Shed 11 the Temporary/Contemporary
| Company type | Exhibition venue |
|---|---|
| Industry | Arts and culture |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Defunct | 1992 |
| Fate | Closed as National Art Gallery venue; leased by New Zealand Portrait Gallery from 2010 |
| Headquarters | Wellington , New Zealand |
| Parent | National Art Gallery of New Zealand (1986–1992) |
Shed 11 - the Temporary/Contemporary served as an exhibition venue on Wellington's waterfront, managed by the National Art Gallery of New Zealand from 1986 through 1992.
History
At the end of 1985, the Ministry of Works and Development transformed Shed 11, located on the Wellington waterfront, into a gallery space for the National Art Gallery. Originally constructed in 1905 by William Ferguson as a warehouse for the Wellington Harbour Board, the building was positioned right at the edge of the water.
On 23 May 1986, Luit Bieringa, then Director of the National Art Gallery, revealed plans for Shed 11 to function as an alternative site dedicated to contemporary art. This initiative came after plans to establish a new National Art Gallery facility on Molesworth Street fell through.
Exhibitions
The expansive and flexible interior of Shed 11 accommodated artworks too large for display within the National Art Gallery’s Buckle Street premises, making it ideal for contemporary art exhibitions. Its inaugural show, Temporary/Contemporary, showcased Chris Booth’s Ngā Rimu o Puketi alongside a performance by Auckland ensemble From Scratch titled Pacific 3, 2, 1, Zero Part 2. Over a span of three years, Shed 11 presented exhibitions curated by the National Art Gallery as well as touring displays.
1986
- Wild Visionary Spectral: New German Art – an Australian touring exhibition.
- Content/Context – an extensive overview of contemporary New Zealand art curated by Luit Bieringa. Art historian Michael Dunn regarded it as ‘the most ambitious survey of recent New Zealand art ever attempted in one space.’ Running from September 1986 to March 1987, it was supported by a detailed catalogue.
1987
- Matt Pine Selected Works 1965-85, loaned from the Sarjeant Gallery in Whanganui.
- Pauline Rhodes: Women View Women.
- Sighting References: Ciphers, Systems and Meaning in Recent Australian Visual Art, curated by Gary Sangster at Sydney’s Artspace.
- Ko Te Kimihanga, marking the first installment in a series of Māori art exhibitions at Shed 11 that emphasized bicultural development in New Zealand, championed by Luit Bieringa and Paratene Matchitt.
- When Art Hits the Headlines: A Survey of Controversial Art In New Zealand, which documented public disputes surrounding art exhibitions, accompanied by a comprehensive large-format catalogue.
1988
- Exhibition featuring works by Barbara Kruger at Shed 11.
- Taki Toru: Three Māori Artists, presenting Selwyn Muru, Paratene Matchitt, and Ralph Hotere. Highlighted pieces included Matchitt’s seven-by-two-metre assemblage Te Wepu and Hotere’s sculpture Black Phoenix, crafted from the charred fishing vessel ‘Poitrel’’. Critic Mark Amery identified this as Shed 11’s most important exhibition.
- Advance Australia Painting, a touring exhibition organized by Auckland Art Gallery.
1989
- Showcasing works by Cindy Sherman.
- Nobodies: Adventures of the Generic Figure, Robert Leonard’s debut exhibition as curator at the National Art Gallery.
1990
- The French artist Daniel Buren presented Kei te Anganui: At the Opposite, a site-specific work that occupied the entire Shed 11 space.
Controversy
Certain commentators contended that the gallery’s emphasis on contemporary New Zealand art, exemplified by exhibitions such as Content/Context at Shed 11, did not align with the core objectives of a national institution. At that time, Hamish Keith, serving as Chairman of the National Art Gallery, maintained that national museums should concentrate primarily on historical artworks rather than contemporary or experimental pieces. Bieringa’s strong support for modern art and disagreements surrounding the establishment of Te Papa Tongarewa ultimately resulted in his removal in 1989.
Shed 11 after Bieringa
After organizational changes, Shed 11 continued to function as a Museum of New Zealand venue dedicated to contemporary art until 1992. Notable exhibitions during this period included Laurence Aberhart’s Nature Morte, Mexico: out of the Profane, which highlighted six contemporary Mexican artists, the Crafts Council’s Mau Mahara: Our Stories in Craft curated by Justine Olsen, John Parker, and Cliff Whiting, Elements: Explorations: Oppositions, featuring pieces from the Museum of New Zealand’s collection, and a showcase of Australian artists Robin Stacey and Jackie Redgate.
Beginning in 2010, Shed 11 has been leased on a long-term basis by the New Zealand Portrait Gallery and remains their exhibition space as of 2024.