The Colin McCahon House project

Category: Projects Written by Super User

The home of NZ’s greatest painter ...

Co-founded the Colin McCahon House project in Titirangi, a visionary project renovating the house of NZ’s most prominent painter.

We helped found the Colin McCahon House project in Titirangi, Auckland, a project to establish a visionary museum in McCahon’s former house, and to build an innovative painter’s residence next door, designed by NZ’s leading architect.

For the first three years of it's life, John Cranna was the Co-Chairperson of the McCahon House Trust, and steered it through the establishment of a trust board of leading philanthropists and arts lovers such as James Wallace, and the selection of one of NZ’s leading architects – Pete Bossley – designer of the National Museum at Te Papa – to create an artist’s residence on the adjacent property.

In addition, the Trust selected a leading heritage architect to restore McCahon modest bungalow and family home to its previous authentic state, and also to transform it into a heritage museum, commemorating McCahon’s troubled family existence in the rainy hills of Titirangi.

McCahon is considered by many to be Australasia’s greatest painter, and some of his most extraordinary works, including paintings of the thick kauri forest, were created in this location at Otitori Bay Road.

The Trust ultimately raised millions of dollars, with the active collaboration of the Waitakere City Council, under mayor and arts lover, Bob Harvey, to make this unique and extraordinary project a reality.

The Colin McCahon House project how hosts some of NZ’s leading visual artists in its residencies, and attracts thousands of visitors a year to the museum. It has been declared one of NZ’s most successful and visionary arts heritage projects.