Reading Room

Reading Room is an exhibition celebrating design-forward art publications in Aotearoa, New Zealand centred on our collaboration with photographer Mary Macpherson. Mary is launching her latest photo-book one foot on the bottom, co-designed with Katrina Duncan and published by Rim Books, - a reflection on childhood or the space that childhood once occupied. Using family Kodachrome slides from the 1950s and 1960s taken by her late mother Evelyn and her own contemporary photographs, Mary creates a portrait of family holidays by the beach, lake, and river. The book is poetic and unexpected and placing the past with the present so time folds in on itself.

Alongside Mary’s book launch we have invited artists, designers, and publishers to collaborate and celebrate art publications in Aotearoa. This exhibition includes published works by and from Ann Shelton and Duncan Munro, Alan Deare - AREA Design, Katie Kerr, Sarah Maxey, Rim Books, Ramp Press and from Kirikiriroa’s annual Zinefest.

Reading Room provides a space to slow down, so pull up a chair and revel in the captivating qualities that these special publications possess.

Nga mihi nui to all our collaborators who have contributed and loaned works - especially artists Jennie De Groot and Max Nasmith and to ākonga who have contributed to the spatial design aspect of this exhibition. 

We have some public programmes associated with this exhibition so keep a look out for these opportunities.