Back and Beyond A Story of New Zealand in Painting for Young People

Featuring art by a number of contemporary painters and printmakersall of them seasoned travelers across time and spacethis artistic gathering highlights the beauty of both classic and contemporary Maori art, placing the works of today alongside those of the 19th and 20th centuries. Since Maori first painted moa and mythical birds on cave walls, artists in Aotearoa, New Zealand have provided an imaginative, lively account of the lives New Zealanders have been leading, the dreams they've been dreaming, and the stories they've been telling. Angels, rugby players, insects and aunts, saws, mountains, the bush, and the beaches all play starring roles in this bird's-eye view of New Zealand painting. This compendium is alive with real and imagined encounters, mysteries, discoveries, and with many of the paintings that have, over the past hundred years, broadened the horizons of all New Zealanders. A follow-up to the successful and prize-winningWelcome to the South Seas: Contemporary New Zealand Art for Young People, with more than 40 full-color plates and historical depth, it is guaranteed to dazzle and entrance its young and curious audience. Also included is an activities section which will delight youngsters and guide teachers and parents into developing young peoples' appreciation of art.

Gregory O’Brien is a poet, painter, critic, and essayist. He is currently the curator at the City Gallery, Wellington and a regular commentator on art, literature, and culture for various print and broadcast media. He has coedited a variety of books and is the author of more than 40 more, including Afternoon of an Evening Train and Welcome to the South Seas: Contemporary NZ Art for Young People, which won the 2005 LIANZA Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction and the 2005 New Zealand Post Book Award for Children and Young Adults.