Meeting Jenny Neligan
Jenny Neligan is director of Bowen Galleries, which has been a Wellington staple for almost four decades. It’s situated directly opposite the iconic David Bowie mural on Ghuznee St and is right next door to Milk Crate. Jenny, and Bowen Galleries’, story is one of perseverance through the ups and downs of keeping a gallery space open through extraordinary circumstances.
In 1981 Jenny set up Bowen Galleries on Bowen Street. And next year, in 2021, the business will turn forty years old. From 1981-88 the Bowen Galleries existed on its namesake: Jenny remembers the fabulous three-storey brick building and the gorgeous places that took up shop in the front. Lois Daish’s Number 9 cafe, a true gem of Bowen St, was one such iconic place that Jenny was proud to be situated near. Bowen Galleries was tucked down the side of one of the shops, meaning customers had to weave around the back through the hallway on the ground floor to eagerly view the art works.
From 1981-88 the building they were in got sold to government property services. According to Jenny there was a court case, after the landlord sold the building, tenant free. Jenny won, which meant that while they had to move their gallery they could do so with a luxurious bit of money! This money kept the dealer gallery afloat through the stock market crash of 1987 and the severe economic downturn that followed.
However, the brutal, commercial rental values meant it took Jenny and her colleague Christopher Moore (Christopher Moore Gallery), 18 months to find their new home on The Terrace. Early on in the search Jenny and Christopher made the unique decision to share premises and split the rent, something that no other gallery in Wellington had done before. A creative solution and a natural survival tactic that proved sustainable for years to come.
Jumping forward to now:
I walk down the narrow, white hallway through to the Gallery and pass Penney Moir (Jenny’s business partner) who is off to meet with an artist. When I arrive in the fresh, stark gallery I find the walls lined with vibrant teals and browns in an exhibition called ‘Butterfly Creek’ by Catherine Bagnall, a lecturer at Massey's College of Creative Arts. I find Jenny in front of the gallery’s large, bright window which gives us a view of the greenery outside swaying in the breeze. I begin by asking Jenny why she chose this artist to exhibit at this moment:
Why Catherine Bagnall?
Her show was the last show I remember in ‘88. This is why this exhibition is so lovely right now because it is Catherine coming back to us.
How did you survive during the late 80’s with the recession?
We started in 1989 at Franconia (a wonderful Art Deco building designed by architect Edmund Anscombe). We were able to get a very good rental there and that helped us survive. 1991 and into 1993 were the toughest years with the Ruth Richardson beneficiary cuts: I went back teaching.
Have you always had to work two jobs?
I have always had part-time work while owning the gallery to underpin the cost. Every Art Gallery is the same, every dealer is the same. That's what I did to help stay in business, either child minding or cooking. It was cooking for the Todds that gave Bowen Galleries an amazing start. That job included a flat, I was well looked after and that enabled the gallery to survive.
At that moment, an ederly couple walked into the Gallery, who just so happened to be Catherine's Parents. They had travelled by bus all the way into the CBD to see their daughter’s work at Bowen Galleries. I noticed that her pieces were selling very well! Jenny was polite and gentle when greeting the artist's parents, taking care to make sure they knew the value of their daughters' work to the Wellington community.
Back to the Interview …..
How does one decide they will open a dealer gallery?
It was a complete accident. I was originally going to open a bookstore! I moved home from overseas and David Hedley (a friend) asked me to work at Hedleys Booksellers over the summer in Masterton. I did that and some teaching to pay my parents back. In that time I organised a children’s book fair at the Wairarapa Arts Centre. Neil was the Director of the Arts Centre and eventually became my partner. A Penguin children’s bookshop had been discussed with Graham Beattie but after some scoping he decided it wasn’t financially viable. In the meantime, I was itching to go back to Wellington and looking for a space. Neil called me and said “1/9 Bowen street, what do you think? It’s no good for a bookstore. It will have to be a gallery” ..... and I just didn’t say no!
Was starting a gallery business an intimidating thing to do?
Well, working with David gave me a taste of running my own business and I cooked for my friend Prue in her cafe. She now owns Mister D in Napier and they both taught me a lot about the industry.
Are you an avid reader?
I’m an avid reader and have been my whole life. I’m a slow reader, but an avid one.
What’s your favourite New Zealand book about Art?
I would have to say Euan Macleod: The Painter in the Painting by Gregory O'Brien because that’s ours and I was involved in it!
Tell me about the gallery's strong connection with the publishing world.
Neil was a bookseller and publisher so Bowen Galleries has always had a close alliance with literature. The last thing he did was open BAM Bookshop with David Hedley on the mezzanine floor of the Wellington Public Library building. Bowen Galleries was supposed to have a publishing arm. We have published artist catalogues regularly and two substantial monographs for Robyn Kahukiwa and Jeff Thompson.
The gallery has been going well these last few years. After The Terrace, Jenny and Christopher Moore moved to Ghuznee St. Again the two symbiotically shared the premises as a way of making it more economical, acknowledging the one lease split was still a manageable model. Chris did evaluations for extra money and Jenny continued to do catering.
Then … Jenny had three big years: Neil died in 2003, then her mother died and Christopher decided to close his Gallery. She was left without three major figures in her life and had asked herself if she could continue the dream of Bowen Galleries going. Cue Penney Moir, who had been Gallery minding for both Bowen and Christopher Moore and offered to work in partnership with Jenny. Jenny graciously accepted her help and now the two work side by side very successfully! This partnership between Penney and Jenny that began in 2005 is incredibly special and has developed into a strong friendship.
Does the world need more gallery spaces?
I don’t know about more, but I definitely think the world needs galleries to feed the human spirit, as places to think and reflect, where you learn to see! Artists give so much and have a lot to offer; and being taught how to see has certainly been one of the things that has enhanced my life. They have been places of great connections. If you think of the Christchurch earthquakes, Galleries were hugely important then. I guess I’m determined to believe they are important. They are just as important as a cricket ground, a rugby stadium and a performance space.
How do you support the community?
We are in the midst of an application to the city council at the moment with all of the dealer galleries. We are a huge resource that’s very underused in the city! We keep our front doors open for the community and that’s not easy, it's really not. Penney was saying the other day, she and I do get out and show support in that way by going to talks, meetings and forums. We support picture framers, designers and local groups. Radioactive.FM and Verb have received sponsorship which has given us a huge amount of pleasure. For the first time ever, we have been in a healthy enough financial position … so they have been recipients of that! Penney has a special relationship with our artists here, one that is really supportive.
What's your favourite Winter pastime?
Walking around Wellington, especially in the Winter. My good friend Tom and I did the skyline walk, we caught the bus to Johnsonville, went up into the hills to the back of Karori and walked all the way to Mākara. You can see Kāpiti and the South Island and it is a spectacular walk. It took four hours!
What has been your career highlight?
I suppose not my favourite but a highlight in terms of challenge and personal development was the Changing Spaces Sculpture Walk for the 2002 NZ Festival of the Arts, because it was my idea! We had 15 very big sculptures placed around Te Ngākau Civic Square and around the waterfront. Working on that with Sue Elliot (Chair of the Wellington Sculpture Trust) was a great experience: Sue was instantly hooked by the sculptures and sculptors.
How were you affected by COVID 19?
We were down financially in the January/March quarter. We went into lockdown with a large overdraft that was worrying and scary. Fortunately the government's wage subsidy and the ten thousand dollar loan got us through it. Without that I don’t know what would have happened. I’m a bit perverse, although Covid-19 is a huge worry … I think global heating and climate change is worse and I’m worried that’s been sidelined for a bit!
What are your reading at the moment?
I'm reading Sprigs, Brannavan Gnanalingham’s latest novel. It’s really ghastly but a hell of a good book! It took me a while to get used to his style but I really like it and he’s highlighted a lot of the shit that goes down in this country. Brannavan’s book makes me feel uncomfortable but I think that’s really important. Before that I read Girl Women Other by Bernadine Evaristo, which I just didn't want to end. You know I do sometimes have this rule about not reading books over 300 pages because there is just so much good stuff to read.
There's a very specific kind of gratitude one has when interviewing an expert in their field. Jenny was almost as reluctant to share her story as she was to have her photo taken. Interviewing her was like being let in on a special secret: an insight into the life well lived. After losing Neil, Jenny knew she would be ok as long as she had good friends, Radio New Zealand, walking, reading and the gallery. Jenny is at Bowen Galleries 6 days a week, taking off Sunday and half a day on Thursday. Although keeping the doors open has been challenging it’s been a rewarding 39 years. It’s her infectious passion, connectedness and deep knowledge of the arts that has allowed the space to serve the community so well.
Visit this Wellington treasure and the story held within its art-filled walls at 39 Ghuznee St.
