Internationally acclaimed artists' works including Picasso and Colin McCahon originals are in Tauranga for a one-off exhibition.

Opening today, the touring Gow Langsford Gallery situated at Rydal House in Grey Street includes a $245,000 North Canterbury MaCahon landscape painting and original Picasso etchings.

Gallery co-owner Gary Langsford with Karl Maughan landscape paintings, on display at the pop-up gallery.

Drowsy - 1911 - oil on wood panel by Charles Goldie.

Gallery co-owner Gary Langsford believes this if the first time original Picasso pieces including his 'Five Nude Prostitutes' have been exhibited in Tauranga City.

'It's probably Picasso's first visit to Tauranga.

'We did have an exhibition of paintings in Auckland in 1998 where we sold Picasso paintings for about $1million US, but they now start about $7million.”

On display in the gallery is a selection of works aimed at providing Tauranga audiences with a visual arts experience and an insight into what's on offer for the avid art collector.

'We have a cross-section of works and artists that we represent in Auckland – there are some great New Zealand artists and international works, a few Picasso etchings, a Goldie painting and Colin McCahon.”

The top end of the market is represented by the Colin McCahon works, with the larger North Canterbury oil on canvas landscape in particular a standout, along with a smaller, unique black and white McCahon Caltex, valued at about $68,000.

A must-see is Charles Goldie's 1911 oil on wood panel ‘Drowsy', estimated to be worth about $260,000.

Other well-known artists include Australian Dale Frank, and Karl Maughan – a garden landscape painter.

Gary believes now is a suitable time for a travelling gallery in Tauranga as the city's population is growing and maturing, with more people collecting and taking an interest in artworks.

'Tauranga has changed, it's a much bigger city. I think now is the time – there is definitely an opportunity to run something like this here once or twice a year.”

Located near the Tauranga Art Gallery, and coinciding with the Tauranga Arts Festival, beginning this weekend, the pop-up gallery is expected to correlate well with the arts atmosphere taking hold in the next two weeks.

The touring exhibition is on from 10am – 6pm daily from today until November 3 at 29 Grey Street.

Gallery artists exhibited include Paul Dibble, Dale Frank, Dick Frizzell, Max Gimblett, Chris Heaphy, Michael Hight, Gregor Kregar, Sara Hughes, Hye Rim Lee, Karl Maughan, Judy Millar, Reuben Paterson, John Pule and John Walsh.

Works on display at the touring gallery.

Canterbury Landscape - 1952 - oil on canvas by Colin McCahon.