“It was a pretty fab find, really,” says Peggy Robinson of Peg Gallery, which occupies a 1907 solid-concrete former mattress factory down a quiet lane off Cuba Street in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. “It’s beautiful, but also really functional. It feels really special when you’re in here – it has a real peace and airiness to it.”
Peg is Wellington’s newest contemporary art gallery, with a cohort of artists both emerging and established. Robinson used to work at another local gallery: two of its artists moved with her to the new shop; others are people she’s admired for a long time – like Reece King – or those she knows personally. “There are some incredibly talented artists working in this country,” she says, “and they’re often in the background.”
The gallery embraces all mediums, and forms of expression. “The thread is that there’s an integrity to the making process,” she says. “It’s a hard thing to do. You have to commit so much time and emotional labour to it. I think that comes through – the intuitive thing that excites you about their work.”
After seeing the space, a long negotiation ensued. With no financial backing, Robinson had to rely on the landlord for the fitout – and eventually she prevailed. Down the lane, there’s a handy cart dock – a great spot for the bar during openings. Up on the main level, she’s loosely split the space in two, with a gallery in the front, and a “back of house” in which to also show work. “So the exhibitions are cohabiting the space, even though they’re different,” she says.
For Robinson, Cuba Street was an obvious choice. There’s a fish market next door, and Fidel’s Cafe at the top of the lane. Suite gallery used to be across the road before it relocated to Tāmaki. “It’s the beating heart of Pōneke, and in particular the creative arts and industries,” she says. “It’s got a long queer history, and a long history of independent business – and that’s really special to be a part of.”
After a brutal couple of years in our fine capital, Robinson is excited to see new businesses opening. There’s more optimism to the block than there’s been for a while. “There is energy here,” she says. “You just have to focus on it.”
Peg Gallery
230 Cuba Street, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
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