What do you think?
Rate this book
Ralph Hotere: The Dark is Light Enough: A Biographical Portrait
Vincent O'Sullivan's compelling, nuanced portrait of the great New Zealand artist Ralph Hotere brings the man and his art to life.
Ralph Hotere (Te Aupouri and Te Rarawa; 1931–2013) was one of Aotearoa’s most significant modern artists.
Ralph Hotere (Te Aupouri and Te Rarawa; 1931–2013) was one of Aotearoa’s most significant modern artists.
- GenresNonfiction
ebook
First published January 1, 2020
23 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Vincent O'Sullivan
182 books9 followersVincent Gerard O’Sullivan, DCNZM was a New Zealand poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, critic and editor. He was the New Zealand Poet Laureate for the term 2013–2015.
He attended St Joseph's Primary, Grey Lynn, and Sacred Heart College. He graduated from the University of Auckland and Oxford University; he lectured at Victoria University of Wellington (1963–66) and the University of Waikato (1968–78).
He served as literary editor of the NZ Listener (1979–80).
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Vincent^O'Sullivan
He attended St Joseph's Primary, Grey Lynn, and Sacred Heart College. He graduated from the University of Auckland and Oxford University; he lectured at Victoria University of Wellington (1963–66) and the University of Waikato (1968–78).
He served as literary editor of the NZ Listener (1979–80).
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Vincent^O'Sullivan
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 31, 2021
A really excellent biography of the late great New Zealand artist who has left an indelible mark on my creative mind and on the cultural landscape of Aotearoa.
Ralph was the maker of what I think is my favourite piece of art ever, Black Phoenix. This and his collaborations with Bill Culbert were the cause of what I'd consider to be true religious experiences when I saw them in the gallery. (I loved the parts of the book that covered the genesis of these pieces.) His presence was there, though not in person, throughout my university studies in the late 1990s.
There are a lot of familiar names in this book, some who I've been honoured to have had small direct contact with... not Ralph himself unfortunately (though I did once send him some of my poems, like a helpless fanboy).
There was a bit of controversy around the non-inclusion of Ralph's artworks in this book. But in a way I think this allows it to hone in on the man himself. I'm thankful that Vincent O'Sullivan saw the project through. It is evidently a labour of love.
For me, one of the most powerful aspects of Ralph's work is the inclusion of words, and the Christian imagery - like his fellow creator and friend Colin McCahon. This has been the major impact of his work on me. It was lovely to see this woven through the book and reemerging as the story went on. The cover image of Ralph is actually a crop of him, rolly in mouth, gesturing over his shoulder to Crucifixion by McCahon.
Ralph's true name, his christened name, was Hone Papita Raukura Hotere. The Hone Papita was primarily for Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pompallier, who had arrived in Hokianga in the 1830s, making Ralph's birthplace the first foothold of Catholicism in New Zealand. But both were namesakes of the biblical prophet John the Baptist.
So I'm going to make one of those ernest pronouncements that Ralph so disliked. In my experience, his work carries a voice crying in the wilderness, a resonance of prophetic spirit, and a true depth of meaning that I believe still resounds after he has departed.
Ralph was the maker of what I think is my favourite piece of art ever, Black Phoenix. This and his collaborations with Bill Culbert were the cause of what I'd consider to be true religious experiences when I saw them in the gallery. (I loved the parts of the book that covered the genesis of these pieces.) His presence was there, though not in person, throughout my university studies in the late 1990s.
There are a lot of familiar names in this book, some who I've been honoured to have had small direct contact with... not Ralph himself unfortunately (though I did once send him some of my poems, like a helpless fanboy).
There was a bit of controversy around the non-inclusion of Ralph's artworks in this book. But in a way I think this allows it to hone in on the man himself. I'm thankful that Vincent O'Sullivan saw the project through. It is evidently a labour of love.
For me, one of the most powerful aspects of Ralph's work is the inclusion of words, and the Christian imagery - like his fellow creator and friend Colin McCahon. This has been the major impact of his work on me. It was lovely to see this woven through the book and reemerging as the story went on. The cover image of Ralph is actually a crop of him, rolly in mouth, gesturing over his shoulder to Crucifixion by McCahon.
Ralph's true name, his christened name, was Hone Papita Raukura Hotere. The Hone Papita was primarily for Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pompallier, who had arrived in Hokianga in the 1830s, making Ralph's birthplace the first foothold of Catholicism in New Zealand. But both were namesakes of the biblical prophet John the Baptist.
So I'm going to make one of those ernest pronouncements that Ralph so disliked. In my experience, his work carries a voice crying in the wilderness, a resonance of prophetic spirit, and a true depth of meaning that I believe still resounds after he has departed.
Read
March 31, 2021Ralph Hotere is undoubtedly one of New Zealands most significant modern artists and arguable Maori artists. From Hotere’s childhood with his whanau in the Hokianga through to his profession as an art and crafts teacher through to the transition to professional artist we are led through his life via interviews and conversations with people who were instrumental in Hotere’s life and influences on his artwork and ultimate artistic vision.
O’Sullivan was commissioned by Hotere to write his life story before his own passing. Notoriously quietly spoken and private Hotere was always reticent to ever explain his works of art and enter the ‘arty farty’ world he wanted no part of and indeed went to lengths to avoid openings and feeling obliged to ‘explain’ his work. Through this biography we get to see what influenced and shaped the man and his life’s work. We understand his hugely influential connection to whanau and whenua (the Hokianga and later the Otago Peninsula), religion and his drive to prolifically produce art, play golf and enjoy a few quiet beers at his local pub.
Although O’Sullivan had trouble getting this book finished and published due to copyright issues with the Hotere Trust the telling of Hotere’s experience in Europe is particularly detailed and makes for a fascinating insight to this artists life.
Reviewed by Jane at Richmond Library
O’Sullivan was commissioned by Hotere to write his life story before his own passing. Notoriously quietly spoken and private Hotere was always reticent to ever explain his works of art and enter the ‘arty farty’ world he wanted no part of and indeed went to lengths to avoid openings and feeling obliged to ‘explain’ his work. Through this biography we get to see what influenced and shaped the man and his life’s work. We understand his hugely influential connection to whanau and whenua (the Hokianga and later the Otago Peninsula), religion and his drive to prolifically produce art, play golf and enjoy a few quiet beers at his local pub.
Although O’Sullivan had trouble getting this book finished and published due to copyright issues with the Hotere Trust the telling of Hotere’s experience in Europe is particularly detailed and makes for a fascinating insight to this artists life.
Reviewed by Jane at Richmond Library
May 21, 2024
Biography of Ralph Hotere (1931-2013) by poet and novelist Vincent O'Sullivan. (Oct 2020)
This makes excellent reading as it is one of the few books about artists that has no illustrations of his work, instead O'Sullivan sees it as a “Biological Portrait”. He covers Hotere's childhood, just north of the Hokianga, working in darkness to get the cows in for milking and spending the evening in candlelight as they didn't have electricity. He eventually settled in Dunedin, made friends with a lot of other artists but preferred to socialise in working men's pubs. His art work includes a lot of black surfaces, which is said to reflect the dark he worked in as a child. He didn't like being called a Maori Artist preferring to be just known as an artist and refusing to discuss the meaning of any of his works.
This makes excellent reading as it is one of the few books about artists that has no illustrations of his work, instead O'Sullivan sees it as a “Biological Portrait”. He covers Hotere's childhood, just north of the Hokianga, working in darkness to get the cows in for milking and spending the evening in candlelight as they didn't have electricity. He eventually settled in Dunedin, made friends with a lot of other artists but preferred to socialise in working men's pubs. His art work includes a lot of black surfaces, which is said to reflect the dark he worked in as a child. He didn't like being called a Maori Artist preferring to be just known as an artist and refusing to discuss the meaning of any of his works.
May 26, 2021
At time this was hard going - perhaps a lot of information to absorb. I enjoyed this written account of the man whose images inhabited much of my life and am pleased I read this after seeing the exhibition at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery last summer. It's always best to take your own emotions and make your own interpretation.
O'Sullivan is perceptive and discreet in talking about this man and his various passions. So many characters, so many images brought to mind - places, art, people. A warm response and a warm view. A simply written work with its own touches of symbolism. .
O'Sullivan is perceptive and discreet in talking about this man and his various passions. So many characters, so many images brought to mind - places, art, people. A warm response and a warm view. A simply written work with its own touches of symbolism. .
January 29, 2021
A beautifully written, and intimate description of Hotere's life as an artist and as a Maori man living in NZ and abroad. Took me a long time to get through this as I wanted to look at images of his work, and the artists who influenced him. Lots of interesting NZ history in here as well, really beautiful book.
January 31, 2021
A really good biography written with passion and a depth of understanding of the subject. The controversy around the issues with writing and "copyright" with Hotere's estate and trustees mean that it is disappointing that the key works of art discussed weren't illustrated through the book, but the personal photographs of the subject make it personal.
March 14, 2021
I was hoping that this book would be brilliant and sadly it wasn’t. There are a few places where the writing is incredible and that is through the middle section but the beginning and end are mediocre.
The author does a good job of not providing arty farty opinions and tells the sequences of Hoteres life in a good timeline.
The author does a good job of not providing arty farty opinions and tells the sequences of Hoteres life in a good timeline.
September 20, 2021
Didn't finish this for some reason - other books came along, I think. There's nothing wrong with the book, at least as far as I read, and the section about Hotere growing up in a coastal community and then later becoming a teacher with a specialty in the arts were all interesting, and stuff I didn't know about him.
April 4, 2023
A stunning portrait of a man, a place and a time. Much like a Hotere painting, O'Sullivan deftly weaves together many complex and seemingly contradictory threads, waiting for whichever one the reader pulls on.
January 7, 2021
Shame you can't see pictures of his artwork (not the authors fault). I enjoyed the book nonetheless. Some incredible insight into an artist that kept a quiet life on the outside.
July 11, 2024
I was interested to read this after reading Sam Neill’s. A thorough and interesting telling of his life.
October 20, 2025
Wow. Sad, fascinating, funny, enlightening, all in equal measure.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews