Ron Brownson


Ron Brownson, also Ronald Brownson, was a prominent New Zealand curator who contributed significantly to Māori and Pacific art and culture in New Zealand. Brownson was the Senior Curator New Zealand and Pacific Art at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. Brownson also held status as a Queer elder and member of New Zealand's Gay Liberation Movement.

Education

In 1977 Brownson received a master's degree from the University of Auckland. In 2006, the research papers from his master's thesis on New Zealand realist painter Rita Angus became part of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki's archives.

Career

Brownson began his career at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki in 1978 as a research librarian at the EH McCormick Library. In 1995, Brownson became Curator of Photography and Pacific Art, in 2001 this role developed into Curator of New Zealand Art and Senior Curator in 2002. He held the position of Senior Curator New Zealand and Pacific Art at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki until his death in March 2023. Over his career he contributed to a number of pivotal exhibitions at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.
In 1990, Brownson gave the first of many talks to come about New Zealand art and artists. He discussed the topic of Rita Angus for the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki exhibition, Two Centuries of New Zealand Landscape Art.
Dedicating over 40 years of service to the arts, Brownson held many lectures and artist talks over his career, with artists such as Fiona Clark, John Miller, Rueben Paterson. Brownson was known for advocating and supporting artists, most notably, Niuean artist John Pule and Samoan artist Fatu Feu'u.
In 2008, Brownson won the Illustrated non-fiction award at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards for Bill Hammond: Jingle Jangle Morning, a book written in collaboration with Jennifer Hay, Chris Knox, and Laurence Aberhart.
Brownson was a former board member and trustee of Tautai Pacific Arts Trust from 2010 until 2023.

Publications

  • Molly Macalister: A Memorial Exhibition
  • John Kinder Photographs
  • ''International Photography 1920–1980''

    Contributions to Publications

  • Andy Leleisi'uao: KAMOAN MINE
  • Andy Leleisi‘uao
  • John Ioane: Journeyman Artist and the Pacific Paradox
  • Le Folauga: The Past Coming Forward – Contemporary Pacific Art from Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Fiona Clark: Living with AIDS, 1988 (Michael Lett, Auckland, 2018

    Death

Upon Brownson's death on 27 February 2023, there was an outpour of appreciation from his colleagues at Auckland Art Gallery as well as other galleries and artists he worked with over his career. Brownson's service to art and culture in New Zealand has proved him a significant figure in the G.L.A.M. sector both in New Zealand and internationally.
Long time colleague and friend Ben Bergman of Bergman Gallery said, "A legend has passed." and "Ron leaves an unprecedented legacy of service to New Zealand & Pacific Art." John Gow from Gow Langsford Gallery said "New Zealand has not only lost a great character of the art world but an enormous fountain of knowledge."
In 2025, his vast collection of 700 objects, split into three catalogues, was auctioned off in Cordy's auction house in Auckland. Brownson was a collector of New Zealand photographs, ceramics, rare textiles from Africa and Middle East, English furnitures, and art. According to interview with Hamish Coney on Radio New Zealand, many artists such as Marti Friedlander had given him artworks that Brownson had cherished. There are also about 5000 books in Brownson's collection.

Exhibitions curated