A+W NZ TIMELINE IN NELSON AUG-SEPT 2022

Despite only a week from the devastating floods, there was a great turnout for the two concurrent A+W NZ exhibitions - this one and the A+W NZ Tatuhi Drawing Architecture: Sarah Treadwell Archive.

Theja Jayalath introduced the A+W NZ Timeline with the following opening address;

Welcome to this 7^th installation of the A+W NZ Timeline, an exhibition of the many women who have been active in the architectural history of this country, but who you may not (yet) find in the texts of architecture in Aotearoa.

What you see here tonight is an expression of one way to fill some of the gaps in our documented history – an overview survey through many decades, which takes a deliberately ‘atomised’ and additive approach to history. These tiles could fill the gaps in our textbooks, but there are also deliberate gaps left between the tiles to make room for more information as it comes to light. There are always many gaps in the way any history of New Zealand architecture is told, and the design of the A+W NZ Timeline reflects an ever-changing, non-finite version of lives in architecture.

The A+W•NZ Timeline was first exhibited in 2013 the Silo 6 Gallery in Auckland, followed by re-installations in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Each time new research meant the addition of new tiles, and the Timeline continues to grow with every installation. In 2018, the Timeline was installed in the Blyth Centre at Iona College in Hawkes Bay (designed by Stevens Lawson Architects), and after a Covid Lockdown lull, was shown In Christchurch this year. We are pleased to bring it to Nelson this year, after having to re-schedule it from this time last year.

The A+W•NZ Timeline was created by Marianne Calvelo (author), with Joy Roxas (Designer) and Lynda Simmons (Curator) for the Between Silos Exhibition held in 2013. It also forms part of Calvelo’s March(Prof) thesis titled Mad Women: Legitimising Public Domesticity. The original team is still involved with additions to the Timeline, alongside additional researchers assisting at each re-installation, including so far Dr Deidre Brown, Dr Lucy Treep, Elisapeta Heta, Ashleigh Smith and Alex Pirie.

Hopefully, this exhibition reminds us that women have in fact been involved in architecture for many, many years and that they have continuously been part of the fabric of our profession, despite the many social or economic barriers that may have existed, and some of which still do today.

I started this talk with reference to the many gaps in our documented history of architecture in this country, and we are very pleased to say that a new publication is about to change this landscape – historian Elizabeth Cox has edited Making Space, published by Massey University Press and which is about to be released next month. A+W NZ has worked closely in support of Elizabeth in this significant volume, and we are proud to say that the research behind the A+W NZ Timeline was shared with Elizabeth and formed the core for her work in its initial stages.

The latest tile addition to this ongoing project is a very special one indeed - it notes the first female recipient of the Te Kahui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects Gold Medal, Julie Stout, in 2021.

The continually-growing record of women trained and working in architecture in Aotearoa will very soon be too big for gallery walls, a problem we look forward to having.

You can read more about the previous A+W NZ Timeline installations on the following links;

2013: Between Silos A+W NZ Timeline

2015: A+W NZ Timeline @ He Wai / WikiLounge

2016: A+W NZ Timeline @ Silos Revisited

2017: 100 years of Architecture by Women

2018: The A+W NZ Timeline on Tour: Hawkes Bay

2022: The A+W NZ Timeline on Tour: Christchurch

The A+W NZ Timeline Exhibition in Nelson has been originally organised by Padma Naidu, and is kindly supported by Refinery Artspace, NZIA - Nelson Marlborough Branch and Resene.

Theja Jayalath

Mischa Culhane

Madalena Refiti

Lynda Simmons

A+W NZ Timeline IP Guardian: Lynda Simmons

words by Lynda Simmons