The Vernacular Lounge and the Cultural Icons project are honoured to present a tribute to Rodney Wilson, a practical visionary who has contributed so significantly to New Zealand’s cultural landscape.

The Vernacular Lounge and the Cultural Icons project are honoured to present a tribute to Rodney Wilson, a practical visionary who has contributed so significantly to New Zealand’s cultural landscape.

As past director of the Auckland Museum, the Auckland Art Gallery, founding director of the Maritime Museum and an outstanding arts administrator and activist it would be hard to have missed mention of Rodney’s involvement in the cultural sector over the last 40 years.

Already aware of this incredible career, The Depot became better acquainted with Rodney through his interviews for the Cultural Icons project and by accolades from other ‘icons’ relating his enormous contribution to the arts and cultural infrastructure of New Zealand.

This will be an opportunity to celebrate with Rodney a life lived full of vision, belief and courage and to share with him an assemblage of personal accolades, anecdotes and acknowledgements from his friends, contemporaries and colleagues.

“Rodney has been a most remarkable, sometimes controversial figure in our country’s museum history. He has been a visionary, passionate and highly effective leader.”
- John Coley

In support of the tribute exhibition, a Cultural Icons interview with Rodney Wilson will be available at www.culturalicons.co.nz on Wednesday 25 May. Rodney is interviewed by Hamish Keith. See the preview below.

Image: Roy Good - Rodney Wilson – as artists model, life drawing class, Ilam 1963