Located in French Bay, Titirangi the McCahon House Museum and adjacent artist's residency is a best kept secret of Auckland. The home of the McCahon family 1953 - 1959 where Colin McCahon developed some of his most important paintings. The house is open to the public Wednesday - Sunday 1- 4pm. For more information visit the website. Viv was the Director 2016 - 2023, and during this time was very pleased to be able to facilitate opportunities for New Zealand contemporary arts and artists through the McCahon legacy and the 2019 McCahon centenary.
There were many satisfying moments during my seven years at McCahon House. During this time I was blessed with a great team, supportive and engaged trustees and a series of artists whose work it was a privilege to be in service to, as well as a terrific group of McCahon House supporters who grew steadily and more generously over the years.
Some of the highlights included the NELL ANNE quilt project, instigated by Australian artist NELL. It became a Covid project and as such a terrific Tans-Trasman collaboration with an almost equal number of Australian and New Zealand contributors. There are over 1100 patches which constitute the two quilts, involving many contributors stitching a patch to honour a women who had been significant in their lives. The response was a visible outpouring of love, with some fantastically creative stitching and heart felt words accompanying them. For more detail
mccahonhouse.org.nz/
A conversation with the Fukutake family, initiated when Japanese artist Taro Shinoda was in residence in 2017, eventually saw a McCahon House artists residency for a
New Zealand artist on the Naoshima Art Islands for the Setouchi Triennial 2025. Hopefully this will be an ongoing opportunity for New Zealand artists with thanks to the Fukutake family, and the ongoing good work of McCahon House team and the Tomorrow Group and Asia New Zealand Foundation who support it. McCahon House Education Manager Jack Hadley made me an “Aotearoa Pavilion Naoshima - to acknowledge her energy and vision for the future of McCahon House” as a leaving gift. As ever it’s the homemade gifts, and the deep friendships they symbolise, that bring the most joy.
McCahon100, a collection of 67 New Zealanders (and honorary New Zealanders) writing about the legacy of Colin McCahon’s artwork and his impact as a teacher is a publication I remain very proud of. So pleasing to hear a diverse chorus of voices speaking confidently about visual art and how it enhances our lives in Aotearoa.
