Edith Collier: Early New Zealand Modernist

Rediscovering a remarkable woman painter.

Published to coincide with the reopening of the Sarjeant Gallery in Whanganui, this substantial and handsome book examines the continuing impact of Whanganui-born and British-trained Edith Collier and her artistic legacy. 

In an era of growing international interest in women artists, Collier’s work is finding a new audience via books, exhibitions, documentary films and other projects. 

Edith Collier was a dynamic modernist, and the story of her years in Europe and then her return to New Zealand and the near abandonment of her practice are compelling as both art history and an affecting human story. A century on, her remarkable body of work remains fresh and contemporary. 

Featuring over 150 artworks, this book’s major essay by award-winning art writer Jill Trevelyan and its collection of guest essays offer a deep and rich immersion in Collier’s craft.