Gifted: Works from the Collection is our way of celebrating the generosity of private benefactors, local businesses and artists whose gifts have comprised a large portion of our collection since our formal inception in 1951.

With an extensive number of works to draw from, selection was made for this exhibition in a way that showcased the many motivations behind gifting works. Some have been gifted as a way for donors to honor a personal connection to the gallery, whilst others signal an important commemoration of a historic event in our region. You will see works whose strong connection to Southland encouraged donors to entrust these to our care so that ‘our story’ would continue to be told through an artistic lens. There are also significant works from major New Zealand artists which are only accessible today through the gifting of either the physical work or a substantial monetary sum to the gallery.

It is clear that gifting to the IPAG collection has been about generosity and a desire to share the creative force of an art work with those beyond oneself. The works that you see today have all added significantly to a valuable artistic resource for the region and created a lasting legacy for the people of Invercargill and its visitors to enjoy.

For a regional gallery such as IPAG, the act of gifting is also immensely important to our ongoing viability and purpose. By their very nature, public collections are not static bodies of work, they evolve and develop over time. With a limited acquisitions budget, we rely on the gifting of art works to ensure the continual growth and relevance of our collection.

IPAG would like to take this opportunity to thank all the donors who have helped make our collection what it is today through their contributions.