Tribute: Gus Fisher

Gus Fisher (ONZM) arts patron and New Zealand fashion industry pioneer, passed away on Tuesday July 20, aged 89.

Read the tributes below and use the comment box to add yours.

The Arts Foundation - Farewell to a great man of fashion and philanthropy

We have just heard the sad news that Gus Fisher died on Tuesday 20 July. Gus and his wife Irene were the recipients of the Award for Patronage this year.  Our heartfelt sympathies are extended to his wife Irene, their son Michael and also to Michael’s family.

Gus was a close friend and patron of the Arts Foundation and we are all going to miss him.  From Auckland, Gus and Irene were regular attendees at Arts Foundation functions no matter where they were in New Zealand.  Photographs from our events are full of their warm smiles.

Gus was a generous patron and we were proud to celebrate his contributions to the Gus Fisher Gallery and other arts projects.  He was also known for his contributions to education and health.

Ros Burdon, Arts Foundation Chairman, said “we are most grateful to Gus and Irene for accepting the Award for Patronage when Gus was so unwell.  It was important to honour Gus for his generosity towards the arts, but we knew it would be a challenge for him.  However, he rose to the occasion like a star and impressed the socks off of us.  It was fantastic to see Gus have such a wonderful time at the Awards surrounded by his family and friends.  We also heard that he had a wonderful time at the opening of the exhibition Looking Terrific, the Story of El Jay.  Both occasions were a timely celebration of a great life”.

Our Executive Director, Simon Bowden, is particularly grateful for the time he spent with Gus leading up to the announcement of the Award for Patronage.  Gus and Irene had the task of selecting recipients of a $20,000 donation from the Foundation to artists or projects.  Most will know that Gus and Irene added $30,000 of their own to the pool for distribution and made five donations of $10,000.  What is most interesting is the way Gus conducted the selection process.

With the support of Irene, Gus used his intuition to decide on the recipients.  Simon said of the experience, “he had an instinct at work that filled the room with excitement.  Each time Gus talked about an artist I knew that there could be not doubt about the selection.  I imagine he was using the same process that he would have used to achieve the very high standards synonymous with his fashion label El Jay.  This was one of the best experiences I have had at the Foundation.  I felt privileged to be with him when he made the selections and know that others that have worked with him will know what I am talking about”.

Managing Director of Forsyth Barr (sponsor of the Award for Patronage), Neil Paviour-Smith said “we all at Forsyth Barr are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Gus Fisher.  We are glad that his extraordinary contribution through a rich and full life was recently acknowledged and celebrated.  We are thankful the Award for Patronage occurred during his lifetime.  Our sympathies are extended to all his family and especially Irene at this time.”

The funeral for Gus was held today (Thursday July 22) in Auckland.

NICAI pays tribute to fashion guru Gus Fisher

It is with heartfelt sadness that the National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries (NICAI) acknowledges the death of Gus Fisher, ONZM, who died on Tuesday night aged 89. Gus had strong connections with the faculty and had been a regular supporter and participant in faculty events and activities over the past decade.

Jenny Dixon, Dean of NICAI says: “Gus Fisher has a very special place in our hearts here at NICAI. He was a man who enjoyed being surrounded by creative people and understood the importance of supporting the creative arts in New Zealand. That support has helped to nurture the next generation of artists, and it is through their work and success that Gus’ legacy will live on.

“He was a wonderful supporter of events at the Gus Fisher Gallery. And he drew immense pleasure in the success of the recent El Jay exhibition, celebrating the fashion label that he founded.”

Gus Fisher’s outstanding support to the University, and particularly to NICAI, is best-known through his remarkable gift to the University of the exhibition gallery at 74 Shortland Street that is named in his honour: the Gus Fisher Gallery. Established in 2000, it was set up to provide exhibitions of the visual arts and to foster research and creative work of the highest national and international standards. Gus was passionate about art and believed that good cultural understanding was important for a healthy society; he was proud to support what was to become an established feature of the Auckland art scene.

In April 2010, the gallery provided the ideal venue for a presentation to Gus and Irene Fisher as recipients of the fifth annual Arts Foundation of New Zealand Award for Patronage. Presented by sponsor, Forsyth Barr, the award honoured their significant contribution to the creative arts in New Zealand.

Fittingly, it was also home to a very recent exhibition that told the story of the House of El Jay, the top-end women’s fashion company founded by Gus, who was a pioneer of the New Zealand fashion industry and held a licence to make Christian Dior garments in New Zealand for 33 years. The exhibition, which ran 4 June – 17 July 2010, drew record numbers of visitors interested in finding out more about the iconic fashion brand and its impact on the New Zealand fashion landscape.

Linda Tyler, Director of NICAI’s Centre for New Zealand Art Research and Discovery (CNZARD) that administers the Gus Fisher Gallery says: “Gus was a frequent visitor to the gallery. He was particularly excited with Looking Terrific: The story of El Jay exhibition and attended many of the gallery talks that we organised. At the My El Jay talk at the start of July we had around 150 people attend, many of whom were employees of the House of El Jay, and it was wonderful for Gus to meet up with former colleagues and share anecdotes and memories of the time. He will be sorely missed.”

Gus Fisher’s verve and character were enjoyed by the many staff across NICAI who had the opportunity to come in contact with him. He will be a great loss to the New Zealand arts and University community and our thoughts go out to his family at this time.

The University of Auckland

Gus Fisher ONZM, friend of and generous benefactor to The University of Auckland and a regular participant in the University community over the past decade, died on Tuesday night aged 89.

“Gus has been a wonderful friend and supporter of the University in so many different, valuable ways, and he will be greatly missed. We extend our deepest sympathy to Rene, Michael and Dianne and their family,” said the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon.

Mr Fisher’s outstanding support of the University is best known through his remarkable gift of the exhibition gallery at 74 Shortland Street that is named in his honour: the Gus Fisher Gallery. Established in 2001, it was set up to provide exhibitions of the visual arts and to foster research and creative work of the highest national and international standards. Gus was passionate about art and believed that good cultural understanding was important for a healthy society; he was proud to support what was to become an established feature of the Auckland art scene.

Ten years later, in April 2010, the gallery provided the ideal venue for a presentation to Gus and Irene Fisher as recipients of the fifth annual Arts Foundation of New Zealand Award for Patronage. Fittingly, it was also home to a recent exhibition that told the story of the House of El Jay, the top-end women’s fashion company founded by Gus, who was a pioneer of the New Zealand fashion industry and held a licence to make Christian Dior garments in New Zealand for 33 years.

In 2004 Mr Fisher’s generosity and family history led to the creation of the Gus Fisher Postdoctoral Fellowship, specialising in neurodegenerative diseases and the quest for a cure for Parkinson’s disease. This was the first fellowship related to Parkinson’s research offered in New Zealand. Mr Fisher’s hope was that a cure might be found for the disease from which his mother died, and that this fellowship would benefit not just the University, but the world.

Mr Fisher’s enrichment of the research culture of the University went even further when he became a founding donor to the Hood Fellowships Fund, a programme which supports international academic exchange through hosting eminent scholars from offshore institutions and funding outstanding academics of our own to travel to the world’s most prestigious places of learning. He and other family members were among guests at a celebration of the Fellowships at the University last month, when former Vice-Chancellor Dr John Hood visited Auckland.

In 2005 Mr Fisher was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from The University of Auckland for his contribution to the development of academic programmes, the Fisher Parkinson’s Fellowship, research and infrastructure at the University and his key role in establishing the Gus Fisher Gallery at the Kenneth Myers Centre.

Mr Fisher also gave significant support to a number of organisations including the Auckland War Memorial Museum and community drug education and rehabilitation programmes. He was awarded a Mayor’s Living Legend Award in 2007 and in June 2009 became an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to philanthropy.