The Rt Hon Sir Michael Hardie Boys,

GNZM, GCMG, QSO

It is with great sorrow that we record the death of Sir Michael Hardie Boys on 29 December 2023.

Sir Michael was involved with the Portrait Gallery for over 20 years after completing his term as Governor-General and in that time made a major contribution to the Gallery’s development and standing as an important national institution, especially while serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees from 2006 to 2012.

On assuming the Chairmanship, Sir Michael was instrumental in leading the rejuvenation of the Gallery which was struggling after the retirement of founders Judy and Bill Williams.  Together with fellow trustee, Keith Ovenden, Sir Michael put together a talented and well-connected Board, appointed Avenal McKinnon as the first Director, and helped set the Gallery on its way to becoming an established national body with permanent premises, professional staff, a permanent collection and growing recognition and respect from the wider sector and public.

It is hard to imagine that the New Zealand Portrait Gallery would have survived without him and the hand-picked team he assembled.  His quiet encouragement, determination and mastery of complex issues were invaluable during the negotiations to acquire a permanent home for the Gallery and in periods of challenging institutional difficulties.  He was always ready to lend his support to Avenal, Keith and others as they developed ideas for exhibitions, raising funds or advancing the cause of the Gallery.

We were very fortunate to have had the benefit of Sir Michael‘s expertise and wise counsel throughout all his years of involvement with the Portrait Gallery before retiring from his trusteeship in December 2015.  Even then he continued to take an active interest in the Gallery’s progress and remained a generous donor and loyal supporter to the end, kindly donating the proceeds from his 2016 memoir to the Gallery.  We shall always be grateful for his generous and inspiring leadership of the Gallery.

We send our deepest sympathy to Lady Hardie Boys and all members of his family in their sad loss.