Living gallery to be a New Zealand first

Hutt City Council news release
30 October 2009

Living gallery to be a New Zealand first

Hutt City Council is about to unfurl a New Zealand first with a living community gallery that shows art doesn’t have to hang in a frame.

Before Christmas the Tutukiwi Orchid and Fern house, which previously held static displays of orchids and ferns, will reopen as the Tutukiwi Living Gallery.

The hexagonal structure, on the corner of Laings Road and Myrtle Street, is being renovated to accommodate the gallery which will feature seasonal exhibitions of plants, gardens and outdoor sculptures. A new reinforced glass roof has been installed and the inside revamped to create a flexible space for public displays.

Mayor David Ogden describes the gallery as an exciting addition to Hutt City which is New Zealand’s original garden city.

“The Tutukiwi Living Gallery will challenge traditional ideas about art and art galleries and will follow the example set by TheNewDowse as a lively space that keeps pace with the times and changing seasons.

“It’s also a project that develops the uniqueness of Hutt City – one of our goals in the Long Term Council Community Plan,” he says.

Representatives from Hutt City Council, Rotary, local community groups and horticultural societies are expected to form a trust board to help manage the space.

ENDS

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