Staff Profile | Emily Gardener
A highlight of 2024 was the appointment of Emily Gardener to the role of Webb's Director of Art. With twenty years’ experience working in Development and Sales departments, within leading international public and commercial arts institutions, Emily brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to this role, and we are excited to see where she takes the department in 2025.
We sat down with Emily for a quick chat about her career in art, her favourite works, and how she plans to spend her summer.
You joined Webb’s earlier this year, can you tell me about your career journey prior to this?
Much of my career journey has been a case of being in the right place at the right time and forging longstanding connections with friends and colleagues in the art world. After a period of emailing job applications into a black hole in London, I fell into development by chance as a result of attending a private view and meeting someone who was seeking a development intern at the Whitechapel Gallery. I volunteered and quickly discovered my love of meeting a broad range of people and hearing about their motivation for supporting the arts. I have since been fortunate to work in development roles at leading international arts institutions including The Photographers’ Gallery and the Serpentine Galleries in London; the Biennale of Sydney and Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney, as well as Objectspace in Aotearoa.
You lived overseas for a long time! What drew you home and what are you most enjoying about being back in Aotearoa?
After Covid, I wanted to be closer to family. I also felt compelled to champion the amazing talent of artists in my home country. I am loving living by the sea again and reconnecting with our cultural community.
What drew you to this role in particular?
I have been inspired by the auction world for a long time; I first attended an auction at Webb’s with my godmother, as a young graduate when I was fresh out of art school, and I loved the sense of drama and excitement of buying works of art at auction, as well as the rare opportunity to see museum-quality works up close from private collections. When I moved to London, I walked past Christie’s one evening soon after I had arrived, as they were preparing for a special auction preview of Elton John’s garments, and I was dying to peek inside. I then had the privilege of working on the Whitechapel Gallery x Sotheby’s auction to raise funds for their Capital Expansion as my first paid job, which gave me a taste of the transformative role auctions can play in supporting important projects, and I was sold!
When did you know you wanted a career in art?
I have always wanted to work in the arts. I grew up in a creative family and was inspired by relatives who had forged their own successful careers in the arts, so it was always presented as an option for me, unlike some friends who were encouraged to pursue a "real job" in a more conventional industry.
Do you think Aotearoa has a unique point of difference in its relationship with the arts, and what would you say it is?
Our geographic location and cultural heritage sets us apart from other countries. We are so privileged to learn from the perspective of tangata whenua and have a thriving and supportive creative community. It’s fantastic to see so many NZ artists now being celebrated internationally, especially this year in Venice.
Who are some artists whose work you admire personally?
Gosh, so many! I personally love the work of Henri Rousseau, Louise Bourgeois, Anselm Keifer, Rose Wylie, Christo, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Arthur Jafa, Zanele Muholi, Ibrahim Mahama; as well as discovering amazing Aboriginal artists in Australia including Barbara McGrady, Nyapanyapa Yunupiŋu and Kaylene Whiskey; and closer to home, artists whom I have worked with: Julia Morison, Emily Karaka, Lisa Reihana, Kalisolaite 'Uhila, John Miller and Elisapeta Hinemoa Heta, Sung Hwan Bobby Park; the list goes on!
One of Emily’s favourite artworks—Henri Rousseau's, The Dream, 1910
If money was no object which three artworks (from anywhere or any period) would you own?
Also very difficult, but if money were no object: Henri Rousseau's, The Dream, 1910; a pencil drawing by Picasso or painting by Matisse, as well as a painting by Louise Bourgeois and Rothko, if I could squeeze in a fourth!
2025 is shaping up to be another busy year for Webb’s. What are you goals and what are you looking forward to?
This year, Webb's opened a new branch in Christchurch, so I'm looking forward to working closely with our specialists and connecting with collectors across the country to bring to market exciting and unseen collections.
What do you enjoy outside of work and how will you be spending your summer?
I love swimming in the sea and going for bush walks. I'm looking forward to catching up with friends and I also try to see as many exhibitions as possible — it was wonderful to attend the recent opening of Olafur Eliasson's exhibition at the Auckland Art Gallery, which I highly recommend.
The art team at Webb’s, from left-to-right: Georgia Clapshaw, Hannah Owen, Mark Hutchins-Pond, Stephanie AuYeung, Emily Gardener, Sean Duxfield, Georgina Brett, Jo Bragg.