Author(s): Gregory O'Brien

Art | Aotearoa | Artist Monographs | 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards long lists | 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards short lists

Painter, printmaker, teacher, writer and ornithologist Don Binney (1940 - 2012) was a mercurial presence on the New Zealand cultural scene from the time of his meteoric rise to fame in the early 1960s. His unmistakable, stylised depictions of birds have come to define an era in the development of the nation's art.

Don Binney: Flight Path follows the painter from Te Henga / Bethells Beach - his artistic turangawaewae - through his years of wandering not only the length of Aotearoa but as far afield as Latin America and Europe. Drawing extensively on Binney's letters, journals and other writings, award-winning author and curator Gregory O'Brien takes us into the world of this gifted but paradoxical artist. Richly illustrated with Binney's paintings, drawings and prints - alongside photographs and documentary materials - this is the first full-length monograph on one of New Zealand's most important twentieth-century artists.

‘Although he is one of New Zealand’s best-loved painters, there is surprisingly little published on Don Binney. This book is of great value in providing a thoughtful, sensitive and engaging account of his art and life. Gregory O’Brien’s deep engagement with his subject shines through, giving the text a real authority, and the generous selection of images is fantastic. This will be the essential book on Don Binney, and an essential book in the art history of Aotearoa.’ — Jill Trevelyan

‘Meticulously researched, beautifully written and richly illustrated, Flight Path takes us to those regions of an artist’s life hidden from the viewer’s gaze. Told with empathy and truthfulness, this is the story of a man, brilliant and flawed, whose distinctive art practice and his concern for the environment will ensure his relevance for generations to come.’ — Robin White

Gregory O'Brien is a writer, painter and art curator.