Sitting for Frances

Sitting for Frances brings together works that explore the relationship between Frances Hodgkins and her sitters, largely drawn from the Dunedin Public Art Gallery Collection along with selected works from The Dowse Art Museum,  The Hocken Pictorial Collection and Olveston Historic Home.  The selection of portraits and studies map her travels across New Zealand, Europe, and as far as Morocco, reflecting the connections she made along the way.  Among the works are observations of Māori, portraits of families, characterisations of age and works that showcase her ability to capture warmth and emotion. 

An interest in people persisted throughout Hodgkins’ career and continues to draw in new readings and connections to new audiences.  Through particular works in Sitting for Frances we explore how depictions of people are made from both real and imagined experiences.  In turn, we also see how Hodgkins’ portraits have played a significant role in strengthening family histories.  These stories, along with other related ephemera, are explored across the exhibition.