The National

Fashion key icon. Galleries and museum key icon.
Fashion key icon. Galleries and museum key icon.

MondayClosed.

Tuesday11:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Wednesday11:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Thursday11:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Friday11:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Saturday11:00 am – 3:00 pm.

SundayClosed.

249 Moorhouse Avenue, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch

03 366 3893

The National has been at the forefront of the contemporary art scene in Christchurch for over a decade. Recently celebrating its 10th birthday, the dealer gallery specialises in jewellery and objects by New Zealand and selected international artists. While jewellery has always been at the heart of the business, The National also showcases sculptural ceramics, glass and object based works.

The gallery’s imaginative exhibition programme changes monthly. Primarily a platform for solo jewellery exhibitions, carefully curated group and cross media exhibitions and collaborations also feature. The focus is on supporting artists to create new bodies of work and engaging new audiences. The pieces are often tactile and visitors are encouraged to touch or try on.

Founded by Caroline Billing, The National first opened its doors in 2004 in High Street and has existed in a number of iterations since. After the gallery was destroyed in the 2011 earthquake, Caroline remained dedicated to providing opportunities for artists to show and the Christchurch public to view and learn about art. This meant exploring innovative alternatives to the traditional gallery format. One memorable urban post-quake pop-up project was “Host a Brooch” in collaboration with jeweller Jackie Chan.

Happily the gallery has found a permanent home on Moorhouse Ave. Fittingly the space is a couple of doors down from Chambers 241 and Ronald Mottram Framers. The vast gallery space complete with polished concrete floors is minimalistic, highlighting the pieces on display.

Words by Anna Hoetjes & Photography by Nancy Zhou

Information not correct? Report an error

Location

249 Moorhouse Avenue, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch

Nearby Places

El Quincho

Flatlay of meat platter from El Quincho.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Restaurants key icon.

For a taste of Argentina, head to El Quincho at Riverside Market.

Kokomo

A whole plate of cooked fish.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Cafes key icon. Restaurants key icon.

Kokomo brings a modern coastal dining experience to Ōtautahi Christchurch.

dainty

People sitting around a table eating brunch.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Cafes key icon.

Discerning coffee drinkers and brunch lovers Dainty will quickly become your home away from home.

Midnight Shanghai

Interior of Midnight Shanghai, a modern Chinese restaurant on Oxford Terrace.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Bars key icon. Restaurants key icon.

Midnight Shanghai offers Christchurch elevated, modern Chinese fare with karaoke, handcrafted cocktails and a menu designed for sharing.

Similar Places

Grater Goods

Two woman dining at Grater Goods in Christchurch.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Cafes key icon. Goods key icon.

Found in an old glass factory in Sydenham’s industrial blocks, you'll find everything from sausages to bacon and steak - just the more humane and sustainable kind.

Marmaduke Shoppe

Natural coloured furniture set up in a nice display in the corner of a store.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury

Sitting pretty within the Tannery, Marmaduke Shoppe is one of those rare interior stores that is so beautifully curated that it takes a while to realise each piece within...

Embassy

A man working behind the counter at Embassy where lots of caps are displayed on shelves.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Fashion key icon.

Peruse the likes of Adidas, Vans, Element, and Lower’s latest lines all stocked in store, or choose from more than 50 other international and New Zealand brands.

Ngaio Marsh House

A colourful bookshelf by an old bed in the Ngaio Marsh House.
Place Christchurch & Canterbury
Stay and explore key icon. Galleries and museum key icon.

Ngaio Marsh House sits in a beautiful spot on the lower slopes of Christchurch’s Cashmere Hills.