The Auckland Art Gallery's new Marylyn Mayo intern Katherine Bol will spend the next 10 weeks working on the gallery's mission to rescue its 1960s and 70s colour photos from degrading and fading into obscurity. The gallery staff will be relocating the collection which include photos by Brian Brake, Robin Morrison, John Kinder and the Burton Brothers, into a new purpose-built cool store. Recent research has found their life-span can be extended to over 300 years if kept in a cool, dark environment at 40% humidity.The Auckland Art Gallery's new Marylyn Mayo intern Katherine Bol will spend the next 10 weeks working on the gallery's mission to rescue its 1960s and 70s colour photos from degrading and fading into obscurity. The gallery staff will be relocating the collection which include photos by Brian Brake, Robin Morrison, John Kinder and the Burton Brothers, into a new purpose-built cool store. Recent research has found their life-span can be extended to over 300 years if kept in a cool, dark environment at 40% humidity.The move comes just in the nick of time, with only a handful of polaroids beyond saving. It ensures this valuable historical record is preserved for future generations.

Bol, 26, has an MA in museums and cultural heritage from Auckland University. She will be helping the registration team to document and move over 2,800 photos into the 3m x 5m cool store. She works one day a week at Archives New Zealand and is a volunteer at Howick Historical Village.

She recently took part in a Te Papa project rehousing Egyptian artefacts. The annual internships were established last year thanks to the generosity of Queensland academic Dr John Mayo in memory of his late wife Marylyn, a New Zealander with a lifelong interest in the arts, education, law and health.

Gallery director Chris Saines says there was a clear need for this type of assistance.

"The gallery had already hosted a number of informal internships over the years for students seeking practical experience. Dr Mayo's generosity and foresight will make a huge difference to future professionalism in the sector," he says.

The inaugural Marylyn Mayo intern Greg Anderson spent four months working alongside gallery staff on the Art & the 60s from Tate Britain exhibition. A third intern, Renee Tanner,
begins a 12-week outreach education programme in January.