It was a weekend of celebration as the doors to the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre opened to the public for the first time last weekend.
The Len Lye Centre is the first gallery in New Zealand to be dedicated to a single artist and the unveiling of the 32-tonne, 14m-high mirror-grade stainless steel facade attracted plenty of attention in the lead up to the $64,000 opening ceremony.
On Friday, media from around the world attended a preview day, exploring the building and exhibitions ahead of the official opening on Saturday.
The opening exhibition, "Len Lye's Jam Session" features kinetic sculpture, painting, cinema and works from his archive. A highlight has to be the 8-metre high version of Fountain, on display in the Large Works Gallery alongside three smaller examples of the piece. Featuring a plume of stainless steel rods that rise out of a rotating motorised base, the exhibit is almost hypnotic to watch.
Christchurch-born Len Lye is considered a visionary artist as well as a pioneer of film but the centre has not been without controversy, with many New Plymouth rate-payers criticising it as a waste of money. Construction costs were raised through a mix of private sponsorship and a central government contribution of $4 million, with the New Plymouth Council paying the additional operational costs of the combined Govett-Brewster Art Gallery and Len Lye Centre of about $100,000 a year. Entry has been guaranteed to be free for the first year at least.