Ron Brownson (1952–2023), 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 (1982) John Kinder Photographs (1985) International Photography 1920–1980 (1985)
Contributions to Publications
Andy Leleisi'uao: KAMOAN MINE (Bergman Gallery, TSB Wallace Arts Centre, Creative New Zealand, 2019) Andy Leleisi‘uao (Whitespace, 2009) John Ioane: Journeyman Artist and the Pacific Paradox (Whangarei Art Museum, 2009) Le Folauga: The Past Coming Forward – Contemporary Pacific Art from Aotearoa New Zealand (Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan, 2009) 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 +ExhibitionYearLocationCurator(s)Open the Shutter: Auckland Photographers Now at Auckland Museum1994The Auckland War Memorial Museum, Tāmaki Paenga Hira Ron Brownson (Guest curator)Lillian. Budd: The Voice of Silence1997Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonHaze: Maureen Lander, Kaylyn Twotrees, Toi Mahi1998Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonRoss T. Smith: Hokianga1998Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonTerry Urbahn: The Karaokes1998-99Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonJohn Ioane: Fale Sa1999Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonOpo: The Hokianga Dolphin2000Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonNew Visions: Beginning the Contemporary in New Zealand Art2001-02Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonGretchen Albrecht: Illuminations 2002Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonSugimoto Portraits- Works Commissioned by Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin2002Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonFatu Feu'u 'O le tautai Samoa2002-03Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonColin McCahon: A Question of Faith2003Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonNew Zealand Modern: Paintings and Sculpture from the Collection2003-04Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonIndia: Hindu Art from the 12th to the 18th Century2003Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonBauhaus Photography2003Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonSelf and Other: The Expressionist Spirit in New Zealand Art2003-04Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonJohn Kinder's New Zealand2004Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonGolden - Celebrating 50 Years of the Friends of the Gallery2004Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon Brownson, assisted by Jane DavidsonThrough the Eyes of Shirin Neshat2004Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonDoris Lusk: Arcade Awnings2004Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonLocal Atlas: Contemporary New Zealand and Australian art2004-05Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonTe Moananui a Kiwa2005-06Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon Brownson, Ngahiraka Mason, Jane DavidsonWilliam Hodges 1744-1797: The Art of Exploration2005Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonTribute: Visual artists celebrated by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand2006Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonSummer Daze2006-07Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiNgahiraka Mason, Ron BrownsonLikeness & Character: Portraits From the Auckland Art Gallery Collection2007-08Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonThe Walters Prize2008Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonIn Shifting Light2008-09Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonLocal Revolutionaries: Art & Change 1965–19862010-11Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon Brownson, Mary KislerThe Walters Prize2010Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonSopolemalama Filipe Tohi : Aotea (White Cloud)2012-13Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonHome AKL: Artists of Pacific Heritage in Auckland2012Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon Brownson, Julia WaitePartner Dance: Gifts from the Patrons of the Auckland Art Gallery2012-13Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon Brownson, Natasha Conland and Ngahiraka MasonKinder's Presence2013-14Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonRobert Ellis: Turangawaewae | A Place to Stand2014-15Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonToi Aotearoa2011-14Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon Brownson, Natasha Conland, Ngahiraka Mason, Jane Davidson-LaddANZAC: Photographs by Laurence Aberhart2015Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonWhano Kē: Change and Constancy in Māori Art Today2015-16Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonTe Wā Tōiri: Fluid Horizons2015-16Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonSeen from Elsewhere2015-16Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonExtra Ordinary Everyday2015-16Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonYuki Kihara and John Pule2015-16Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonLen Casbolt's Photography: From Soft Focus to Sharp Vision2016Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonTo All New Arrivals 2016-18Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonThe Māori Portraits: Gottfried Lindauer’s New Zealand – Te Hokinga Mai2018-19Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon Brownson, Nigel BorellSeeing Moana Oceania 2018-20Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon Brownson, Nigel BorellRalph Hotere: Godwit/Kuaka2018-20Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonRichard Lewer: Collective Memory2020Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonCivilization, Photography, Now 2020Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and TouringMax Oettli: Visible Evidence, Photographs 1965–19752021-22Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon BrownsonMalcolm Ross, Fiona Clark, Grant Lingard: Looking at Men2021-22Auckland Art Gallery Toi o TāmakiRon Brownson, Caroline McBride, Tamsyn Bayliss
References