I AM - Gate III . Colin McCahon 1970 / by JoFF Rae

Gate III, 1970

Record number - cm001186

Title - Gate III

Date - 1970

Medium - synthetic polymer paint

Support - canvas

Dimensions - 3050 x 10670 mm

Inscriptions - Gate III. / McCahon / NOV. DEC. / '70. (brushpoint, b.r.)

Collection - Victoria University of Wellington Art Collection

Credit line - purchased with the assistance of The Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council, 1972

Accession number - VUW.1972.1

Extended inscriptions

O earth earth earth. How is the hammer of the 

whole earth cut asunder and broken.

All ye who kindle a fire who gird

yourselves about with firebrands

Walk ye in the flames of your fire and among

the brands which ye have kindled

The earth shall stagger like a drunken man

Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed.

In this dark 

night of Western 

civilisation

teach us to order

our days rightly,

that we may enter

the gate

of

wisdom

God be gracious to us and

bless us.

God make his face shine upon us,

that his ways be known 

on earth

And his saving power 

Among all the nations

The Lord bless you.

The Lord your true goal,

your holy mountain.

as there is a constant

flow of light we are

born

into a pure land

as there is a constant

flow of light

we are born into

a pure land

Exhibition history

1971 Auckland: Ten big paintings, Auckland City Art Gallery, 10 February-28 March 1971, cat. no. 6.

1994 Wellington: Town and gown: Victoria University Art Collection, City Gallery Wellington, 19 November 1994-26 February 1995.

1999 Wellington: Manufacturing meaning: The Victoria University of Wellington Art Collection in context, Adam Art Gallery Te Pataka Toi, Victoria University of Wellington, 22 September 1999-31 January 2000.

Notes

Gate III was commissioned by Auckland City Art Gallery for the opening of the Edmiston Wing in 1971