2005 Christmas reads: New Zealand art

The Art of Robyn Kahukiwa
(Reed Books $75)

For more than 30 years, through her paintings, Kahukiwa has been trying to answer questions about myth-ology, ancestry, and the rights of indigenous people. With essays by Hinemoa Hilliard, Edward Lucie-Smith and Jonathan Mane-Wheoki, and captions written by the artist, this survey packs a punch.

Frances Hodgkins: A Private Viewing
By Joanne Drayton
(Random House $59.95)

An account of Hodgkins' adventurous life that reads like a cracking novel, and is complemented by a knowledgeable overview of her art. Chapter headings such as "London, the Riviera, and a Touch of Ecstasy" indicate the book's liveliness; someone should make the movie.

Leo Bensemann: Portraits, Masks & Fantasy Figures
By Caroline Otto
(Nikau Press $44.95)

Bensemann may have been little known in the years leading up to his death in 1986, but the profile of this sometimes slightly weird artist is now established and his work highly valued. Bensemann's daughter Caroline Otto, based in Germany, calls this a catalogue but it's much more, with insightful notes and comments on each work that can be gained only through intimacy. Good family snaps too.

The Desire of the Line: Ralph Hotere Figurative Works
By Kriselle Baker
(AUP $49.99)

Everyone knows Hotere's punchy abstract works, but here is a softer side, seemingly simple lines conveying warmth, intimacy and energy. Many images from his Woman series from the 60s are included; accompanied by an interesting analysis by Baker and a useful chronology.

Crafted By Design: Inside New Zealand Craft Artists' Studios
By Jeanette Cook
Photography By Stephen Robinson
(Godwit/Random House $59.95)

If you're into crafts, which many New Zealanders are, this is an indispensable guide to some of the best in the country. And what a lot of them there are ... more than 50 high-end artists here: glass makers, jewellers, tapestry makers, ceramicists, carvers, the Weta Workshoppers ... a bunch of ingenious beavers.

Parihaka: the Art of Passive Resistance
Edited By Te Miringa Hohaia, Gregory O'Brien, Lara Strongman
(Victoria University Press $49.95)

Paperback reprint — due to demand — of the co-winner of the 2001 Montana Book Awards, this is essential reading for anyone interested in a shameful chapter in colonial history which remains key to the Maori-Pakeha relationship. With photos, in-depth essays and paintings, it ends with a powerful series of Poetry for Parihaka 2000 signed off by Alistair Te Ariki Campbell's tensely dramatic lament Parihaka Grieving.

Contemporary New Zealand Art 4
By Elizabeth Caughey and John Gow
(David Bateman $49.99)

The fourth and final in this series features 20 artists and 100 works that represent contemporary art practice at a particularly dynamic stage of development. Useful biographical notes and quality production values make this a useful addition to your art library.