Art at Te Papa

editor, William McAloon. 2009

The evolution of the national art collection is closely linked with the story of Aotearoa New Zealand itself - its places, its people and their passions, and its developing sense of identity. Art at Te Papa, a major new book from Te Papa Press, spans the Museum's collection - from superb early European prints to exciting contemporary acquisitions. Te Papa's curators have selected more than 400 artworks, each one beautifully reproduced, and accompanied by an engaging mini essay. Works by international artists - from Rembrandt to Mapplethorpe - feature alongside iconic New Zealand art by Charles Goldie, Rita Angus, Bill Hammond, and many more. Lesser-known artworks will also surprise and delight. (Te Papa Press)

In search of paradise : artists and writers in the colonial South Pacific

Graeme Lay. 2008

In this lavishly illustrated book, author Graeme Lay presents the lives of twenty-three of the finest artists and writers to have been inspired by the South Pacific, and a rich selection of their works. In Search of Paradise is a compilation of memorable visual and literary journeys, covering two hundred years of European contact with the South Pacific islands and the people who inhabited them at a unique period in the region's history. Among the art and writings included are: The candid chronicles of Joseph Banks ...The radiant paintings of Paul Gauguin ...Gottfried Lindauer's depiction of a presumed-dying Maori race [Random House]

New art now : contemporary art in Australia and New Zealand : Auckland Art Fair catalogue 2009

essays by Gregory O'Brien and others. 2009

Internationally, art fairs are becoming one of the highlights of the serious art collector's year. Audiences see them as a supercharged environment for sampling the latest and dealers love the business they do. Indeed, some say about 25 percent of their sales happen at their stalls at the fairs. But we're not talking amateur art here. At the third Auckland Art fair to be held at the Viaduct in May 2009, the 40 exhibiting dealers are the real heavy hitters of the scene, from both sides of the Tasman. The Auckland Art Fair grows in stature each year. The record number of premier Australian galleries exhibiting, and the expected large number of Australian collectors attending, in 2009 is testimony to the interest in our artists Australian collectors have. New Art Now serves as the catalogue for the fair (which always kicks off with a glamorous opening-night vernissage featuring a keynote speaker) and is also a fantastic way to be informed on trends, issues and themes in contemporary art on both sides of the Tasman. The six essays (three by leading new Zealand art writers and curators, three by Australians) especially commissioned for the book offer a sparkling, lively and expert survey of the scene. [Random House]

The painted garden in New Zealand art

Christopher Johnstone. 2008

From James Busby on, European settlers made gardens from the moment they set foot on New Zealand soil, and of course Maori had extensive cultivations of kumara around their kainga. Many settler gardens were matters of survival - kitchen gardens on which families were reliant - but as individual circumstances allowed and prosperity spread, many gardens became increasingly ambitious and extensive. It is hardly surprising that artists were drawn to depicting them, as they have from the 1820s right through to the present day. This collection of 100 delightful works, selected by Christopher Johnstone ... tells the story of our gardening history as it intersected with our cultural and artistic development. Beautifully packaged and carefully researched, it is a treasure trove of magnificent images, many of gardens now lost to the passage of time. [Random House]

Seen this century : 100 contemporary New Zealand artists : a collector's guide

Warwick Brown. 2009

In our recent history never have there been more artists, more dealer galleries or more auction houses. Art is the new commerce, collecting the new passion. Warwick Brown published 100 New Zealand Artists and Another 100 New Zealand Artists in the early 1990s to great acclaim and now he's back with a book that taps into the vigorous art market in a canny manner. Taking 100 artists who have come to prominence since 2000 (hence the word play of Seen This Century) he gives the collector an invaluable tool by highlighting who is on the rise, who will become the next big thing and whose work should be bought now before prices skyrocket. Carefully selected using a range of filters to come up with the 100, this chunky book has four pages on each artist (including a 450-word text and a generous sampling of their work) and is designed in an appealing, fresh, crisp, catalogue style. (Random House)

The ultimate trophy : how the impressionist painting conquered the world

Philip Hook. 2009

In 1892 Degas' painting "In the Cafe" was sold for a mere 180 guineas at auction, with the public hissing as the hammer fell. Less than a century later another Impressionist work, Renoir's "Moulin de la Galette" sold at Sotheby's for $78 million, accompanied by enthusiastic applause. In this history-cum-memoir Philip Hook, Senior Director of Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art department, examines the public's change of heart toward Impressionism. Starting with its shocking novelty and confounding style, he traces the impact of the Impressionist painting as it spread to Germany, America and Great Britain, polarizing modernists and conservatives.Equally fascinating is the story of Impressionism's change in status. More than exceptionally pretty pictures, Impressionist works have become a currency in their own right, being bought and sold like blue-chip stock - coveted as much for their monetary worth as for their intrinsic beauty. Drawn from Hook's own experiences with art collectors and dealers, this fascinating chapter in art history is narrated through the lens of today's art market. (Amazon)

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