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The Len Lye Centre

Artist impression of the Len Lye Centre.

Listen to a recent interview on Radio New Zealand's Nine to Noon programme about the Len Lye Centre

What is the Len Lye Centre?

The Len Lye Centre will be a dedicated space providing permanent access to Len Lye’s art and ideas while assuring the preservation of the Len Lye Collection and Archive for future generations. The project seeks to embrace the full potential of the Len Lye Collection and Archive as a valuable community asset that is fragile and in urgent need of a dedicated home for its care and display. The Len Lye Centre will cement New Plymouth as the home of Len Lye's work and ideas and reflect the community’s regard for the innovative use of technology, creative expression and experimentation. The centre will also provide an education suite, information lounges and a cinema. The Len Lye Centre and the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery will operate as a combined facility.

What will the Len Lye Centre show and do?

The Len Lye Centre will feature Lye’s work in sculpture, film, painting, drawing, photography, batik and writing, as well as related work by contemporary and historical artists. Plans include new kinetic sculptures developed by the Len Lye Foundation based on Lye’s designs, while a cinema will offer Lye’s films as well as selected independent and art films from around the world. The centre will feature a strong and innovative educational component providing access to Len Lye’s art and ideas for audiences of all ages from all walks of life.

When will the Len Lye Centre open?

Construction is planned to begin in late 2012 and the Len Lye Centre is expected to open in late 2014.

Where will the Len Lye Centre be?

The site for the Len Lye Centre is adjacent to the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery on the corner of Devon Street West and Queen Street. The two buildings will be inter-connected with a single entrance, forming a combined facility. The Len Lye Centre and the Govett-Brewster will also share management, staff, a shop and a cafe. This allows the sharing of operational resources with the Govett-Brewster, thus minimising costs to the community.

Will there be an entry charge to the Len Lye Centre?

Current New Plymouth District Council policy is for standard entry to facilities such as the Govett-Brewster and Puke Ariki to be free to ensure that these resources are available to as many people as possible. However, like the Govett-Brewster and Puke Ariki, the Len Lye Centre will charge for certain events and public programmes as appropriate. These fees and charges are included in an extensive programme of fundraising and revenue raising that includes private donations, government grants, corporate sponsorship, shop merchandise and revenue, cafe revenue venue hire fees and donations at the door.Return to top

How much is building the Len Lye Centre going to cost?

Construction of the Len Lye Centre is expected to cost approximately $10 million. Artist impression of the Len Lye Centre.

Who is going to pay for it?

Construction of the centre will be funded externally, with zero contribution from New Plymouth District ratepayers. The required amount of approximately $10m will be raised through partnerships with local, national and international investors. Construction will not begin until the required funding has been raised by New Plymouth District Council, which will own and operate the centre. We have $8m raised to date (September 2011) and the Council is confident of achieving the $10m fundraising target. The Len Lye Foundation is responsible for providing the art and archival material that will be displayed inside the centre.

Who has pledged money for the project so far?

In 2009 the TSB Community Trust pledged $1m to the project. In June 2011 the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, the Hon. Christopher Finlayson, announced support of $4m from the Government’s Regional Museums Policy for Capital Construction Costs. This was followed by a grant of $500,000 from the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board’s Environment and Heritage Committee. In September 2001 Todd Energy pledged $2.5m towards the construction of the centre with a further $100,000 per year for five years to run an educational programme aimed primarily at school children in the Taranaki region.

What about running costs?

The Council will make a contribution to the centre’s operating costs through rates. In the first year following opening, this contribution in current dollars will be $310,000, or an extra 78 cents per month on the average residential rates bill (currently $156 per month). Fundraising by the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery and Len Lye Centre will be added to this amount to make up the centre’s total operating costs. The Len Lye Centre and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery will share a number of facilities including staff. This pooling of resources has helped minimise the centre’s operating costs and every effort is being made to generate further sponsorship to reduce these costs further. The design for the centre includes income-earning facilities such as the cinema and an archive library.

What impact will the Len Lye Centre have on the Govett-Brewster?

The combined facility of the Len Lye Centre and the Govett-Brewster will offer a unique and complimentary programme of exhibitions and public engagement. They will share staff and operating costs as well as facilities such as the education suite, information lounges, shop, cafe and cinema. Len Lye has been an integral component of the Govett-Brewster programming and activity since 1977. New Plymouth District Council has strong experience of running a combined cultural facility with Puke Ariki, which successfully combines museum, library and tourist information services without compromising services.

Who is managing the Len Lye Centre project?

The Len Lye Committee - a partnership between New Plymouth District Council and the Len Lye Foundation - governs the development of the Len Lye Centre project. The Govett-Brewster will manage the Len Lye Centre with guidance from the Len Lye Committee. The Len Lye Committee will be made up of New Plymouth District Councillors and Len Lye Foundation Trustees. The Govett-Brewster/Len Lye Centre will be owned and operated by the Council.Return to top

Who was Len Lye?

Len Lye (1901-1980) is one of New Zealand’s most influential modern artists. A pioneer experimental filmmaker, sculptor, painter, writer and innovator, his interests were in the possibilities of light and movement. Lye was born in Christchurch, his family had little money and he educated himself about art in public libraries in New Zealand. He trained early in graphic design in Wellington and worked his way via Australia and Samoa to London in the 1920s where he made short direct (hand-made) films through scratching and painting directly onto the film. He then moved to New York in 1944 to work in television and it was here he developed his kinetic or moving sculptures. Today, Lye’s hand-made films and kinetic sculptures continue to receive expanding interest and acclaim and offer inspiration throughout the world.

How well-known is Len Lye?

Len Lye is best known internationally as a filmmaker while he is most prominent as a kinetic sculptor in New Zealand. In recent years his films have been exhibited in major museums and film festivals worldwide. Lye’s films are held in numerous international collections including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley; the British Film Institute, London; and the New Zealand Film Archive. Outside the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Lye’s sculptures are held in several public collections such as the Art Institute of Chicago, the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; and the Berkeley Art Museum, California.
What is the connection between Len Lye, New Plymouth and the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery?
The Len Lye Collection and Archive is housed and cared for by the Govett-Brewster. The Govett-Brewster presented the artist’s first major retrospective in 1977. Several of his works were developed for this exhibition by enthusiastic local engineers. Based on this experience, Lye chose New Plymouth as the home for his collection and since 1980 the New Plymouth District Council and the Govett-Brewster has cared for this significant legacy in partnership with the Len Lye Foundation who own the collection and archive. The Len Lye Foundation, the New Plymouth District Council and the Govett-Brewster exist as a partnership and are responsible for the protection, exhibition, promotion and conservation of the Len Lye Collection and Archive which it funds.

What is the Len Lye Foundation?

The Len Lye Foundation is a New Zealand charitable trust established by Len Lye and his supporters shortly before his death in 1980. Following the artist’s wishes, the Len Lye Foundation holds his work in trust “for the public benefit of the people of New Zealand”. One of the foundation's roles is to restore and reconstruct Lye's works.

What is in the Len Lye Collection and Archive?

Lye was a prolific artist, writer and innovator who archived the breadth of his work. There are dozens of sculptures, paintings, film prints, batiks and rare books in the collection, along with thousands of Lye’s drawings, doodles, photographs, audio tapes, slides and manuscripts. The collection is estimated to total 18,000 items.

How are new Len Lye works realised?

Lye made prototypes and designs for many kinetic sculptures that were beyond the technology available during his lifetime. The artist entrusted the Len Lye Foundation to realise these works posthumously as advances in technology permitted. Water Whirler 2006, a public sculpture realised by the Len Lye Foundation and based on Lye’s concept and designs, is located on the Wellington waterfront, while Wind Wand 2000 has become a popular landmark on New Plymouth's foreshore.

Are Len Lye works always on view at the Govett-Brewster?

The Govett-Brewster is committed to providing access to Lye’s work and has presented a programme of annual exhibitions drawn from the collection and archive since 1977. Increased space and conservation work is required before Lye’s kinetic sculptures can be placed on permanent exhibition to meet demand.Return to top

Who are the architects for the Len Lye Centre?

Patterson Associates are one of New Zealand’s most internationally recognised architects. Their projects range from complex commercial developments and urban infrastructure through to residential homes and three-dimensional planning. Established by Andrew Patterson in 1996, the firm is committed to sustainable methodology, innovative use of materials and creating simple, beautiful projects that encourage people to engage on many levels. Pattersons, based in Auckland, designed the Michael Hill Clubhouse in Wakatipu which was selected as one of the nine best sports and leisure buildings in the world at the Barcelona World Architecture Awards in 2008. Pattersons are also multiple recipients of The New Zealand Institute of Architects’ NZ Supreme Award for Architecture. Another of Pattersons’ recent projects, the Geyser building in Auckland, has achieved New Zealand’s first six Green Star - Office Design certified rating. Six stars signify world leadership in sustainability. Patterson Associates was named in May 2011 by prestigious publication World Architecture News in their 21 for 21 programme as one of five selected international architectural practices that are “set to shape the future of architecture in the 21st Century”.

How were the architects chosen?

A rigorous nationwide selection process was undertaken in 2010 and the best qualified architects for this project were chosen to undertake the design. Ten New Zealand architectural firms were interviewed from which a shortlist of four architects was selected. These four firms then presented to a selection committee their practice, philosophy, scope of projects and approach to quality assurance, project management, urban design and sustainability protocols. Senior New Zealand architect Sir Miles Warren, an external adviser on the committee, commented that in his observation, the Len Lye Centre Architectural Selection Process was “the most thorough and rigorous selection process he had witnessed for a project of this scope.”

Will the Len Lye Centre building be earthquake proof?

The building is designed to withstand a one in a thousand year quake, i.e. the strongest earthquake event expected in Taranaki by scientists during the next thousand years. A full engineer’s report notes its very strong structure.

Will there be work by other artists in the Len Lye Centre?

In accordance with the artist’s wishes, the centre will grow the collection, as films and sculptures are restored and as unrealised kinetic works are completed given access to new technologies. As well as showcasing Len Lye’s work, the centre will present the work of complementary artists. Some exhibition spaces in the Len Lye Centre will be shared with the Govett-Brewster and will see exhibitions of contemporary art. The space allocation for the Govett-Brewster will not increase.

Why stainless steel?

The centre will celebrate Taranaki’s role as a leading engineering centre in the world and will demonstrates these abilities through its use of stainless steel on the building's exterior. The stainless steel will be curved and undulating, ensuring that light is reflected off the building in different ways throughout the day to avoid glare. Glass inserts will allow light to ‘periscope’ down onto the floor inside and outside the exterior wall. The majority of the building is facing south and will not get direct light. The building will be cleaned in the same way as a glass building and as part of its maintenance schedule will be washed down several times a year.

How ‘green’ will the building be?

Environmental sustainability is integral to the building. Patterson Associates also designed New Zealand’s only 6 star rated ‘green’ building, the Geyser Building. Pattersons are members of the Green Building Council of New Zealand and sustainable methodology is an important part of their work. They are working with New Plymouth District Council to maximise energy efficiency throughout the building. Return to top

What have people said about Len Lye?

“Len Lye is not only a key figure in the development of experimental film in the 20th century, but a significant contributor to the development of 21st century art.”
JENNIFER L. ROBERTS, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE, HARVARD UNIVERSITY, US, 2010

“Lye inspires artists to dream, to innovate and to push the boundaries. He also proves that an artist from New Zealand can not only be ahead of their times but can also engage the international Art World and help mould the course of art history globally in a profound way.”
FRANCIS UPRITCHARD, ARTIST, LONDON, 2011

“[Lye] rejected Western art protocols in favour of Maori, Pacific and Indigenous Australian art traditions. He was someone who truly understood the spirit and power of Maori culture and is much admired and respected by Maori artists, designers and creative thinkers.”
LINDSAY RIHARA WAITARA MACLEOD, QSM, KAUMATUA O PARIHAKA, FORMER DIRECTOR TUI ORA LIMITED, TARANAKI, 2011

“Len Lye is a unique creative force in twentieth century art [and] the artist for the twenty-first century.”
BARBARA ROSE, US ART HISTORIAN

“Artist, filmmaker, kinetic visionary and engineer, Len Lye is one of New Zealand’s greatest artists of all time.”
HEATHER GAILBRAITH, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, HEAD OF SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS, MASSEY UNIVERSITY, 2011

“... as the twentieth century fades to black and its art history is rewritten, Lye's name is likely to outshine that of many better-known moderns.”
CHARLES GREEN, ARTFORUM, NEW YORK, 2009

“As a pioneer in the true New Zealand spirit Len Lye sets an example that can only help show future generations the merit in being individual and fearless of venturing into new ground.”
SUE MORTON, DIRECTOR, PERCY THOMSON GALLERY, STRATFORD, 2010

What have people said about the Len Lye Centre?

“[The Len Lye Centre] is an important new venture that will add enormous value to our cultural wealth as a country, celebrating not only the legacy of an outstanding individual but the innovation and creativity that we value as a nation.”
STEPHEN WAINWRIGHT, CEO, CREATIVE NEW ZEALAND, 2011

“There is no regionally based visual art collection of greater national and international significance and public interest than the Len Lye Collection and Archive.”
CHRIS SAINES, DIRECTOR, AUCKLAND ART GALLERY, TOI O TAMAKI, 2011

“Because of the vast variety of media in the Len Lye Collection a student is likely to be inspired at every visit. They begin to understand the concept of ‘a person before their time’. ... Children learn to ponder and wonder when valuing these works.”
JULIET ORMROD, PRINCIPAL, CENTRAL SCHOOL, TARANAKI, 2009

“The Len Lye Centre will demonstrate unequivocally to the world the very best of New Zealand creativity, determination and technical innovation through one of its greatest and most celebrated exponents.”
SIR RICHARD TAYLOR, CREATIVE DIRECTOR, WETA WORKSHOP, WELLINGTON, 2010