Marilynn Webb: Folded in the hills

The Dunedin Public Art Gallery team is thrilled to see Marilynn Webb: Folded in the hills selected on the shortlist for the Ockham Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand award for Illustrated Non-Fiction.

Dunedin Public Art Gallery Director Cam McCracken says, "It is wonderful to see our team’s commitment to art history and publishing recognised on the shortlist, and we also send our congratulations to our colleagues across Aotearoa.”

Reflecting on this publication, Cilla McQueen said “The texts set up a resonance where the distinctive voices harmonise, creating a timeless portrait. Marilynn comes alive in these pages.” 

Since its release in December, Folded in the hills has been bringing the story of Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa and Ngāti Kahu artist Marilynn Webb’s career to readers across Aotearoa. Proudly bilingual and richly illustrated, this book brings Webb’s works together with new essays by curators Lauren Gutsell, Lucy Hammonds, and Bridget Reweti (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi), existing poetry by Cilla McQueen and Hone Tuwhare (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Korokoro, Ngāti Tautahi, Te Popoto, Te Uri o Hau), and new poems by essa may ranapiri (Ngāti Raukawa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Pūkeko, Clan Gunn) and Dr Ruby Solly (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu).

Emeritus professor Ngahuia Te Awekotuku (Te Arawa, Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi, Waikato) wrote of Folded in the Hills: “It’s the new Maori Celtic legend”, wrote Hone Tuwhare in response to Marilynn’s work. And so the legend deepens, in that place between distant hemispheres, marking the runes, tracing the rauponga; she claims the artistry of both worlds. She celebrates a heritage that is Aotearoa. Now. Visual. Evocative. Changing. Elegant. Courageous. And yes, forever. Marilynn, Mareikura, moe mai ra.