedition – made in 2011 – to the Kermadec Islands – located between NZ’s North Island and Tonga. They are a habitat to some of the world’s most diverse wild life and marine life. This is a rare ecosystem. Recent exploration has revealed that these islands are part of a 2,500 km chain of mostly underwater volcanoes – this line of mountains is the longest underwater volcanic arc on the planet and the most hydrothermally alive.

The artists were Dame Robin White, one of New Zealand’s greatest painters, Fiona Hall, a most accomplished and celebrated Australian contemporary artist and Gregory O’Brien, poet, artist and Curator of Kermadec. They were joined by sculptor Elizabeth Thomson, John Reynolds, one of the most celebrated NZ artists of his generation, photographers Jason O’Hara and Bruce Foster, printmaker and novelist John Pule and inter-media artist extraordinaire Phil Dadson.

The Kermadec Initiative is a project of the Global Ocean Legacy programme of the Pew Environment Group. As a supporter of the artists’ voyage and exhibition, The Pew Environment Group is looking to raise awareness about one of the greatest, least known natural wilderness areas on the planet.

The artists travelled to the Kermadecs on board the HMNZS Otago. For nearly a week they explored Raoul Island and imagined the Polynesian voyagers, adventurers and scientists who had traversed this remote region before them. Each artist found their own “Kermadec voice” and in their respective mediums has created an extraordinary story and exhibition. This resultant body of diverse work is a powerful statement of their unanimous commitment to first, confront the real issues that threaten this pristine environment and secondly, to alert New Zealanders and audiences throughout the world of the urgent need to safeguard this remarkable marine environment.

John Reynolds on helipad,
Jason O'Hara

Pew Environment Group Kermadec Initiative director Bronwen Golder, who joined the artists on the journey, said: “The Kermadec exhibition shines a spotlight on this incredible, untouched place in our ocean. Through the eyes of the artists, we are invited to encounter and care for one of the greatest and least known ocean sites on the planet. Their works of art remind us that our ocean is precious, yet fragile.”

“New Zealanders care deeply about their environment. We encourage the Government to demonstrate New Zealand’s true commitment to the planet by establishing a Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary for this unique area,” said Golder.

Dame Robin White’s contribution to the exhibition is three tapa cloths (ngatu) totalling over 16 metres in length celebrating the things that bind New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. It is a collaborative effort with respected Tongan tapa cloth maker Ruha Fifita. Dame Robin said “It was more than a journey, more than an adventure – it was an experience where we were united in our commitment to the purpose of the journey and the cause associated with it.”

Rangitahua, Dame Robin White

Voyager NZ Maritime Museum’s CEO, Murray Reade said “It is a great honour for the Maritime Museum to host and welcome this spectacular exhibition – Kermadec. The subject matter, The Kermadecs sits very comfortably with the Museum. We are a seafaring nation with a profound maritime history and it is Voyager’s responsibility to embrace, celebrate and share these stories. The philosophy of conservation and preservation that has been the inspiration for these extraordinary works complements one of the primary tenants of this museum, that is, to pursue and protect the sustainability of our seas.”

Kermadec will be exhibited in the Edmiston Gallery and it is due to the generous support of the Edmiston Trust that the exhibition is showing at the Museum. The exhibition is produced and toured by the Pew Environment Group in association with Voyager NZ Maritime Museum and the Tauranga Art Gallery.

The exhibition Kermadec opens on Wednesday 15 February and runs until Monday 2 July.