Award Winning Designer Inspired by New Zealand’s Best Poet

Winner of the John Britten Black Pin at the New Zealand Best Design Awards 2015, Kris Sowersby, is one of four typographic designers who have donated their time and talents to raise funds for the Hone Tuwhare writers’ residency.

Joined by Sarah Maxey, Matt Galloway and Catherine Griffiths, the collective have created a limited series of prints, drawing on Tuwhare’s poetry for inspiration. Sowersby enjoyed working with Tuwhare’s 1970 poem, Haiku, given the “words are powerful and clear; they don’t need my excessive embellishment” he said.

Hand printed by Steve Lovett of Manukau Institute of Technology’s INKubator Printlab under the direction of Trust chair and Otago University design lecturer Dr Noel Waite, proceeds from the sale of the prints will go directly to the restoration of Tuwhare’s Kaka Point crib.

Just as Tuwhare enjoyed the collaborative results of working with artists like Ralph Hotere and Ans Westra, Waite was keen to develop a project that followed the same lines. “Everyone gave their time freely, guided by the notion of koha, which is a gift involving reciprocity and strengthening of relationships.”

The resulting artworks are a celebration of New Zealand’s top typography and poetry, which will raise funds for the Trust, and awareness of Hone’s poetry.

The limited run of 40 prints are available for sale from the Tuwhare Trust website www.honetuwhare.org.nz.

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