A long held goal to return one of Pilsen’s famous sons home is on the verge of being realised.
Nearly 50 of Gottfried Lindauer’s works on Māori subjects and village life will be displayed in the painter’s home town in the Czech Republic for the first time and curators are counting down to the exhibition’s opening next week, “The whole journey was full of almost magic events or magic coincidences and it happened to us many times during our stay in NZ” said Roman Musil, the Director of the West-Bohemian Gallery.
The gallery has designed the exhibit in a way that enhances the experience for the viewer, “The designs helps the spectator to establish a face to face dialogue with the portrait and allows a personal relationship between the Māori ancestor and spectator.”
“We definitely approach these paintings in a more special way than regular paintings and portraits. We are fully aware that this collection is part of history of Māori and we understand they have tremendous meaning for the Māori,” said Mr Musil.
Dean Nathan will report from Pilsen on the exhibition’s opening on May 6.