Friday, October 05, 2007


LOOK THIS WAY – New Zealand Writers on New Zealand Artists
Edited by Sally Blundell Auckland University Press $45

Wow, what a great idea.

Here are a few of those included,(actually the ones I have read so far!):

Ian Wedde on Bill Hammond
Fiona Farrell on Gavin Bishop
Margaret Mahy on Tony Geddes
Gregory O’Brien on John Drawbridge
Dylan Horrocks on Barry Linton
Bernadette Hall on Kathryn Magill
CK Stead on Colin McCahon
William Dart on Jacqueline Fahey

This is less than half those included so I still have a way to go but as the book is being published this week I thought I should post it now rather than wait until I have read the lot.
Each essay is illustrated by examples of the subject’s art, usually three pieces, to illustrate points being made.
The writers have been thoughtfully selected by arts journalist Sally Blundell and without exception are right on their game.

I loved Margaret Mahy’s opening sentence which sums up my own situation:
I am one of those observers who have a response to the implications of an image without being able to claim any great artistic judgement or expertise.
Then in fact Margaret goes on to display perceptive artistic judgement in a delightful essay on Tony Geddes the stage and set designer for the Court Theatre in Christchurch.

I was delighted to see within Fiona Farrell’s delightful essay artwork by Gavin Bishop from two books I was involved with at Scholastic back in the 90’s especially the double page spread from The House That Jack Built, 1999.

The Comics of Barry Linton, an appreciation by Dylan Horrocks was especially enjoyable, and the essays by Gregory O’Brien and CK Stead are both gems.
Poet Bernadette Hall and artist Kathryn Madill were in Antarctica together in 2004 which gives that essay a special resonance.

Ian Wedde’s essay gave me more understanding of Bill Hammond’s work which I saw recently at his first retrospective exhibition at the Christchurch Art Gallery while Art New Zealand publisher William Dart writes wonderfully about Jacqueline Fahey.

This is such a good idea that I hope Auckland University Press might think about a second volume next year? There are plenty more artists and writers who deserve a place in such a volume.

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