The hugely popular exhibition Brian Brake: Lens on the world begins its extensive tour of New Zealand galleries this June at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.

Featuring more than 165 superb photographic reproductions from Te Papa's permanent collection, this is the first comprehensive retrospective of the notable photographer's work, spanning his 40-year career. 

Auckland Art Gallery Director Chris Saines says Brian Brake: Lens on the World, developed and curated by Te Papa, is "a truly outstanding exhibition by one of New Zealand's most internationally acclaimed photographers".

"This will be the last temporary exhibition to be shown at the NEW Gallery, prior to the re-opening of our developed building later this year. Its timing, coincident with the Auckland Photography Festival, could simply not be better. I know that Aucklanders will warmly embrace the opportunity to see the extraordinary work of one of the great photo-essayists of our time."

1 June - 14 August 2011
NEW Gallery - free entry

Find out more about Brian Brake: Lens on the World here.

Image credit: Brian Brake, Cheerleader at a Waseda University versus Keio University baseball game, Tokyo. Taken for a series on Japan for 'Life', 1964. Te Papa, Gift of Wai Man Lau, 2010.

Join literary figures Murray Edmond, Russell Haley and Ian Wedde as they discuss their involvement with the radical poetry, theatre and local arts scene in Auckland during the mid 60s through to the 80s.

Sunday 17 April
3pm, Exhibition spaces - free

Elsewhere in Art...

Due to the extraordinary circumstances of both the September 2010 and the February 2011 earthquakes, the 6th SCAPE Christchurch Biennial was unable to take place. SCAPE is hoping to raise money for future projects through sales of commemorative T-shirts - support the arts and Christchurch by buying one here.

Esteemed Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was captured and detained at the Beijing airport on April 3 and has not been seen since by friends and family. The global arts community is expressing its concern and support for Ai Weiwei with this petition for his release - please sign it and help spread the word.