Peter McLeavey

FromMontana award-winning author Jill Trevelyancomes the first biography of Peter McLeavey, the charismatic, pioneering artdealer who since the 1960s has shaped – even transformed – New Zealand art.

McLeavey’spersonal story is remarkable, but his contemporaries will recognise commonthemes: the religious upbringing, the struggle to be bohemian in repressivemid-century small town New Zealand,the challenges of marriage and fatherhood, the dilemma of whether to stay orleave New Zealand,and the need to make a mark. Through exclusive access to McLeavey’s extensiveand hitherto untapped archive of letters, diaries, exhibition files and more,this book offers insights into the artists McLeavey has represented across halfa 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, JohnReynolds, Yvonne Todd and many more.

Farmore 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 anutterly fresh and compelling historical account of the birth of the modern artmarket and the status of art today. A must-read for anyone interested in New Zealand’sart, culture or recent history.

Winner of New Zealand Post Book Awards General Non Fiction 2014 (New Zealand)
Winner of New Zealand Post Book Awards Book of the Year 2014 (New Zealand)

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 Papa’s exhibition Rita Angus: Life & vision, 2008, and co-editor of the accompanying catalogue; and author of Rita Angus: An artist’s life (Te Papa Press, 2008). She lives in Wellington.

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