Barry Hopkins Gallery opens at Waikato Museum

More than 100 art lovers packed into the Waikato Museum foyer for the opening of the Barry Hopkins Gallery.

The new gallery, named for a prominent local art collector, has been in the making for almost two years and was officially opened with the cutting of a red ribbon by Hopkins and Hamilton City Council’s new CEO Richard Briggs.

The event was hosted by Waikato Museum director, Cherie Meecham, who told those in attendance of her first-time meeting with Mr Hopkins years before, as a young curator at the Te Awamutu Museum.

“Barry is unique and has a very surprising taste in art work,” said Meecham. “We have over 200 pieces of his collection in our care here at the museum, and we are looking forward to putting them on display in this new gallery.”

HCC General Manager for Community Lance Vervoort, thanked Mr Hopkins for his contribution to preserving and collecting important New Zealand art works and for the many ways he has contributed to the Waikato art scene.

“Barry has touched on all facets of Artspost and the Museum,” said Vervoort. “He is a key part of this institution and is a great inspiration and friend to many of the staff here. It has been such a privilege to have his collected work on display, and I predict we will have a sharp increase in numbers due to this significant gallery being opened.”

Then, the man himself took the stage and told of how his love for artwork began when he was 15 years old, wasting time before a dental appointment, when he stumbled into an art gallery and discovered the artwork of Colin McCahon.

“I picked out the piece I loved the most and I rang my father, asking him to purchase it the following week. I guess that is the advantage of being the only son,” said Hopkins.

So it is fitting that the work in question, “Waterfalls with Red Cliffs”, hangs in the first exhibition of the gallery.

Hopkins then thanked Hamilton City Council, the Friends of the Museum, and Museum staff for helping create the gallery.

CEO Richard Briggs spoke of the excitement he felt in attending the opening as his first official outing.

“I’m sorry if I am a bit boring, I’m still officially CFO today, so the fun stuff doesn’t start until Monday when I become the CEO,” Briggs joked.

“But this is my first official outing as CEO. I’m glad it is for the Barry Hopkins Gallery. I feel that this gallery balances the museum, not just in an artistic way but for the museum’s soul.”

The first exhibition, Collection Pairs, is a range of artworks from both Hopkins’ personal collection and the Museum’s collection and runs until December 17.

• Reporter Alyson Eberle is visitor host supervisor at the Waikato Museum.