Last week was the final week; today the last pieces of signage from the pop-up gallery in Mahara Lane — which opened in March 2022 — were removed and it is now a vacant space. Whether the architecture firm in the neighbouring shop, which has had 2 walk-though portals into Mahara Iti will take it over, hasn’t been notified to us.

Some readers will have seen criticism in Stuff of the operating costs for the new gallery set to open in September/October, but our view is that’s what it has to be and should be accepted. The Guru Gateway, for example, would have cost at least as much, and it would have been unused by tourists for half the year. The Mahara Gallery will be available to visit the whole year.