Ron Brownson (1952 - 2023)
Ron Brownson (1952—2023)
It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of curator Ron Brownson. Amongst his wide curatorial interests, he was a strong supporter of photography and photographers, and of PhotoForum.
He had a solo exhibition of his own photography at the PhotoForum Gallery in Wellington in 1979, and had work in a group show Kolorplaten at Real Pictures Gallery in 1980, (reviewed in PhotoForum Supplement). He was guest curator of the PhotoForum exhibition Open the Shutter: Auckland Photographers Now at Auckland Museum in 1994, and wrote a foreword for the the 2013 PhotoForum publication Pictures They Want to Make: Recent Auckland Photography.
A long standing member of PhotoForum Inc, in 2016 and 2017 he served on the committee responsible for the re-launch of the PhotoForum website as PhotoForum Online.
Unfailingly cheerful, supportive, erudite and knowledgable. He will be greatly missed.
Ron Brownson, 2019. Photo by Jennifer French
A tribute by Auckland Art Gallery, 27 February 2023
Kua hinga te tōtara i te wao tapu nui a Tāne.
E te Rangatira, e te tohunga o te manaaki toi, e kara, e Ron. Peke tū ki ngā maunga whakahī tae atu ki te rerenga wairua, ki reira koe kauhoe atu rā ki ō Tūpuna, ki ō tini karanga maha. E kore koe e wareware i a mātou.
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki whānau is heartbroken at the passing of our treasured colleague Ron Brownson. Ron started his career at the Gallery in 1978 and his 45 years of research and curation represents outstanding service to the arts community of Aotearoa New Zealand. Ron first worked in the EH McCormick Research Library and moved into a full-time curatorial position in the 1990s. To say that his interests and knowledge were broad would be an understatement. First and foremost, Ron was a tireless advocate for artists. Ron had a generous attitude to all forms of creativity and his office – with its piles of books, textiles and ceramics – was a testament to his intellectual interests in the art of many cultures and eras. We especially recognise his significant contribution to photo media and Pacific art practices. Some of Ron’s memorable exhibitions include John Kinder’s New Zealand (1994); John Ioane: Fale Sā (1999); John Pule: People Get Ready (2000–01); Marti Friedlander Photographs (2001); Gretchen Albrecht: Illuminations (2002); Michael Smither: The Wonder Years (2005–06). Ron was a warm colleague who showed humanity to people right across the organisation, suggesting a book or film they might enjoy, or offering them a delicious treat to lift their mood.
He was full of wit and his floor talks and presentations were a lesson in theatre and originality. There will never be another Ron and we are fortunate to have had such commitment demonstrated to us.
Ron Brownson speaks at the opening of the exhibition Recent Auckland Photography at Northart, 2013. Photo by Geoffrey Short
Haru Sameshima, Ron Brownson, Geoffrey Short, PhotoForum committee meeting, 2016. Photo by John B Turner
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