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Certain Words Drawn

Simmons, Laurence (ed)

John Reynolds is one of New Zealand’s most significant contemporary artists. He was made an Arts Foundation Laureate in 2006 in recognition of his exceptional talent. He began his career painting large abstract colourfields, slowly moving into structural text-based imagery. His paintings are rich with literary, religious, arthistorical and architectural allusions, frequently using both everyday and epic references. His works range in scale from works on postcards and stamps to a 2 x 12 metre painting, Hope Street, with his large work Clouds a feature work at the 2006 Zones of Contact Sydney Biennale. The work is made up of "New Zealandisms" taken from the Harry Orsman Oxford Dictionary of New Zealand English, which he has painted in metallic silver on 7,073 primed canvasses. These are hung randomly on the feature wall in the entrance hall of the National Gallery of New South Wales. Each of the 1500 copies of this record of his life and work is numbered and signed by the artist. Contributors include Frank Stark, Andrew Clifford, Tessa Laird, Nicholas Stevens, Dianne Bardsley, Ian Wedde, Shirley and Roger Horrocks and Leigh Davis. Illustrated with examples of his work and practice.

Finalist in the 2009 Montana New Zealand Book Awards, Illustrative category.

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