Rhana Devenport ONZM

Rhana Devenport, museum director and curator, was appointed Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia in 2018, the first female director in the organisation’s history.

Growing up in Brisbane, she sold her first artwork aged 12, and started her career as an art teacher and practising artist before joining the Queensland Art Gallery as Senior Project Officer for the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art 1994-2004.

Relocating to Aotearoa New Zealand, Devenport played a key advocacy and fundraising role for the expansion and development of the acclaimed Len Lye Centre as Director of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth (2006-2013).

She followed this success with a role as Director of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki 2013-2018. Devenport curated the 'Lisa Reihana: Emissaries' New Zealand Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia in 2017, and in 2018 was honoured with an Officer of The New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to Arts Governance.

Celebrating 125 years of women's suffrage in South Australia.

Image: Art Gallery of South Australia, Saul Steed photographer