Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, New Zealand

This is the best art museum on the south island, and of all the museums we went to on our recent trip to New Zealand, it is the one that has the most contemporary art. Some things were so recent that the paint was barely dry! The building itself is as contemporary as the art--it has a glass dominated fascade that curves much like the Avon River, which flows through Christchurch, containing 9 galleries. It is a work of art itself. The Māori name, Te Puna o Waiwhetū, relates to the life-giving properties of the artesian spring on which the Gallery is built and the museum's role in contributing to the cultural wellbeing of the community--the no defunct university campus across the street has several spaces that have been repurposed for artists to create and show their work.

The emphasis on New Zealand, with its mixed Maori and European heritage, is very clear and interesting to behold. All signs are in both Maori and English--it reminded me of Canada, where roughly 20% of the nation is French-speaking, but throughout all signs are bilingual. About 18% of New Zealanders identify as Maori, and many do not speak Maori as a first language, but it is a way to keep Maori alive, as well as celebrated. This was a great introduction to art in New Zealand as well as a lesson on how to embrace a diverse heritage in a former colony.