by Geoffrey and Eva Churchman

Mahara Gallery Trust Board Chairman Gordon Shroff begins the formalities.
The Maori waiata (song) is sung.
The east face inside the quadrangle.
The north face from the Aputa parking lot.
The north and west faces. Patterns in the transperant canopy show on the white walls when it’s sunny as it was today.

This took place today in good weather with an invited audience of local VIPs plus members of the public who showed up the see the gallery and watch the performance artists in the quadrangle. More are performing tomorrow.

There were short speeches by key people about the long period of work by several people aimed at getting the project underway and realised. Indefatigable gallery Director Janet Bayley said the increased display space will enable the Field Collection of works by Frances Hodgkins — arguably NZ’s most important ex-pat artist — to be given proper exhibition as well as enabling better exhibition for other Kapiti artists, or artists with an association with Kapiti. A brochure that was given out gives details of the season for the next 6 months.

We think the name Toi is good (see earlier), although we don’t like the logo which looks too much like an arrangement of pieces of no. 8 fencing wire. But the building looks nice inside and out and significantly enhances the experience of Mahara Place.

For some reason the council didn’t want pictures taken of Koro Don’s blessing or the interior taken today, so we’ll take some more tomorrow.