2 March 2005

New Zealand art to feature in new French museum

Prime Minister and Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Clark announced today that New Zealand will make a gift of contemporary art to the Musee du Quai Branly, a major new museum currently under construction in Paris.

The Musee du Quai Branly will focus on the arts and civilizations of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. The New Zealand gift will form part of its Pacific Collection. Helen Clark met with the President of the Musee du Quai Branly, Stephane Martin, yesterday.

"I am pleased to announce that New Zealand's gift to this internationally significant museum will be two series of photographic works, one by Michael Parekowhai and the other by Fiona Pardington," Helen Clark said.

"This is an exciting opportunity for New Zealand contemporary art to be featured in a major new exhibition space which will attract visitors from around the world.

"The photographic series will go into the museum's permanent collection and selected pieces will also form part of a large scale display in an outside garden area of the museum.

"Musee du Quai Branly is of special interest to French President Jacques Chirac. The government has been able to work within our Cultural Diplomacy International Programme to make a New Zealand contribution to this important project.

"The Ministry for Culture and Heritage is currently consulting with artists Michael Parekowhai and Fiona Pardington on the selection of the photographic works for the museum.

"Stephane Martin is in New Zealand this week visiting museums and art galleries, as well as talking to artists, collectors and art advisers in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. "Musee du Quai Branly is one of the largest indigenous art projects in the world and unites the collections of the Ethnological Laboratory of the Musee de l’Homme and those of the Musee National des Arts d’Afrique et d’Oceanie in one museum. Musee du Quai Branly will exhibit an estimated 300,000 objects when it opens in March 2006," Helen Clark said.

ENDS

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