Michael Smither

“During my tenure in 1970, as Francis Hodgkins fellow at Otago University, Rita Angus died. I decided to take the central Otago landscape we both enjoyed & introduce it into the cruciform shape as a memorial to her.

I made many drawings and at an early stage decided to extend the idea into a series of 12, relating to the Catholic tradition of the Stations of the Cross.

Some of the earliest drawings were done on a newsprint pad, including in sequence the numbers 1 to 12.

Eventually I abandoned the inclusion of the numbers and completed a series of 12 oil paintings on hardboard cut as crosses.

Recently some of these earlier drawings returned to me for restoration in such bad shape I decided to photocopy them and turn the photocopies into screenprints on good paper.”

– Michael Smither

Paper Size: 380 x 280 mm
Limited edition of: 26

Michael Smither is a contemporary New Zealand artist renowned for his work as a painter and printmaker. His work often depicts everyday life, landscapes, and domestic scenes, characterised by strong compositions, clarity, and a distinctive use of colour.

Smither’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in observation, where his precise, sharp-edged style captures not just the appearance of his subjects but their inherent structure and atmosphere. His work is often concerned with the interplay between form, light, and space, lending his compositions a striking clarity and sense of balance. This analytical approach extends to both his paintings and prints, where simplified forms and carefully modulated colour create a heightened sense of reality.

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