The small NZ art gallery where Sir Sam Neill's legacy will live on

The late Sir Sam Neill’s love of New Zealand art will live on at Gore’s Eastern Southland Gallery, where the acclaimed actor quietly donated artworks and supported the institution over many years.

Neill died in Sydney on July 13, aged 78, from pneumonia, after previously overcoming angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma through CAR-T therapy.

His family described his death as unexpected but said they took comfort in knowing he had died cancer-free.

Gallery curator Jim Geddes said Neill’s connection with the gallery grew through his friendships with some of New Zealand’s most celebrated artists, including Ralph Hotere and Sir Grahame Sydney.

“We met up not on a regular basis but sporadically ... he was always interested in the exhibitions that we were having.”

Geddes said Neill, who owned the nearby Two Paddocks vineyard in Central Otago, was a passionate supporter of the visual arts.

Sir Sam Neill, at a Gallery Floor-talk Exhibition at the Eastern Southland art gallery, alongside National Anthem – Contemporary Art from China (2014). Neill co-ordinated a selection of works from private collections in the Queenstown area (including his own) for a one-off exhibition at the gallery. Photo / Eastern Southland Gallery

“He was good friends and really highly respected by a lot of artists. Obviously, if people who he knew and supported, if they had exhibitions here, he would show an interest and sometimes come down and have a look.”

About five years ago, Neill began donating artworks from his personal collection to the gallery.

“One of the first works was a work by Ralph Hotere. He felt, given that we had a permanent exhibition of Ralph’s, he had something that he felt would be good here,” Geddes said.

Yuki Kihara, Kamau Taurua Quarantine Island 2021, Lenticular Photograph. Photo / Eastern Southland Gallery

Among the gifts were a Michael Smither portrait, a portrait of Neill by noted artist Alan Pearson, a work by sculptor Dennis O’Connor and a significant piece by internationally acclaimed artist Yuki Kihara.

Geddes said Neill donated Kihara’s work in honour of his mother, Priscilla Neill.

“Sam had a beautiful work of hers he acquired and he gifted that to us fairly recently. It’s just a lovely tribute to his mother.”

Denis O'Connor's XVIII Oarnest 1985, carved in Ōamaru Stone. Donated to the collection by Sir Sam Neil. Photo / Eastern Southland Gallery

Neill also donated a recent work by acclaimed painter Jeffrey Harris to strengthen the gallery’s collection.

“It was lovely that Sam recognised that and made sure that we had a recent work in the collection,” Geddes said.

“These would be gifted just very quietly. It was lovely.”

Alan Pearson's Portrait of Sam Neill 1982, a work in oil on canvas, was donated to the collection by Sir Sam Neill. Photo / Eastern Southland Gallery

As well as donating artworks, Neill occasionally made financial contributions to special gallery projects.

Geddes said news of Neill’s death came as a shock.

“The last time we saw him, he didn’t have cancer any longer, so we were quite taken aback. We weren’t expecting that at all.”

Jeffrey Harris' Angela in South Canterbury 1996-2012, a work in oil on board, was donated to the collection by Sir Sam Neill. Photo / Eastern Southland Gallery

Geddes said the gallery was grateful visitors would continue to experience Neill’s generosity through the works he donated.

“It was good that we were able to have this beautiful work dedicated to his mother ... it’s been on show for the last three or four months.”

Michael Smither's Portrait of Kirby Wright (undated), a work in oil on board, was donated to the collection by Sir Sam Neill. Photo / Estern Southland Gallery

Beyond his acting career, Geddes believed Neill possessed a remarkable understanding of art.

“If he hadn’t been an actor in film and stuff, he would have been a really good curator,” he said.

“He had a great eye and a really good knowledge of visual arts, not only in terms of New Zealand work but also international work.”

Neill even helped organise exhibitions at the gallery from time to time, Geddes said.

“I think he would have made a really good curator.”

Ben Tomsett is a journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.