Te Papa Appoints Director of Art & Visual Culture

Te Papa Appoints Director Of Art And Visual Culture

Te Papa's Chief Executive, Dr Seddon Bennington, today announced the appointment of Jonathan Mane-Wheoki as Director of Art and Visual Culture. This is a new position responsible for leading the research, curatorial, and collection management functions of Te Papa's Art and Visual Culture teams.

Dr Bennington said today that Jonathan Mane-Wheoki brings a wealth of expertise to the role not only with his impressive academic background but also through his strong art gallery associations.

"Jonathan will work closely with the directors of other collection areas in Te Papa on joint initiatives - including exhibitions - to enhance the strengths of the different collections and to showcase Te Papa's art collection", said Dr Bennington. "Jonathan's role in developing relationships with art galleries internationally will be important to Te Papa 's ability to participate in major exhibition tours."

Of Ngapuhi and English descent, Jonathan Mane-Wheoki was educated in Auckland and at the University of Canterbury and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. He is a graduate in Fine Arts, English Language and Literature and Art History. He is also an Associate of Trinity College of Music, London.

As Kaitiaki Maori (Honorary Curator of Maori Art) at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna O Waiwhetu since 1992, he has been active in developing exhibitions and presenting lectures, seminars and floor talks on art, museum, heritage and cultural topics throughout New Zealand and internationally.

Jonathan Mane-Wheoki has served on a number of national and international bodies, including Te Waka Toi (the Maori Arts Board), the Arts Council of Creative New Zealand, the International Council of the Centre Culture Jean-Marie Tjibaou in Noumea, and was a member of the selection panel for New Zealand's participation in the 2001 Venice Biennale. Mr Mane-Wheoki is currently the Humanities representative on the Marsden Fund Council, convenor of the Humanities panel, a governor of the Arts Foundation of New Zealand, President of the Humanities Society of New Zealand, and a member of Te Papa's National Services Museum Peer Review Team.

Jonathan Mane-Wheoki was most recently the Dean of Visual and Performing Arts at Canterbury University and a member of the University's Senior Management team.

As an academic art historian, he has specialised in nineteenth and early twentieth century European art and architecture, British colonial and imperial architecture, modern and contemporary New Zealand painting and, more recently, the contemporary Maori art movement.

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