Sargeant Flipbook

HELP
SUPPORT
OUR
SARJEANT
Whether you’re a philanthropist, arts enthusiast, a newcomer to New Zealand and passionate about our culture, our people, our landscape, assist us and become a part of the experience.
e Sarjeant Gallery Trust
Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui
Rising up from Pukenamu Queens Park, Whanganui’s Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua holds prime position upon a green landscape. Hailed as a must-see destination on the North Island Arts Trail and home to one of New Zealand’s most signi cant art collections, this heritage building resounds as a national treasure.


TE WHARE O REHUA
Enhancing an Icon, Embracing a Community
One Man’s Vision... Henry Sarjeant’s love for Whanganui
A Building of Heart and Stone...
e gallery is rightly positioned as a Category 1 listed building with Heritage New Zealand. Its fabric, form and naturally lit exhibition spaces, coupled with its Oamaru stone cladding, and prominent position in Pukenamu Queens Park, make the Sarjeant Whanganui’s most elegant sculptural feature.
Opened in 1919 thanks to the generosity
of English immigrant Henry Henry Sarjeant, the gallery has cra ed a legacy of its own. However, maintaining such a birthright is no easy feat. e Sarjeant is at risk and we need support from near and far to ensure its future.
Deemed a Category 1 Heritage Building, earthquake damage poses a serious threat to the building itself, and its inadequate storage spaces jeopardised the NZ$28.8m collection it was home to.
Securing the Sarjeant’s precious artworks
and igniting a renewed sense of con dence and optimism in this precious building is Whanganui’s aim. us, the Sarjeant Gallery Trust (a registered charity) is embarking on
a Redevelopment Project to strengthen the Sarjeant – constructing a new wing and future- proo ng the gallery and its storage areas – and we want to share this special journey with all.
e Sarjeant Gallery is renowned nationally,
yet its founder placed li le emphasis on his own generosity and support. Born in Gloucestershire, England, Henry Sarjeant migrated to Whanganui in the mid 1800’s, immersing himself in the local community, farming culture and arts scene.
Noted by the local newspaper as, “a generous supporter of all that made for the social and intellectual be erment of the community, and was a prominent member of the Philosophical, Astronomical and Orchestral Societies,” it was Henry’s love for his adopted city, his passion for the arts and philanthropy, which saw him gi a large sum of money to form the gallery and its collection – a gi of over $70million in today’s terms. His hope, “To establish and maintain in the Borough of Whanganui a ne arts gallery for the inspiration of ourselves and those who come a er us”.
Today, because of one man’s vision and support, and the kind gi s of subsequent benefactors, the Sarjeant collection has become one of national importance.
Looking to the future... Redeveloping Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui
A century later we are still building on Henry’s legacy – preserving and presenting over four centuries of art. Our vision is to create a new era of inspiration, and bring the Sarjeant
into the future, through our our $35 million Redevelopment Project.
e redevelopment will ensure the safekeeping and preservation of the Sarjeant’s nationally- important collection and Whanganui’s most iconic building.
Whether you’re a philanthropist, arts enthusiast, a newcomer to New Zealand and passionate about our culture, our people, our landscape, assist us and become a part of the experience.
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SARJEANT GALLERY : HELP SUPPORT OUR SARJEANT
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It will include:
• Environmentally-controlled storage and exhibition galleries
• Enhanced public access through improved exhibition and education spaces
• Increased access to all parts of the collection.
Destined to be the largest cultural project undertaken in the region since the building
of the original Sarjeant Gallery in 1919, the redevelopment will unite partners locally as well as those from far and wide: the Whanganui District Council, Whanganui Iwi, central Government, and donors and sponsors
– both local and international.
is entire project is of national signi cance
as proven by central government’s commitment of $10million; and further Council and private donations now amount to a total of approximately $32million in cash and pledges. When it is completed the Gallery will be
one of the finest collecting and exhibiting institutions in New Zealand and certainly among the most beautiful.
Why is Redevelopment Necessary?
e Sarjeant Gallery is deemed a serious earthquake risk, meeting only 5% of the current New Zealand Building standards. Recently, collections stored in the gallery basement were relocated to o site premises due to the risk posed by earthquake collapse and environmental damage. e basement was not designed as a storage space for works of art – limited access and no environmental or temperature control along with changes in temperature can lead
to cracking, aking and warping of works, making them very expensive to repair.
e absence of environmental controls in the gallery spaces has also hindered exhibition interest from national and international touring artists, as the Sarjeant fails to meet stringent requirements.
1. Whanganui’s Sarjeant Gallery, Est. 1917
2. Mr.GregAnderson, Director
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3. Warren&Mahoney re-development - Main exterior
4. Gallery view
5. Ans Westra, Ratana Church,
Raetihi, c. 1964 6. Lady Janine and
Sir Jerry Mateparae
7. Warren & Mahoney re-development - North View
8. Bernardino Pocce i, Christ Bearing the Weight of his Cross, c. 1563-1612
9. Modern gallery spaces
“As Patrons of the Sarjeant Gallery Trust, Lady Janine and
I strongly endorse the redevelopment of the Sarjeant Gallery
as a vital part of New Zealand’s arts heritage. When the project is completed, this institution will be one of the country’s nest facilities and a proud feature in our cultural landscape.”
- Sir Jerry Mateparae


TE WHARE O REHUA
SARJEANT GALLERY : HELP SUPPORT OUR SARJEANT
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Plan in Motion...
Constructing and strengthening
Preserving the ‘then’ and creating the ‘now’ is
the impetus behind the Redevelopment Project. By constructing purpose-built storage facilities to the north of the existing gallery, with additional exhibition space, education facilities and events space, it will enable more of the permanent collection to be displayed, as well as securing
the collection for the future.
e original Sarjeant Gallery will be strengthened using base isolation, and specialist environmental controls will feature throughout public and storage spaces, thus preserving collections on display and touring exhibitions visiting Whanganui.
Supporting the Sarjeant... Join us
Rebuilding the Sarjeant and maintaining its legacy, is not a one-man job – we need support. Preserving this precious piece of New Zealand history extends well beyond our own gates, and we invite all likeminded individuals and businesses to venture with us.
Supporting our Sarjeant means joining our community and following in the footsteps of the late Henry Sarjeant himself. Dedicated support, be it private or publicly recognised, enables us to bring the Sarjeant into the future, showcase its collections and demonstrate our commitment to the New Zealand art scene.
“ e Sarjeant Gallery brings art and people together in more ways than one. Our supporter’s open doors for us and we aim to give back.”
A Gallery for All... Securing a future
e Sarjeant Gallery holds, in trust, thousands
of artworks which contribute strongly and uniquely to New Zealand’s cultural identity. rough the completion of the Sarjeant Gallery Redevelopment Project, we will see this nationally signi cant collection safeguarded for generations to come and a facility whose quality will be measurable by international standards.
Despite being a major capital project, this is not simply a story about bricks and mortar. With a much enhanced facility, the Sarjeant’s aim is to export our knowledge beyond the walls of the Gallery and extend our reputation throughout New Zealand and beyond.
rough use of internships, we will disseminate our professional skills to the community;
we intend to expand the capacity of our
Tylee Co age artist-in-residence programme to make it more a ractive to national and international artists; and with a world-class exhibiting space we will be able to partner
with larger institutions (nationally and internationally) to bring quality cultural experiences to regional New Zealand.
In doing these things we will provide a cosmopolitan artistic environment, promote greater acceptance and understanding of New Zealand’s many cultures and be one of the country’s leading platforms of creative expression and education.
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Giving Back... Opportunities for our people
e Sarjeant Gallery brings art and people together in more ways than one. Our supporters open doors for us and we aim to give back. us, creating opportunities for our people to network, connect and immerse themselves in New Zealand’s rich culture is paramount to our own success as a leading art institution.
Events calendar...
roughout the year, we invite those who so generously gi to the Sarjeant opportunities to join us for sponsored events, creating networking opportunities within local and national business communities and wider industries.
Gallery showcase...
We’re proud of the people supporting our project, and are thrilled to o er unique naming rights opportunities to one of the Sarjeant’s display and public areas as a show of our appreciation.
People meeting people...
e Sarjeant is for people and it’s our mission to unite individuals, groups, businesses from all walks of life. Whether you be a visitor to Whanganui, an arts advocate and philanthropist like Henry Sarjeant himself, or relocating to New Zealand, the gallery endeavours to foster a unique link between all people, supporting them with individual pursuits and those within our community.
The Sarjeant online...
To see the Sarjeant Gallery in person is a wonder to behold and an unforge able experience.
For those who haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit, we encourage you to explore our website:
www.sarjeant.org.nz
A rare opportunity...
e chance to become involved in such an iconic piece of New Zealand is not something that presents itself o en. By contributing to the gallery, supporters will cement themselves into the very fabric of New Zealand arts and culture in a manner that will bene t generations to come. To become part of this fantastic project please contact:
Greg Anderson, Gallery Director
[email protected] Phone 06 349 3246