Every cloud has a silver lining - September 2015

SOUNDING: Founteen-year-old Wanganui High School student Ben Power entertains on the piano

Every cloud has a silver lining and for Wanganui's temporary art gallery on Taupo Quay that has proved the case.

The Sarjeant Gallery relocated to rented premises on Taupo Quay to allow earthquake strengthening of the Queen's Park building. But in June floodwaters from the Whanganui River swamped the ground floor of the Taupo Quay property along with other buildings in the area.

However, tomorrow Sarjeant on the Quay reopens with a new floor.
Pete Gray, Wanganui District Council deputy community and cultural manager, said the previous floor was made up of timber the builders were able to recover from the original building.

"There wasn't enough to do the entire floor so they filled in the spaces with plywood. They did it in a really clever way so it looked properly designed. But now the entire floor has gone and been replaced by matai timber. It looks stunning," Mr Gray said.
He said locating the temporary gallery on Taupo Quay was something council looked at "long and hard" and was aware of the risk factor. But the gallery is going to be there for only five years and the collection is stored on the first floor "so only a 5m-high tsunami would affect that".

"It was a calculated risk and there was a massive flood, but the damage was to the building, not to the collection," he said.

"The point is we do not own the building. We're tenants, so any damage is the responsibility of the landlord, not council," Mr Gray said.

Sally Patrick, council's community and cultural manager, said since moving to Taupo Quay the community had "engaged" with the Sarjeant more than ever before.
"We've had a 15 per cent increase in the number of locals visiting the gallery, which is very pleasing while we work on upgrading and strengthening the Sarjeant in Queen's Park.

"But the good thing is they're seeing their gallery now, they're visiting it, they're using it and becoming more aware of what the city's cultural institutions do," Ms Patrick said.
A day full of events to celebrate the Sarjeant's reopening will be held. There will be music all day, including Wellington musician Tim Barrie performing on the oud, and local musicians Ben Power, Alan Cruise-Johnston, and Charlotte Melser.

There will be several gallery tours and curator talks led by curator and public programmes manager Greg Donson and assistant curator Sarah McClintock.
During the day there will be activities for children, including making paper flowers, and pavement art.

The programme will finish with afternoon tea at 3pm.

Five new exhibitions will be opened on the day, including works by Alexis Neal and Cat Auburn, as well as three featuring works from the Sarjeant's permanent collection.