Back of House blurs distinctions between artists and technicians; makers and thinkers; and display items and the tools, props, and packaging supporting them.
The exhibition is an opportunity to reveal and talk about working processes and conditions. It consists of three presentations, which are accompanied by a “live” archiving project and a curated public programme.
Find out more about the Back of House exhibition.
Back of House public programme schedule
Friday 11 August–Sunday 29 October 2023
These events are free and open to all. Unless otherwise stated, no booking is required.
Memory Prompts: Conversations with Christina Barton—Saturday 26 August 2023, 11 am–2 pm
During Back of House, a live archiving project is unfolding in the Kirk Gallery. The sorting and re-housing of documents, publications, images, and ephemera offers up foggy memories and special sentiments from the archives of Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery and the people who work here.
To capture some of these living memories, outgoing director Christina Barton invites colleagues and collaborators, friends and faculty to sit down with her to reflect on her time as a lecturer, curator, writer, and editor. Memory Prompts is an open invitation to anyone who has a memory to share or a question to ask.
You can sign up by contacting Kate Lepper or come along on the day.
Tradition, Technology and Self-(Re)Invention—Wednesday 6 September 2023, 6 pm
Spatiality, along with AI, are at the forefront of current research in music and sound art. Berlin-based artists Verena Lercher and Gerriet K. Sharma are leading explorations in these areas.
Join us for a conversation between Lercher and Sharma in discussion with Associate Professor Dugal McKinnon, a sonic artist from New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī. In this talk Lercher and Sharma discuss the ways their individual backgrounds in theatre, performance, and media art inform their work with sound, space, and advanced sound tech.
Cora-Allan: Making Material Histories—Saturday 16 September 2023, 2 pm
Join artist Cora-Allan and Curator Collections Sophie Thorn for a conversation focusing on the material processes of harvesting whenua paint and the materials science of producing natural dyes as they relate to Cora-Allan’s three works on hiapo currently on display in Aro Toi /Art Collection in Focus: A Gift, A Celebration, An Invitation.
Tying Up Loose Ends—Wednesday 4 October 2023, 6 pm
What happens at the end of a project? So much energy goes into production, but what happens in its wake? This discussion brings together the artists and curators involved in Back of House to address a range of issues this question raises. Chaired by Milly Mitchell-Anyon, Curator at the Dowse, the panel includes Sophia Smolenski, Wendy Bornholdt, Christina Barton, and Sophie Thorn.
Gloves On—Wednesday 18 October 2023, 9.30 am–6 pm
This day-long programme of talks and presentations is aimed at the non-public facing exhibition staff, the registrars, collection managers, and technicians working behind the scenes. It is an opportunity to come together to celebrate the hidden mahi being done in the gallery and museum sector. By sharing knowledge in this open and friendly forum, we hope to foster collegiality, identify common issues, and think about ways of working together to make better use of shared resources. Registration for this hui will be open soon! Check our website for more information.
The symposium will be held in the Hunter Council Chamber, Kelburn campus.
Is This Meta Enough For You?—Wednesday 18 October 2023, 6 pm
Come and enjoy a spring evening in the Gallery with an improvised live electronic music performance from Thomas Voyce, sonic artist and lecturer at New Zealand School of Music—Te Kōkī.
During the exhibition installation period for Back of House, Voyce collected field recordings by attaching binaural microphones to individual Adam Art Gallery staff members. Is This Meta Enough For You? is the culmination of these recordings amplified by Te Kōkī Soundsystem and mixed live on the night.
Reading Environments: Precarious Hope—Mondays 28 August, 25 September, 16 October, 27 November 2023, 4 pm–5.30 pm
This is a reading group hosted by Associate Professor Su Ballard (Art History), Dr Bonnie Etherington, and Dr Adam Grener (English Literatures and Creative Communication).
It brings together academics, students, and interested members of the public to delve into and discuss current work in the Environmental Humanities as we consider how to navigate our changing environmental contexts.
All are welcome, although spaces are limited, and there are readings to prepare. Find out more and register your interest by emailing Susan Ballard.
More information about our exhibitions and events
Information about our public programme will be updated in the coming weeks. Keep up to date by joining our mailing list, following us on social media, or visiting the Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery website.
For information about this programme contact Kate Lepper, Public Programmes and Communications Coordinator.