Time flies when you’re having fun

Seems like only yesterday that Wellington’s City Gallery announced its opening with a copycat McCahon painting. In fact it was 14 years ago today. At the time Paula Savage had been director for two and a half years and told reporters, “I have a very austere aesthetic and I think that is reflected in the building.” The gallery offered twice the space of the temporary gallery in Victoria Street and featured German artist Rosemarie Trockel in its opening exhibitions. Jacqueline Fraser also featured in the ustairs ”New Zealand Room Project Space.” This was described as being “designated as an artists’ installation gallery, giving guest artists control over exhibiting content.”