Colin, McCahon, Truth from the King Country: Load bearing structures (Large) 5, 1978. Gift of Hans and Martha Lachmann, 1995. Te Papa (1995-0020-5). CM000971. Reproduction courtesy of the Colin McCahon Trust.

Colin McCahon Trust

The Colin McCahon Research and Publication Trust was established in December 1991. Its goals are to promote knowledge of and research into the art of Colin McCahon.

Initial support for the Trust came from members of the McCahon family, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, and the National Art Gallery (now the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa). Two of McCahon’s children, William McCahon and Victoria Carr, were trustees from the beginning. Staff from both the Auckland Art Gallery and Te Papa continue to serve as trustees, as well as providing material support to the work of the Trust.

Copyright and artwork verification

The Trust manages the copyright reproduction permissions for the works of Colin McCahon. Reasonable fees charged for reproduction are used to support the ongoing work of the Trust, including artwork verification and expanding the online database to include newly identified works. In addition to his paintings, these include set designs for theatrical productions, jewellery, sculpture, and furniture made by McCahon. A Research Committee of experts follows a formal process to verify artworks attributed to McCahon, ensuring accuracy in their attribution.

The first Catalogue Raisonné

A donation from the Department of Internal Affairs, in addition to the generosity of the McCahon Family, enabled the Trust to begin its work in the 1990s. Gerald Barnett was engaged to undertake the research, tracing McCahon’s works in public and private collections around the country. In this and many other tasks, the Trust has been aided by the pre-eminent McCahon scholar Gordon H. Brown. Additionally, the Trust gratefully acknowledges the supporters and sponsors who have committed time, funds, and energy to the early catalogue project. The first catalogue was supported by the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa, the Rutherford Trust, Dame Jenny Gibbs, and Alan Gibbs. This catalogue, www.mccahon.co.nz is still in use and relied upon by scholars, which reflects the high calibre and breadth of its research, and the necessity of this resource.

The Colin McCahon Trust today

Now known as the Colin McCahon Trust, the organisation remains focused on preserving McCahon’s legacy and providing access to his artworks, in addition to its role in supporting research, and verifying artworks. The Trust also continues to manage the copyright and reproduction of McCahon's works, and be funded through the proceeds.

The Trust continues to be comprised of representatives of the McCahon family, appointees from Te Papa Tongarewa and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, as well as three independent trustees.

The major focus of the Trust for the next three years is the Colin McCahon Legacy Project. The project will ensure that McCahon’s extraordinary body of work remains accessible to new generations of New Zealanders who may not yet be familiar with his work during this significant period of cultural production in New Zealand. The project will also facilitate new research and understanding of McCahon’s work, context and subsequent influence on artists in New Zealand and further afield.

Members of The Colin McCahon Trust