Wine Heritage
12/05/2009 Steve Austin
Shining the light on Marlborough wine heritage
The Wine Exhibition tells the story of Marlborough wine heritage in the New Zealand context. From the first commercial winery in 1873, Marlborough has developed into a leading international brand.
The exhibition was intended to re-brand the Museum, to associate the Museum with strong community sponsorship, professional expertise, scholarship, and contemporary museum exhibition design. In short, the Wine Exhibition has given Marlborough Museum a future that it could not have had any other way.
Objects in the exhibition include early bottles, and labels relating to early vineyards, and wineries in Marlborough.
Also included are items relating to the land, soil profiles, and surveying equipment, as well as maps, and models. The development of technology related to wine making, and grape growing also feature.
Of particular importance in Marlborough was the development of vineyards with quality cultivars on phylloxera resistant rootstock, forming the basis for the modern wine industry. The history, and science, related to this is part of the wine exhibition features Eric, the giant robotic phylloxera bug.
Marlborough also had a strong commitment to prohibition and temperance until relatively recently. This aspect of social history features in the Alcohol and Society section of the exhibition.
An example of the conversion of old farm land to grape growing is featured, as well as areas explaining the 26 different cultivars that that have been grown with any significance in Marlborough.
A one and a half minute DVD presentation of two grape plants in a vineyard through the four seasons (made from individual photographs taken every day for 365 days at 7.45 am) is complemented by a DVD on the propagation of grape plants. Photographs from past Wine and Food festivals are projected on the floor in the social history, and contemporary issues area.
The contemporary issues featured in the exhibition include the archaeological work being done as vineyards are developed, the acknowledgement of vineyards being developed on former large scale kumara gardens, and the investment of iwi in the wine industry.
With the Environment Wall featuring at the beginning of the visitor experience, and the iwi related themes at the end of the wine exhibition, the wine exhibition is designed to fit into the whole museum experience.
After visiting the wine exhibition, visitors move freely into the displays of taonga held at the museum. This area has been curated by Dr Janet Davidson. For many visitors, the highlights of this section relate to the fourteenth century collections from the Wairau Bar, following its settlement by east Polynesians around 13oo AD.
The Wine Exhibition has enabled the upgrade of all exhibition areas, including painting, and professional museum lighting throughout. The interest of sponsors and donors in the Museum would not have been sufficient without The Wine Exhibition.
After experiencing the taonga display, visitors explore artefacts related to Cook's visits to Queen Charlotte Sounds, whaling before 1830, and the collections relating to Wairau Affray. A changing exhibitions space was also developed in February, in preparation for exhibitions relating to the 150th Anniversary of Marlborough, later in 2009.
The Wine Exhibition has drawn attention to a previously un-featured aspect of New Zealand regional history. Enquiries regarding donations of material are being received regularly. The Wine Exhibition has thrown a new light on the other Marlborough collections at the Museum, ensuring they receive increasing attention too.
The exhibition was curated by former viticulture researcher and lecturer, Dr Adam Friend (now a Motueka-based Crop and Food Research plant scientist). The Exhibition Designer was Sally Papps, who formerly designed the permanent exhibition at The Nelson Provincial Museum. The Project Manager was Blenheim -based Virginia Watson, who was able to bring a unique set of business relationships, and personal skills, to assist the development of the project.
The Wine Exhibition Project was designed to re-vitalise Marlborough Museum - making it increasingly relevant to the current community, to put the Museum on the tourist map, and to form enduring partnerships with local sponsors.
The Wine Exhibition was the only option for Marlborough Museum, highlighting Marlborough's collections of national, and international interest. In many ways it is the first step for a very bright future.
About Steve
Steve joined the Museum in 2006 to lead the Museum into its next phase of development. Steve graduated in Art History, Music and History. He has a first class honors degree in History.
After lecturing at Christchurch College of Education for ten years, Steve worked in Wellington at the City Gallery before moving to The Dowse, and later the Nelson Provincial Museum.
Steve is currently working on two books. The first is on early Chinese settlers in New Zealand. His other project is on New Zealand photographer Thelma Kent, who was active in the 1930s.