Born Ōtautahi/Christchurch, Te Waipounamu/South Island, Aotearoa/New Zealand, 1950
Reed is an artist who works with a range of media.
Much of his work is aligned with the long history of printmaking as a vehicle for social and political comment. The versatility of print provides him with the opportunity to mix old and new media and materials in a variety of formats and scales, both traditional and non-traditional. This has resulted in an ongoing series of works on paper and textile, along with a variety of works that reference the heritage of the medal.
Since 1999 he has worked on a number of collaborative print projects with artists from Australia, Austria, Cuba, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, The Netherlands, USA, and New Zealand.
He was invited to exhibit in Philagrafika 2010 Philadelphia, USA, an international event that showcased the many ways in which print is utilised in contemporary art practice. Reed’s work was also included in the publication Critical Mass:Printmaking Beyond the Edge by Richard Noyce, UK, a survey of international printmaking. From 2014 – 2017 a selection of his work toured in an exhibition of political art, Giving Voice/The Art of Dissent curated by Dr, Yvonne Rees-Pagh, Hobart, Tasmania.
Education and Awards
Excellence in Innovation Award, Institutes and Polytechnics of New Zealand, ITPNZ, 2003
Nagasawa Art Park Residency Programme, Japanese Woodblock Printmaking, Awaji Shima, Japan, 2002
Master of Fine Arts, Printmaking, Ilam School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury, 1999
Hand to Cloth Award (textile design and printing), metro! Craft Centre, Melbourne, Australia, 1998
Jean Herbison Award, Christchurch Polytechnic Foundation, 1998
New Zealand/Japan Foundation, Design Exchange Programme, 1993
Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council, Major Creative Development Grant, 1991
Canterbury Society of Arts/Guthrey Travel Award for Art-related studies in Australia, 1988
Diploma of Teaching, Christchurch Teachers Training College, Christchurch, 1971
Co-winner ANZ Bank Award for Contemporary New Zealand Printmaking, 1970
Diploma of Fine Arts, Printmaking, Ilam School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury, 1969
Professional
1970 – Practising Artist & Textile Designer
1991 – Member of Medallion Artists New Zealand
1975 – 2016, Tutor in Printmaking, Art & Design, Creative Industries, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Christchurch.
In 2005 Reed curated the work of thirty design students from Art & Design, Creative Industries, Ara Institute of Canterbury, for Pepeha Across the City, a project in partnership with Ngai Tahu for Applaud the Christchurch Festival of the Arts. The project received a commendation from the Race Relations Commissioner for its “positive contribution to race relations and diversity in New Zealand”.
In 2012, in conjunction with Trade Aid NZ, he worked with two craft cooperatives, based in Kathmandu, Nepal, reviewing hand-printing processes and assisting with the development of new design collections.
Reed has held 25 solo shows in NZ and participated in numerous group exhibitions, locally and internationally: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Croatia, Cuba, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom & The United States of America.
Print works are held in several public gallery collections in New Zealand as well as the The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia; the Colorado University Special Collections, Boulder, Colorado, USA and the Library of Congress, Washington DC, USA.
His medal works are held in private collections in NZ and the USA and the medal and coin collection, Het Koninklijk Penningkabinet, Rijksmuseum, The Netherlands and the Coin and Medal Collection of The British Museum, London, UK.
He was the designer/maker for a Canterbury University Distinguished Alumni medal and for the Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand Human Rights Defender of the South Pacific Award.
Works are also held in private collections in Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom & the United States of America.
Selected Exhibitions and Conference Presentations:
2019
About Face Medal Art New Zealand, Artis Gallery, Auckland
2018
Women in Society and Women’s Achievements in Science International Art Medal Federation, FIDEM XXXV, Musée Canadian de la Nature, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Our Indelible Mark Encounter, Impact 10, Santander, Spain
9th International Print Bienniale Duoro, Portugal
2017
Upheaval-Reconstruct Medal Art New Zealand, Artis, Auckland, NZ
Giving Voice/The Art of Dissent Devonport Regional Gallery, Tasmania, Australia
2016
Circumference and Radius Art Gallery, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Regroup, Reflect, Regenerate 25th Anniversary Exhibition Medal Artists New Zealand The Forrester Gallery, Oamaru, NZ; Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, NZ & Tauranga Art Gallery, Tauranga, NZ
FIDEM XXXIV Art-Medal World Congress & International Exhibition of Contemporary Medals Gent, Belgium
The Silk Road International Art Exhibition The Third Silk Road International Festival, Xi-an, China
Carpe Librum: Seize the Book Word Christchurch Writers & Readers Festival, Art Box, Ara Institute, Christchurch, NZ
Giving Voice/The Art of Dissent Goulburn Regional Gallery, New South Wales; Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery, Victoria, & Flinders University City Gallery, South Australia, Australia
Medals of War, Protest and Peace: The New Approach Contemporary Medallic Art Research Centre, Medialia Gallery, New York, USA
Dog Head Stew, The Second Course Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts, Pendleton, Oregon, USA & The Visual Arts Centre, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA
2015
Giving Voice/The Art of Dissent Gosford Regional Gallery, New South Wales, Australia
Circumference and Radius Concrete Gallery, Centre for Applied Arts, Centre for Innovation, Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design, Wroclaw, Poland & Southern Graphics Council International, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Dog Head Stew, The Second Course Transition Gallery, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, USA; Gallery 239 Chadron State College, Chadron, Nebraska, USA; Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA & Southern Graphics Council International Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
2014
Regroup, Reflect, Regenerate 25th Anniversary Exhibition Medal Artists New Zealand The Pah Homestead TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre, Auckland, NZ
Yuki Geidai School of Art, University of Tokyo, International Mokuhanga Conference, Tokyo Japan
Kozo Down Under, Traditional and Contemporary Uses of Paper Mulberry in the South Pacific Academic Presentation, Geidai School of Art, University of Tokyo, International Mokuhanga Conference, Tokyo, Japan
Giving Voice/The Art of Dissent Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Australia
Crossing Paths – Marks by a Select Group of Printmakers 2014 University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Critical Mass Graficki Kolektiv Gallery, Belgrade, Serbia; Galerica, Markaska, Croatia; Fundacion CIEC, Betanzos, Galicia, Spain & Little Art Parlour Gallery, Novi Sad, Serbia
2013
Purakau Impact 8 International Printmaking Conference & Print Festival Scotland, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Dundee, Scotland
Whakawhiti/Exchange Academic presentation by Xavier Meade (Wintec, Hamilton) & Michael Reed (CPIT, Christchurch), Impact 8 International Printmaking Conference & Print Festival Scotland, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Dundee, Scotland
Critical Mass Fundación Para el Arte Comtemporaneo, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Little Gallery, Department of Art, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Universitat fur Angewandte Kunst Wien, Vienna, Austria & Southern Graphics Council International, Print Milwaukee, Milwaukee, USA
2012
Biblia Abiblia/Books that are not books Rakaia Centre, Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, Christchurch, NZ
Hate Breeders Bliss Hall Gallery, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio, USA
2011
Pakiwhaitara/Stories to Tell Artistas Graficos de Mexico, Nueva Zelanda y Australia Galeria Antonio Ramirez, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Escula Nacional de Artes Plasticas, Mexico City, Mexico; Rakaia Centre, Spark Week & Christchurch Arts Festival, Christchurch, NZ & Ramp Gallery, Wintec, Hamilton, NZ
The Art of Mokuhanga: Contemporary Japanese Woodblock Prints Edinburgh International Festival Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy Galleries, Edinburgh, Scotland
Collateral, Printmaking as Social Commentary Daniel Heyman, Michael Reed, Sandra Thomson & Diane Victor, Gus Fisher Gallery, University of Auckland, Auckland, NZ
Purakau Waikato Museum, Hamilton, NZ; Te Tuhi, Auckland Arts Festival, NZ & Palacio de Comunicaciones de Valencia, Valencia, Spain; Rakaia Centre, CPIT, Spark Week & Christchurch Arts Festival, Christchurch, NZ
2010
Drapes for Real Men Objectspace, Window Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Purakau Instituto Superior de Diseno de la Habana, Havana, Cuba; Casa de Mexico, Havana, Cuba & Casa de la Cultura de Tulum, Tulum, Mexico
Drape Ramp Gallery, Waikato Institute of Technology, Hamilton, NZ
Social Remarque, Printmaking and Book Arts Philagrafika & Southern Graphics Council International 2010, Hamilton and Aaronson Galleries, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, USA
Printmakers Go to War Philagrafika 2010, McCabe Library, Swarthmore College, Philadelphia, USA
2009
Surimono International, Woodblock and Poetry Impact 6, Bower Ashton, The University of West England, Bristol, UK
Another New Zealand, Another United States Christchurch Arts Festival, CoCA, Christchurch, NZ & Impact 6, Bower Ashton, The University of West England, Bristol, UK
The Anatomy of a Group of International Printmakers Pao Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Drape Jaeger, Reed & Thomson, Christchurch Arts Festival, CoCA, Christchurch, NZ
Southern Muster Contemporary South Island Craft/Object Artists CoCA, Christchurch, NZ
NZ Medallion Group Show 20th Anniversary Exhibition Remuera Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Animal Connections Dialogue Space, Proyecto’ace, Buenos Aires, Argentina & Print Walls Gallery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
2008
Dilana Rugs Moa Room, Paris, France
a time and a place Nagasawa 10 Amsterdams Grafisch Atelier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Nga Kakahu/Adornment Waiheke Community Art Gallery, Waiheke Island, NZ
2007
Political + Poetical 14th Tallinn Print Triennial, Kumu Art Museum,Tallinn, Estonia
Raro, Sweet Raro Solo exhibition, Galerii 36, Impact 5 International Printmaking Conference, Tallinn, Estonia
a time and a place Nagasawa 10, Deco Gallery, Impact 5 International Printmaking Conference, Tallinn, Estonia
Passages to Reconstruction FIDEM XXX, American Numismatic Association Museum, Colorado Springs, USA
Conversations Across Time/Whakawhiti Korero Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, NZ
2006
Raro, Sweet Raro Solo exhibition, City Art, Christchurch, NZ
Pictures with Stories: Stories with Pictures Solo exhibition, Chamber Gallery, Rangiora, NZ
Handverse McPherson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Essenze and Saatchi & Saatchi Bring New Zealand to New York Saatchi & Saatchi, NYC, USA
Mokuhanga and Contemporary Art: An Ancient Japanese Tradition, New Global Applications Centre International Contemporains, Pont Aven School of Contemporary Art, Pont Aven, France
End to Begin Again Centre of Contemporary Art, Christchurch, NZ
Japanese Woodblock Printmaking Programme Nagasawa Art Park Artist-in-Residence on Awaji Island DIC Color Square, Tokyo, Japan
Concerns Medialia Gallery, New York, USA
2005
Cultural Vulture Solo Exhibition, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, NZ
Impact 4><Kontakt Poznan, Poland & Berlin, Germany
Pepeha Across the City Applaud, Christchurch Arts Festival, Christchurch, NZ
Board Art Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt, NZ
2004
Board Art 04 CoCA, Christchurch, NZ
Nagasawa Prints Ex.2004 Haradamori Gallery, Hyogo Museum Annex, Kobe, Japan & Shizuka Hall,Tsuna, Awaji, Japan
Pacific Rim New Zealand Contemporary Medallion Group Medialia Gallery, New York, USA
2003
Out from Japan, A Show of Watercolour Woodblocks in the Japanese Style 55 Mercer Gallery, NY, USA
Nagasawa EX/Challenge: water-based woodblock printmaking in Nagasawa Hyogo Museum Annex, Kobe, Japan
Connectedness/Analogy New Zealand Contemporary Medallion Group, Hawkes Bay Museum, Napier & Mcpherson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2002
Man Disappears: printmaking in book form, Petr Herel & Michael Reed School of Art & Design, CPIT, Christchurch, NZ
The Press Gang: Contemporary New Zealand Print Artists Mahara Gallery, Waikanae, & Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui, NZ
FIDEM28/2002 Federation Internationale de Ia Medaille, Monnaie de Paris, Paris, France
Pacific Rim-Te Pae 0 Te Moananui A Kiwa New Zealand Contemporary Medallion Group, Simmons Gallery, London, UK
4th New Zealand Jewellery Biennale, grammar: subjects and objects Hawkes Bay Museum, Napier & Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, NZ
2001
Business as Usual Solo exhibition, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, NZ
The Hutchins’ Art Prize 2001, Finalists’ Exhibition The Long Gallery, Hobart, Australia
4th New Zealand Jewellery Biennale, grammar: subjects and objects Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt; Govett Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth & Auckland City Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Pacific Rim-Te Pae 0 Te Moananui A Kiwa NZ Contemporary Medallion Group,The Mcpherson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
MM:Millennium Medallions/The Art of Remembrance Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland, NZ
1880-2001:120 Years of Art in Canterbury Centre of Contemporary Art, Christchurch, NZ
2000
Business as Usual Solo exhibition, Robert McDougall Contemporary Art Annex, Christchurch, NZ
The Hutchins’ Art Prize 2000, Finalists’ Exhibition The Long Gallery, Hobart, Australia
Art & Instruction Centre of Contemporary Art, Christchurch, NZ
XXVII FIDEM 2000 Internationale Medaillen Kunst Deutsche Gelsellschaft fur Medaillen Kunst, Stiftung Wiemarer KIassik & Staatliche Museen zu Berlin Munzkabinett, Germany
MM: Millennium Medallions City Gallery, Wellington, NZ
Peaceworks Michael Reed, Michael Shepherd, Bing Dawe The Forrester Gallery, Oamaru, NZ
1999
Right Might and the Profit Margin/Work in Print Solo exhibition, School of Fine Arts Gallery, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, NZ
The Medallion Show NZ Contemporary Medallion Group 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Mcpherson Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Aotearoa to Antwerp State Bank of Belgium, Antwerp, Belgium, NZ
Hand to Cloth metro! Craft Centre, Melbourne, Australia
FIDEM XXVI Stichting Internationale Penningkunst, Lieden, Pays Bas, The Netherlands
New Zealand Contemporary Medallion Group Ferner Gallery, Auckland, NZ
Nga Taonga a Hine-te-iwaiwa Website Exhibition
Aesthetic Departures/The Art of Death Centre of Contemporary Art, Christchurch, NZ
Part of the Furniture Robert McDougall Contemporary Art Annex, Christchurch, NZ
Selected Publications:
Blundell, Sally If you go down to the woods today/Christchurch artist Michael Reed returns from the island of Awaji, where he was taught the ancient art of water-colour woodblock printing New Zealand Listener, April 12, 2003
Brodie, David Pacific Rim/Te Pae 0 Te Moananui A Kiwa The Medal, No. 41, 2002
Brown, Warwick Another One Hundred New Zealand Artists Godwitt Press, New Zealand, 1996
Christchurch Art Gallery the artwork revealed Volume 1, CD-Rom, 2002
Clark, Rt. Hon. Helen (Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage) My Favourite b.1 26, Bulletin of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, 2001
Cleavin, Barry The Fine Print Art/Speak b.142, Bulletin of the Christchurch Gallery, 2005
Crowe, Deborah Grammar: Subjects & Objects 4th New Zealand Jewellery Biennale Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt, NZ, 2001
Dornauf, Peter Disturbing Political Textiles from Christchurch EyeContact, 2010/08
Ellis, Robert Nouvelle-Zelande Exposition internationale de medailles d’art contemporaines 25th FIDEM, Musee d’art et d’histoire Neuchatel, Suisse, 1996
Freeman-Moir, John Michael Reed’s Medals for Dishonour Takahe 56, 2005
Freeman-Moir, John Neither Shall They Learn War Any More, Michael Reed’s Medals of Protest The Medal, No. 47, 2005
Freeman-Moir, John A view of capitalism’s historical edge-John Freeman-Moir looks at the recent work of Christchurch artist, Michael Reed Arts & Media, NZ Monthly Review, No. 333, 1992
Fusco, Cassandra Paradise Questioned Asian Art News, March/April, 2007
Fusco, Cassandra The Writing on the Wall, “Cultural Vulture’ by Michael Reed at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, New Zealand Craft Arts International, No. 67, 2006
Fusco, Cassandra Body adornment at the Dowse Object, objects + design + ideas, No. 38, 2002
Fusco, Cassandra Michael Reed at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery Asian Art News, Vol. 11, No 6, 2001
Fusco, Cassandra Dilana Gallery & Workshop Craft Arts International, No. 51, 2001
Fusco, Cassandra Songs of Social Incentive-the singing skulls of Michael Reed Printmaker Craft Arts International, Vol. 39,
Fusco, Cassandra One Pacific Viewpoint-the work of Michael Reed Art New Zealand, No. 58, 1991
Hurrell, John Stimulus to Style/The Metamorphosis of an Artwork CSA Gallery, Christchurch, 1994
Jones, Belinda Michael Reed b.121, Bulletin of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery & Annex, 2000
Kadota, Keiko; Kawamura, Shinobu; Mishima, Eri 2002 Report, Nagasawa Art Park Artist-in-Residence: Workshop Programme for Japanese Woodblock Printmaking Nagasawa Art Park Pilot Project Committee, 2003
McIntosh, Jill Contemporary New Zealand Prints Allen & Unwin/Port Nicholson Press in association with the Wellington City Art Gallery, 1989
Milburn, Felicity A Stitch in Time/The Textiles Collection b.124, Bulletin of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, 2001
Milburn, Felicity Business as Usual Robert McDougall Art Gallery and Contemporary Art Annex, 2000
Noyce, Richard Critical Mass: Printmaking Beyond the Edge A & C Black, UK, 2010
Pauli, Dorothee Picturing Peace Junctures, The Journal for Thematic Dialogue, No.14, July, 2011
Pauli, Dorothee Printmakers Go to War: The Work of Michael Reed McCabe Library, Swarthmore College, Philadelphia, 2010
Pauli, Dorothee Raro, Sweet Raro Galerii 36, Tallinn, Estonia, 2007
Pauli, Dorothee Pictures with Stories: Stories with Pictures Chamber Gallery, Rangiora & School of Art & Design, CPIT, 2006
Pauli, Dorothee Christchurch Art New Zealand, No. 91, 1999
Rankin, Elizabeth Collateral: Printmaking as Social Commentary Takahe 75, Issue 1, 2012
Rankin, Elizabeth Collateral, Printmaking as Social Commentary, Daniel Heyman, Michael Reed, Sandra Thomson, Diane Victor CPIT & Auckland University, 2011
Rankin, Elizabeth Disturbing Drapes, The Subversive Power of Printed Textiles Art New Zealand, No. 134 , 2010
Rankin, Elizabeth Signs of Subversion Paper, Impact 6, The University of West England, Bristol, UK, 2009
Rankin, Elizabeth Picturing Protest: New Zealand Artists and the Springbok Rugby Tour Protests The Journal of New Zealand Art History, Volume 28, 2007
Rankin, Elizabeth Banners, Batons and Barbed Wire: Anti-apartheid images of the Springbok rugby tour protests in New Zealand de Arte 76: 21-32. 2007
Reed, Michael & Stevenson, Karen Conversations Across Time, Whakawhiti Korero CPIT, CU & Canterbury Museum, 2008
Rees-Pagh, Yvonne Giving Voice: The Art of Dissent Curator’s Essay, Giving Voice, Salamanca Arts Centre, 2014
Riley, Brett Shaping Space Arts, New Zealand Listener, 15 Feb, 1986
Stocker, Mark Oh MANZ! The 25th anniversary of the Medal Artists of New Zealand The Medal, No.68, 2016
Stocker, Mark Reverse and Obverse/New Zealand Medallions The Medal, No. 21, 1992
Sutherland, Wallace Neuseeland XXVll FlDEM 2OOO lnternationale Medaillekunst Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur Medaillenkunst, 2000
Sutherland, Wallace Reach Back-Move Forward: The FIDEM 1998 Exhibition The Medal, No. 34, 1999
Sutherland, Wallace New Zealand, Puritia nga taonga tuku iho e nga tupuna: Keep the treasures handed down by the ancestors Modern Art Medals, A Retrospective FIDEM XXVI, Rijksmuseum Het Koninklijk Penningkabinet Leiden, The Netherlands, 1998
Unger, Pat Profile, Michael Reed CSA Preview, No. 146, 1989
Michael Reed, Imprint 