Art & creativity  |  Yesterday

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The importance of whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand’s art history, examined through the work of more than 100 of this country’s most celebrated artists, is the subject of a major new book from Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū.

At nearly 400 pages, Whenua is rich with large images of paintings, prints, sculptures, weaving, carving, ceramics, photographs and moving image artworks that consider how the land has been seen and represented in the art of Aotearoa.

Whenua, hardcover, 392 pages, published by Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū

“The land has long been a powerful source of inspiration for artists – in many ways, it has been fundamental to the visual language and identity of arts in this country,” Director Blair Jackson says. 

“For all of us, the land we come from is inseparable from our sense of self. As we became increasingly aware throughout the process of making this book, individual relationships with the whenua of Aotearoa are as unique as they are universal. 

“Whenua explores a huge range of historical and contemporary artworks and ideas through the lenses of identity and belonging, kaitiakitaka, land use, migration, environmentalism and activism. The talent represented between the covers of Whenua is truly impressive, as befitting a book this ambitious.” 

Artists with works represented in Whenua include Mark Adams, Rita Angus, John Gibb, Bill Hammond, Louise Henderson, Ralph Hotere, Lonnie Hutchinson, Robyn Kahukiwa, Emily Karaka, Doris Lusk, Riki Manuel, Colin McCahon, John Miller, Buck Nin, John Pule, Bridget Reweti, Baye Pewhairangi Riddell, Olivia Spencer Bower, Margaret Stoddart, Bill Sutton, Wi Taepa, Areta Wilkinson and many more. 

The beautifully designed hardcover volume also features a range of interviews with artists and texts by leading writers including Su Ballard, Emalani Case, Kirsty Dunn, Cosmo Kentish-Barnes, Lily Lee, Hana O’Regan, Rebecca Rice, Huhana Smith, Paora Tapsell, Matariki Williams and more. 

Whenua is available now in bookshops around New Zealand and can also be purchased directly from the Christchurch Art Gallery Design Store.