The Dowse is after a new director now that
Cam McCracken is headed south to run the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. There have
been some big changes under his direction and they've accelerated since curator
Emma Bugden arrived. McCracken inherited some confused spaces and entrances and
has only recently brought them back into clearer focus. When you add to that a
fresh programme of exhibitions via Bugden - life at the Dowse was starting to
look up.
Let's hope the new director keeps the place heading in the same sort
of direction. In its fractured history (of which we played a part: Jim was
director from 1976-1980) the Dowse has see-sawed at the changing passions and whims of
the individual directors. Its audience has been tossed around between craft
gallery, art gallery a Te Papa type local community museum and now a more
stable version of an expansive contemporary art museum. And of course the
collections reflect this erratic path. Little wonder it recently needed yet a
further rebranding (Dowse Art Gallery –> New Dowse –> Dowse Art Museum) during
McCracken’s tenure
With new energy around craft and
contemporary art and more innovative digital outreach, the Dowse could build an
important national role and excite its local community. What the Dowse doesn't
need is another change in direction or another attempt at mimicking Te Papa
(people, you need bigger budgets than the Hutt is ever going to have to do
that).
Apparently applications have closed so a
decision can't be too far away.
