Apocrypha : The Maps of Roger Mortimer

Discover the fascinating world of Apocrypha: The Maps of Roger Mortimer, an extraordinary hardback publication that takes you on a visual journey through the interplay of art and navigation. This beautifully curated book, measuring 195 x 295 mm, spans 160 pages filled with over 50 stunning images, including double-page spreads that showcase Mortimer's unique style. The artist masterfully juxtaposes medieval imagery with modern marine charts from Aotearoa, crafting metaphorical narratives that explore themes of transformation and navigation. Drawing inspiration from 15th-century illuminated manuscripts, particularly Dante's The Divine Comedy, Mortimer invites readers to ponder contemporary P?keh? cultural identity while engaging with Te Ao M?ori. This essential volume not only highlights 12 years of Mortimer's captivating map paintings but also aims to enrich discussions surrounding New Zealand art and its intricate European connections. Art historians, enthusiasts of contemporary art, and those intrigued by cultural identity will find this book an invaluable addition to their collections. Explore the improbable and thought-provoking world of Roger Mortimer's art today. Perfect for art lovers, historians, and anyone fascinated by the evolution of cultural representation, Apocrypha is a must-have for your library.

Publisher: Index
Bind: hardback
Dimensions: 195 x 295 mm
Pages: 160
Publication Date: 01-01-2022

Apocrypha: The Maps of Roger Mortimer looks at the distinctive and singular painting practice of Roger Mortimer. Through his enigmatic and surreal juxtaposition of medieval imagery on current marine charts from around Aotearoa, Mortimer presents metaphorical, timeless and universal stories of navigation and transformation, drawing on 15th century illustrated manuscripts of the famous poem The Divine Comedy by the Italian poet Dante. This important and beautiful new book - with 160 pages, more than 50 images (some on double page spreads) and seven texts including a conversation with the artist - examines 12 years of Mortimer’s map paintings. The editors say they hope the book will contribute to a discussion, not simply around the nature and place of New Zealand art and its complex relationship to its European origins, but also around contemporary P?keh? cultural identity and its relationship to Te Ao M?ori. As art historian Leonard Bell writes in his essay in the book, Mortimer’s pictorial mappings are productively improbable, outside the predictable and formulaic, just as the most intriguing contemporary art is.