New director for Govett-Brewster Art Gallery

Dr Zara Stanhope will take the helm of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery & Len Lye Centre as of March 2021. Coming from her role as curatorial manager of Asian and Pacific Art of Queensland Art Gallery/ Gallery of Modern Art in Brisbane, Stanhope brings nearly 30 years’ experience to the role.

On her appointment Stanhope says, “This is an opportunity to strengthen the institution’s position as a leading centre for contemporary art in the Pacific, prioritise diverse local communities and artists, and expand national and international audiences.”

She would like to foster a “shared understanding in a manner that honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles of partnership, participation and protection” and “contribute to leading conversations through contemporary art that explores and celebrates who we are as people, place, communities, cultures and histories.”

Dr Stanhope is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Art and Design at AUT University, Auckland. She holds a PhD from the School of Art and Social Sciences at the Australian National University, Canberra and has curated more than 50 exhibitions including New Zealand’s presence at the 58th Venice Biennale in 2019. She has worked in lead roles at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and Heide Museum of Modern Art. Dr Stanhope joins the Govett-Brewster team from March 2021.

Image: Dr Zara Stanhope. Courtesy: Dr Stanhope and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery & Len Lye Centre, New Zealand.