Selected Memories - Grandparents

The images below represent our second addition to the Selected Memories presentation. This diorama has come from our first contributor who has taken an extended trip down memory lane. We received these comments to accompany his submission:

'This is my grandfather's workshop. It was part of a series of nooks found under my grandparents home and shared space with the garage (rarely used by cars) a storage space for lumber and other assorted stuff, and a bedroom used by my dad and his siblings. I remember the workshop smelling strongly of old used oil and the damp musty smell of dirt. I tried to give the impression of a workshop but in reality it would have taken hours to source, make or recondition the multitude of bits and pieces, oddments and junk that would have originally populated this tiny, dark room. It is a funny process building things based purely on a few unsubstantiated memories - everything ends up so clean and lifeless.'

Grandads Workshop - Selected Memories, 2009 (Courtesy of Chitham Family Collections)

Grandads Workshop - Selected Memories (detail), 2009 (Courtesy of Chitham Family Collections)

Grandads Workshop - Selected Memories (detail), 2009 (Courtesy of Chitham Family Collections)

The Museum of True History is pleased to show our first diorama from our Selected Memories collection. The contributor has supplied us with the following Selected Memories: 

'Me and my little brother used to go and spend holidays with my fathers parents. I always looked forward to it and although they both died when I was quite young, I felt like I had spent a lot of time with them. Funnily enough it wasn't until I was invited to participate in this project that I realised how I could really only remember 2 or 3 rooms in there house in any detail. I chose to create my grandfathers bedroom (they had slept in seperate rooms for as long as I could remember). His room was always dark and smelled of tobacco. It was shades of yellow and brown in my memories but I have a sneaking suspicion that there was actually flowery bits here and there as well. I also have a recollection of piles of magazines and newspapers which gave the room a musty, moldy paper kinda smell. Im not sure why this room held such a significant place for me as I dont recall spending very much time in there. The large sash window looked out onto rampant bush which use to cover much of the Hillborough slopes that went down to the Manukau Harbour (now covered in sub divisions).'

Grandads Room - Selected Memories, 2009 (Courtesy of Chitham Family Collections)

Grandads Room - Selected Memories (detail), 2009 (Courtesy of Chitham Family Collections)

Grandads Room - Selected Memories (detail), 2009 (Courtesy of Chitham Family Collections)

We will be sure to update these collections as new examples are presented by our contributing collectors. 

Unknowns - Collections

The collections we here at the Museum of True History have categorised as ‘Unknowns’ are ostensibly groupings of like objects. Each of these individual collections reference the known characteristics of the museum storeroom, with each object being allocated an acquisition identification number. Unfortunately as with many inherited collections we have been unable to authenticate the provenance of these particular artefacts, which also hinders our ability to research beyond a very superficial diagnosis of origin, type and function. In order to adhere to our mission of ontological progress we have chosen, for the time being, to assign the classification as ‘Unknown’. As a visitor to our collections, you may well recognise and be able to identify one or many of these artefacts, we do however ask that you keep this information to yourself as we have already enlisted an internal framework for the consideration of collection materials. 

Semi precious stones - Unknowns/collections, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Various preparations of muka  - Unknowns/collections, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Shells - Unknowns/collections, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Kauri gum - Unknowns/collections, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Craft Jewellery - Unknowns/collections, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Surface Treatments - Paint Effects

Crosshatch - Paint Effects, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Splatter - Paint Effects, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Stencil - Paint Effects, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Sponge - Paint Effects, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Curtain - Paint Effects, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Beading - Paint Effects, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Scaffold - Paint Effects, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Surface Treatments - Domestic Planes

On display in the Museum of True History is a series of artefacts related to decorative and built heritage found in domestic settings throughout New Zealand. 

Examples of Domestic Planes, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Palings - Domestic Planes, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Adhesive - Domestic Planes, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Crossbeams - Domestic Planes, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Thatch - Domestic Planes, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Crosscuts - Domestic Planes, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Simple - Domestic Planes, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

A Concise History of Rural Out Buildings

A Concise History of Rural Out Buildings contains selected generic examples of structures from New Zealand's past. Each model demonstrates the complex beauty found in the abandoned buildings scattered throughout the landscape. The Museum of True History will be growing this collection over the coming months as acquisition budgets permit.

Dargaville (detail) from Princely Sum 2009 (Courtesy of the Artists)

Dargaville (detail) from Princely Sum 2009 (Courtesy of the Artists)

Dargaville (detail) from Princely Sum 2009 (Courtesy of the Artists)

Mrs Hobson (detail) from Princely Sum 2009 (Courtesy of the Artists)

Mrs Hobson (detail) from Princely Sum 2009 (Courtesy of the Artists)

Mrs Hobson (detail) from Princely Sum 2009 (Courtesy of the Artists)

Offsite

The Museum of True History has a number of collections which have been moved to offsite storage facilities. In an ideal world these collections would be available for viewing on request but due to issues of access, management have restricted this to persons of importance. 

The collections currently being housed offsite are colonial landscapes from the turn of the Nineteenth Century. These artefacts reference some of the scenic wonders no longer in existence due to various natural and man-made disturbances. 

Removals 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Recent acquisitions housed at offsite include a series of stylised European landscapes which were donated by the Green Mountain Trust. These landscapes reference some of the ideas explored during the New Romantics phase as a response to the Enlightenment and have as a central concept an ominous prediction about role science has played in the dissolution of nature. Little writing exists in regards to the artists intentions regarding these works so our staff have begun to do  extensive research and will add more information as time permits.  

Untitled 3, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Untitled 2, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Untitled 1, 2009 (Courtesy of the Artist)

Founders Room

The Founders Room houses a collection of works which pay homage while simultaneously acting as a critique of the early colonial documentation of New Zealand as it was at the turn of the Nineteenth Century. Members of the Founders Room include C F Goldie, C Heaphy, C Blomfield, Mrs Hobson, P van der Velden, A Sharpe, G von Tempsky and H R Robley. These and many other early record keepers of this particular period of New Zealand's past have been inducted into the Museum of True History's Founders Room - Roll of Honor. This may be seen to be a prestigious appointment, but as with many of these positions it holds a sense of responsibility that a number of our Founders have unfortunately not been able to uphold. 

She had always liked Barbara Streisand 2008 (Courtesy of Private Collection) 

Remains of the Day 2008 (Courtesy of Private Collection)