Public Art Heritage Aotearoa New Zealand’s new website publicart.nz has been officially launched at Parliament at a gathering hosted by The Minister for Art, Culture and Heritage, Hon Carmel Sepuloni.
The website is a New Zealand first, providing a single place for New Zealanders to gain knowledge of 20th Century public artworks located in towns and cities across New Zealand, including works that have been hidden, lost, destroyed, or deaccessioned.
At launch the register contains over 380 works which can be searched by information about each of the artworks, the artists, and their locations.
Public Art Heritage Aotearoa New Zealand – PAHANZ – is a research initiative based at Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts, Massey University Wellington, and was established to find, document, and protect what remains of Aotearoa’s 20th century public art.
“Sadly, many 20th Century works have already been destroyed, hidden, or simply lost, while others remain undocumented and at risk due to a lack of public knowledge of their significance and cultural value. Photo: Bronwyn Holloway-Smith, Public Art Heritage Aotearoa New Zealand, 2022.
PAHANZ will be working with Heritage New Zealand and Regional District Councils to gain heritage listings for works of national significance. PAHANZ is seeking the public’s help to continue building the register and assist in the protection of these important 20th Century public art works.
Credit: sunlive.co.nz
