Frances Hodgkins, our most celebrated artist, left New Zealand in 1901, determined to succeed. In this engaging book, curator Mary Kisler follows in Hodgkins’ footsteps through England, France, Italy, Morocco, Spain and Wales to discover the locations in which Hodgkins constantly pushed her exploration of modernism.
Warm, insightful, fresh, expert and richly illustrated, this handsome book sheds new light on Hodgkins’ life, art and social milieu.
‘Massey University Press is giving the established players in New Zealand art publishing some stiff competition with their elegantly produced and beautiful books. Even before diving into Mary Kisler’s Finding Frances Hodgkins, it’s a gorgeous wee thing, conveniently sized for reading on the bus or, appropriately enough, to put in a suitcase and go travelling even further afield. ... Kisler writes with a light touch and includes herself in the narrative without being intrusive, in such a way that getting to know her is a natural and pleasant component of the text and doesn’t distract from Fanny H. at all. ... It’s also handsomely illustrated with reproductions of Hodgkins’ paintings (kudos for keeping those tricky colour values true), illustrative material and Kisler’s snaps of the scenery as it is today. I love it.’ — Andrew Paul Wood
‘Finding Frances Hodgkins is a charming, chatty and well-illustrated travelogue’. — Mark Stocker, The Burlington
‘An intoxicating mix of past and present. We get the biographical details, the contexts to the paintings and the vicarious fun of distant and exotic places. It has the added benefit of being an easy read, not overly academic, and therefore an ideal gift for art lovers who aren’t particularly interested in theory and just want a rollicking good read. ... [Kisler] is an excellent tour guide and this is another excellent production by Massey University Press, rapidly becoming a major player in art publishing in Aotearoa.’ — Andrew Paul Wood