Curator
Paul Brobbel manages the Len Lye Foundation collection.
Key facts
Career: Len Lye curator at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery
Programme: Postgraduate Diploma in Arts
Specialisation: Museums and Cultural Heritage
"My job consists of the management and care of the Len Lye Foundation collection, research around the collection and the development of exhibitions and publications based on the collection.
"Lye's output included film, sculpture, painting and many other formats, so there's a lot of territory to cover. A large part of my role is being responsive to interest in the work of Len Lye, so there is a lot of involvement with projects around New Zealand and internationally.
"I don't think any year at the Govett-Brewster has been the same as the one previous, so it's a good environment in which to develop.
"There's a great deal of variety and collaboration in my job, and I particularly enjoy the project management elements. The development of the Len Lye Centre is a clear highlight and a once-in-a-career opportunity.
My Arts study has given me a disciplined perspective on the form and organisation of thought, which is important in the interpretation of collections and archives, and the development of exhibitions and publications.
"I began tertiary study in the computer science field, doing what I was good at in lieu of knowing what I really wanted to do. After a year of that I decided that an Arts degree would be closer to what I wanted from a university experience.
"Study as broadly as you can and don't work yourself into a corner. Developing a capacity for learning across many disciplines will pay off greatly in the future."