Undreamed Of 50 Years of the Frances Hodgkins Fellowship

Discover 'Undreamed Of: 50 Years of the Frances Hodgkins Fellowship', a captivating hardback that chronicles the inspiring journey of New Zealand's foremost art residency. This beautifully crafted book, featuring the iconic oil painting 'Adam and Eve' by Michael Illingworth on its cover, showcases 224 pages of rich narratives and stunning illustrations that celebrate the legacy of the Frances Hodgkins Fellowship, established in 1966. As the first initiative of its kind in New Zealand, this fellowship has empowered countless artists by providing them with dedicated studio space and financial support to cultivate their creativity for a whole year. Explore how the fellowship, funded by arts patron Charles Brasch, has significantly contributed to New Zealand's cultural fabric. Included are insightful essays by renowned arts commentator Priscilla Pitts and engaging interviews with the fellows conducted by journalist Andrea Hotere, revealing the immense talent and varied inspirations behind their work. This vibrant collection is a testament to the artistic riches that have emerged from this legendary fellowship, ideal for art enthusiasts, students, and anyone who appreciates the profound impact of the arts in New Zealand. Immerse yourself in the stories and artworks that have defined fifty years of creative excellence and continue to influence future generations. A must-have addition for any art lover's library, this book encapsulates the beauty and cultural significance of the Frances Hodgkins Fellowship.

Authors: Priscilla Pitts, Andrea Hotere Publisher: Otago University Press
Bind: hardback
Dimensions: 220 x 280 mm
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 11-09-2017

In 1966 Michael Illingworth, whose oil painting Adam and Eve appears on the front cover of this book, was awarded the inaugural Frances Hodgkins Fellowship. For the first time in New Zealand a practising artist was given a studio and paid a salary to make art for a whole year. Such support, as Frances Hodgkins herself wrote from her own experience, was capable of ‘yielding up riches - undreamed of’. Poet and critic David Eggleton has described the fellowship as ‘an emblem of cultural endeavour which … holds a legendary status in the public imagination’. The initiative and much of the early funding for the fellowship is thought to have come from poet, editor and arts patron Charles Brasch, and it was set up by the University of Otago Council. Fifty years later, the Frances Hodgkins is still going strong, one of five arts fellowships offered through the University of Otago’s Humanities Division. This sumptuous book brings together the art and the stories of half a century of Frances Hodgkins fellows. Arts commentator Priscilla Pitts writes about their work, while journalist Andrea Hotere interviews the artists about their lives and sources of inspiration. The result is a vibrant celebration of a wealth of talent fostered through New Zealand’s foremost visual arts residency, showing how the artistic wealth created has flowed back into the culture of the small country that nurtured it.