Episode One

Welcome to our bonus episode of Inside the Jewel Box. In this episode we share our reflections on what we’ve learned about collectors and their collections so far and provide an update.

In this episode we interview Hamish Coney. Hamish’s involvement in researching, preserving and shaping our cultural landscape takes multiple forms. Hamish trained as an art historian. In the last few years he has moved away from working mostly in a market-related context (after leaving his role as Managing Director for Art and Object, which he was in for 12 years). His recent projects are vast and fascinating. He is working with James Parkinson on valuing the cultural aspects of Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. This year they are valuing its fine art collection (which consists of 15,000 artworks). Hamish works in building meaningful and significant collections for private collectors. He works as a curator, advisor and writer. In 2020, Hamish and Dr Keri-Anne Wikitera co-authored the book Hinemihi: Te Hokinga (The Return), which is a celebration of one of New Zealand’s most distinguished photographic artists, Mark Adams. The accompanying exhibition was at Two Rooms Gallery in the same year. In 2022 he was guest curator at the Adam Art Gallery Te Pātaka for the exhibition Tēnei Ao Tūroa, This Enduring World where he again brought together photography by Mark Adams of the whare whakairo Hinemihi o Te Ao Tawhito and whakairo by its creators Tene Waitere and Wero Tāroi. Hamish is also working on several book concepts at the moment.

In this episode we interview Rose Evans (Te Ati Awa). Rose works as a museum consultant who specialises in the conservation of social history, art and cultural materials. With over 25 years of experience she commands a broad range of skills in conservation care and research, collection management, and preventive conservation. Rose has a formidable expertise in objects and textile conservation of taonga. In 2012, Rose set up Objectlab, to work collaboratively, in this capacity, across the cultural sector with Aotearoa New Zealand's leading national and regional museums, marae, as well as historic houses, in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Aotearoa.

In this episode we interview Richard Fahey. Richard is a senior lecturer in Design and Contemporary Arts at Unitec, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. His research activity is focused on material culture of Aotearoa New Zealand. As an independent writer, critic and advocate, he addresses contemporary cultural production and its reception via the historical and institutional contexts of education, critical discourse, collection and exhibition.

In this episode we interview Dr Bronwyn Lloyd.  Bronwyn is a crafter and art writer who lives in Mairangi Bay, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. She works one day a week at Objectspace, researching Warwick Freeman’s jewellery practice in the lead up to a survey show of his work in 2025. The rest of the time she is engaged in two absorbing slow-crafting projects: decorating a Modernist dolls’ house and producing a body of textile works called ‘The Happiness Index’ that showcases a variety of vintage hand-craft techniques.

Our first interview is with one of our hosts, Dr Sandy Callister. Sandy graduated in 2023 with a Masters in Law Masters 1st Class Honours in Human Rights from Auckland University. Her work as a community activist with tamariki through the Painga Project in high deprivation communities in South Auckland was the catalyst for further study. From 2003 to 2017 Sandy was a founder director of PROVIDENCE GROUP, an ‘insights driven’ strategic consultancy business. She previously worked for TVNZ, Saatchi and Saatchi in New York, Unilever in London, and was Managing Director of Colmar Brunton in Wellington. Sandy holds a BA from Victoria University; a PhD in History from the University of Auckland and has studied women and leadership at the Harvard Business School. Her book The Face of War: New Zealand’s Great War Photography was published by Auckland University Press in 2008. Sandy is a foundation member of Aotea Ora Community Trust — Aotea/Great Barrier Island’s first social enterprise trust. She established and runs the AoteaOra Artist Residency programme. From 2010 to 2023 Sandy served as a trustee of Te Pātaka Toi Adam Art Gallery Victoria University of Wellington.