Manpower: Myths of Masculinity

Manpower: Myths of Masculinity brings into focus the many images of eroticised male bodies that have underpinned the rich holdings of Auckland’s public art gallery since its foundation in 1888. The exhibition charts changing attitudes to sexuality around the time of the artworks’ acquisitions and in the decades that followed, beginning with the appeal and meaning of such frankly sensual images for their Victorian-era collectors.

Curated by Senior Curator, International Art Sophie Matthiesson, supported by Assistant Curator, International Art Emma Jameson, Manpower: Myths of Masculinity is open until 6 August 2023.

Image credit:

William Francis Calderon, On the Sea-Beat Coast, Where Hardy Thracians Tame the Savage Horse, 1905. Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.