Speech
Suter Art Gallery Fundraising Auction
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E kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui nei, tenei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa. Ladies and gentlemen, warm greetings to you all.
I specifically acknowledge: Craig Potton and Dame Ann Hercus, Chair and Fundraising coordinator respectively of the Bishop Suter Trust; Hon Christopher Finlayson and Hon Dr Nick Smith, Ministers of the Crown; Your Worship Aldo Miccio, Mayor of Nelson; and The Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer – tēnā koutou katoa.
It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you all to Government House this evening for The Suter Art Gallery fundraising auction.
This evening is an important opportunity to raise funds to ensure a local and national taonga is preserved and developed for the enjoyment of future generations of New Zealanders, and visitors to our land and especially to the city of Nelson.
Nelson has a rich heritage, and is renowned for its art and its culture. As early as 1889, The Bishop of Nelson, The Right Reverend Andrew Suter established the Bishopdale Sketching Club - now known as the Nelson Suter Art Society. Suter and his wife Amelia added to Nelson’s and New Zealand’s cultural heritage when they left a gift of land, money, and a significant collection of artworks in what became the third art gallery in New Zealand. Having opened in 1899, and now more than 110 years old, the gallery is unsurprisingly in need of some significant restoration.
Safeguarding our taonga, our treasures, is part of protecting our heritage and our history. It is about understanding where we have come from, to understand where we are now, and where we are going to in the future.
As we stand in this grand 103 year old building, it seems appropriate to talk about the importance of preserving and future-proofing our heritage. Government House is one of New Zealand’s most important heritage buildings. It represents our history, our heritage, and promotes and facilitates my role and activities, and that of the Governors and Governors-General who preceded me.
And so reflecting on the conservation and enhancement of The Suter Art Gallery, I commend the Trust on committing to pursuing and realising this goal.
With $6 million to raise, your duties are substantial. However, I have no doubt that you will succeed and tonight plays an important part in achieving that.
I also want to acknowledge the commitment made by the Nelson City Council, which is providing half of the funds for the $12 million redevelopment project. As a featured attraction in the City, it is fitting that the Council is investing to cement The Suter Art Gallery’s place in Nelson for many years to come.
In conclusion then, some words on art – since that is the primary reason we are gathered! What better place to hold an art fundraising auction, than here where we have many great artworks, some of which date back to the 16th century.
Art has always been a communicator. The exceptional thing about it is that its message is totally admirer specific. And on that theme, the words of New Zealand artist John Reynolds, whose expression of the influence of art, seem appropriate to recite as we begin this evening’s activities: - “I love art, I love it for that thing that it does. It’s bigger than the individual that does it… it’s heady, it’s something you’re in the spell of.”
Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.