Peter McLeavey: The life and times of a New Zealand art dealer

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

From Montana award-winning author Jill Trevelyan comes the first biography of Peter McLeavey, the charismatic, pioneering art dealer who since the 1960s has shaped even transformed New Zealand art.

McLeaveys personal story is remarkable, but his contemporaries will recognise common themes: the religious upbringing, the struggle to be bohemian in repressive mid-century small town New Zealand, the challenges of marriage and fatherhood, the dilemma of whether to stay or leave New Zealand, and the need to make a mark. Through exclusive access to McLeaveys extensive and hitherto untapped archive of letters, diaries, exhibition files and more, this book offers insights into the artists McLeavey has represented across half a century. Here, in their own words lively, salty, and often heart-breaking are Colin McCahon, Toss Woollaston, Len Lye, Milan Mrkusich, Bill Hammond, Gordon Walters, Michael Illingworth, Robin White, Richard Killeen, John Reynolds, Yvonne Todd and many more.

Far more than a simple biography, this is the big story of contemporary New Zealandart itself, in a period of massive change and growth, and Trevelyan offers an utterly fresh and compelling historical account of the birth of the modern art market and the status of art today. A must-read for anyone interested in New Zealands art, culture or recent history.

Author Bio

Jill Trevelyan is a curator and writer specialising in twentieth-century New Zealand art. She was the editor of Toss Woollaston: A life in letters (Te Papa Press, 2004); co-curator of Te Papas exhibition Rita Angus: Life & vision, 2008, and co-editor of the accompanying catalogue; and author of Rita Angus: An artists life (Te Papa Press, 2008). She lives in Wellington.