NZ Portrait Gallery Appoints Brian Wood As Acting Director

Curator, writer, arts collector and marketer Brian Wood has been appointed Acting Director of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata.

Wood will replace current Director of the NZ Portrait Gallery Jaenine Parkinson for a 12 month period while she is on maternity leave until January 2022.

“Brian brings with him a varied and rich set of skills and attributes to this role. He has worked across marketing, fundraising, curatorial, public programmes and events, led a team of volunteers and managed a private art collection. We believe these experiences have equipped him to take on this role and help tell the stories of New Zealanders through the art of portraiture,” said Alan Bollard, Chair of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery.

Reflecting on his new position, Wood is looking forward to an eventful 12 months at the gallery.

“I have always been very fond of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery and have seen some memorable exhibitions there so am thrilled to be offered this role. The highlight on the calendar for 2021 will be the Kingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award and subsequent tour of the exhibition. It will be in an honour to be part of this inaugural event.”

Wood, who is originally from Kāpiti Coast, has lived in Wellington, London, Melbourne, Dunedin, Auckland and now South Wairarapa. He has a Bachelor of Fine Art, from the School of Art, Otago Polytechnic and has worked in various roles for The Dowse Art Museum, Te Omanga Hospice, Royal New Zealand Ballet, City Gallery and Museums Wellington.

He is also a Trustee and Deputy Chair for the charity The Blumhardt Foundation which supports the craft/object art sector through funding, partnerships and strategic conversations. An avid art collector, Wood often loans art works to exhibitions and more recently loaned a work to the NZ Portrait Gallery for the upcoming exhibition Star Gossage, He Tangata The People.

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