Wellington Collectors Donate Entire Art Collection To Dunedin

Cam McCracken, Director of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, has announced that the Gallery has been gifted the entire Barr Collection of 435 artworks by New Zealand's most recognised and respected contemporary artists.

“This generous gift secures the future within a public institution of one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most important private collections of contemporary art," says McCracken.

In 1997, Wellingtonians Jim Barr and Mary Barr placed their entire art collection on long-term loan at Dunedin Public Art Gallery, and late last year they began the process of gifting the collection. That process was finalised a few weeks ago. Artists in the collection include Michael Parekowhai, Peter Peryer, Ronnie van Hout, Frances Uprichard, John Pule, John Reynolds, Peter Robinson, Julian Dashper, Simon Denny, Jeffrey Harris, Campbell Patterson, Patrick Pound, Marie Shannon, L Budd / et al, Fiona Connor, Yona Lee, Zac Langford-Pole, Dane Mitchell, Kate Newby, as well as Australian artists Mikayla Dwyer and Ricky Swallow, and British artist Martin Creed.

"Jim and Mary began collecting contemporary art in the 1970s, at a time when conceptual and experimental practices in New Zealand were neither closely followed by the market nor widely represented in public collections. Their approach has consistently been driven by commitment rather than fashion, shaped by conversation with artists and a belief in the cultural value of challenging work,” says McCracken, “As a result, the collection captures key early moments in the development of contemporary art in New Zealand and internationally over the past five decades, often led by younger artists.”

Over the past three decades, McCracken says, the Barr Collection has played a vital role in shaping Dunedin Public Art Gallery’s identity and programming – with the collection underpinning exhibitions, publications and public programmes. The collection has formed the basis of significant exhibitions that have reached audiences across New Zealand. For example, Reboot examined generational shifts within contemporary New Zealand art, while Good Work explored questions of value, and authorship. The collection has also played an important role in supporting emerging curators, writers and researchers, providing sustained opportunities for engagement with contemporary artworks and the ideas that surround them.

The Barrs and their story of transitioning from corporate life to art collecting is known within established New Zealand art circles, and the couple has been influential in their relationships with both public and private galleries, as well as mentors for other collectors. Jim and Mary were early adopters of “the blog” with Over the Net, a platform for their sharp wit. The couple easily transitioned to social media and still run the Instagram account, nzstudioviews, featuring photos taken in artist studios over 45 years.

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