14/10/2026
VALE PAUL HARTIGAN
1953–2026
At our gallery opening last night Paul Hartigan’s name was invoked by several guests.
Which isn’t unusual.
Paul’s enthusiastic, energetic, opinionated, and (sometimes) infuriating personality is invoked in the Auckland art world more often than he probably thinks.
It was only when I got home that I saw the news that Paul had passed.
I was proud to know Paul a little, and happy he trusted me to host his ‘I LIGHT’ exhibition of ‘post-neon’ photographs and ‘metallica’ self-portaits almost exactly two years ago.
He was not well enough to attend the opening but another artistic icon, Jacqueline Fahey, was in the room to speak on his behalf.
“I am attempting to express the powerful emotional sincerity that is contained in Paul’s feelings for friends, often artists, those who recognised the truth to be exposed in the gift of seeing.
“He has asked me not to go on about his visuals – that they speak for themselves.
Well they don’t just speak for themselves; they shout for themselves.
Loud!
Clear Paul!
And they don’t just shout for themselves; they shout for lots of us here too.”
“I believe we should tonight honour Ita also.
Ita - Paul’s partner and carer.
“She has with humour and love accompanied Paul into the underworld.
This is no journey to be contemplated by those with a wimpy streak.”
Paul wrote at the time:
“Impediments have always played a core role in making work.
I’m thoroughly impeded now, with the cruelty and aggressiveness of MND – motor neurone disease.
This has flung me into seeking alternatives to normal studio practice and so, like Matisse, it’s all now from the helm of my bed.”
“Here I am still, on the edge of discovery, with artistic curiosity and plans ahead. Silver and gold were boyhood obsessions, cowboys, swords, pirates, battles and Ben Hur, all the Hollywood themes, sparkling on screen! I’m in retro mode, revisiting old favourites.”
Moe mai rā e te Rangatira.
