AUCKLAND
Art for Art’s Sake If you’ve ever walked through an art gallery and felt, well, underwhelmed, you’re not alone. Many modern galleries can be dispiriting affairs, airless and antiseptic, with their contents to be discussed in hushed tones and knowing nods rather smiles and gasps and exclamations. Auckland couple Sandra and Anthony Grant decided they wanted to change that. And Sculptureum is the result.
“Sculptureum is intended to show people myriad different art forms they’ve never seen before and help them realise how interesting art can be,” says Anthony, and that pretty much hits the nail on the head. Because Sculptureum is an art space like no other. Ten hectares of gardens and galleries, a function centre, a vineyard and a restaurant – Rothko – it took more than ten years of work to become a reality, but the result is inspiring. Located in Matakana about an hour north of Auckland, its galleries contain works by Cezanne and Chagall, Matisse and Rodin, as well as sculptures and contemporary works in plastic, metal and other materials by artists from all over the world, as well as works by New Zealand artists. There are more than 750 works in all, but it isn’t just the scale of Sculptureum that excites the viewer, it’s also the style. Pieces in the Galleries are arranged to inspire curiosity and humour, with serious European masters side by side with contemporary pop art and works that defy classification. And its layout is as much a tip of the hat to Disneyland and Dr. Seuss as it is to the Guggenheim Museum. A I R C H AT H A M S . C O . N Z // S P R I N G 2 0 1 9
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