Not so simple Simon

A bumpy road ahead for the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. Anyone following the New Plymouth District Council’s debate before it agreed to help fund the Len Lye Centre building project would have seen that the margin of support was not great even then. The last local body elections resulted in a Council that is likely to be even less supportive of the GB’s expansionist plans. 

An indication that the new Council situation might have immediate effects on the Gallery comes with the news that the appointment of the German curator hired to take over from Mercedes Vincent has been called off. Vincent left over a year ago so it seems no curator will now be appointed until the new building is well underway. 

New director Simon Rees will have to call on all his well known diplomatic skills to get the Council back on side and ramp up fund raising for the project’s projected cash shortage.