Christchurch Art Gallery senior curator Justin Paton has accepted a new position as head curator of international art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.

Christchurch Art Gallery senior curator Justin Paton has accepted a new position as head curator of international art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney.

“It's an exciting and a challenging next step for Justin and I am confident that he will make an energetic and strongly intellectual contribution to this major art gallery, itself preparing for major transformation. We know him to be a gifted communicator and an inventive curator,” said Christchurch Art Gallery director Jenny Harper.

“As well as being profoundly glad for him, it's hard also not to feel a sense of sadness. Hearty and warm congratulations stand alongside a keen disappointment at our losing such a creative and collegial member of staff who has contributed so much to how Christchurch Art Gallery re-invented itself pre-22 February 2011 and how collectively we are facing the current extended period of closure.”

Paton will finish before Christmas and is starting at Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) in January 2014.

AGNSW director Dr Michael Brand said Paton will be responsible for providing overall vision and direction for its international collections and exhibition programs.

He joins the Gallery following the announcement in March this year of a vision and strategic master plan, titled Sydney Modern.

“Justin will bring a wealth of expertise and experience to our Gallery along with a reputation for highly creative thinking and writing. I am delighted he will soon be joining our team in Sydney as we plan for our ambitious Sydney Modern transformation and building expansion,” said Dr Brand.

“His recent work has been marked by both innovation and community service. At the Christchurch Art Gallery, Justin was curatorial leader for the complete reinstallation of their collection then led their award-winning post-earthquake program of public art installations and public programs. His ability to work creatively with artists and to speak to a global audience was clearly evident at this year’s Venice Biennale.”

New Zealand-born Paton is a curator and art writer, with a wide range of exhibition projects and publications to his credit. He has been senior curator at Christchurch Art Gallery since 2007; before that he was curator of Contemporary Art at Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

Paton’s major projects as curator have included the group exhibitions De-Building and Unguided tours and survey exhibitions of New Zealand, Australian, English and American artists including painter Stanley Spencer, word artist Kay Rosen and video artist Daniel Crooks. He was curator of New Zealand’s official presentation, by Bill Culbert, at this year’s Venice Biennale.

In addition to his work as a curator, Paton is a writer and commentator on contemporary art, who in 2012 received the Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship. He is best known for the 2005 book How to Look at a Painting, which won a Montana New Zealand Book Award and inspired a series for New Zealand television which he also presented. His other books include studies of New Zealand and Australian artists including Jude Rae and Ricky Swallow.

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Sources:

Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu

Art Gallery of New South Wales