Gregory Leo O’Brien MNZM (born 1961) is a New Zealand poet, painter, author and editor. He is also an art curator and writes art history and criticism for both adults and children.[1]

O'Brien in 2014

Life

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Born in Matamata in 1961, O'Brien trained as a journalist in Auckland and worked as a newspaper reporter in Northland. He graduated from the University of Auckland.[2]

He lives in Wellington, and is married to poet Jenny Bornholdt.[3]

Awards and honours

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In 2012 O'Brien received the Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement,[5] and became an Arts Foundation Laureate.[1] In the 2014 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the arts[6] and in 2017 received an honorary doctorate of literature from Victoria University of Wellington.[7]

Works

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Poetry and poetry collections and prose writing

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His poetry has also appeared in many anthologies including Islands, Landfall, Sport, Meanjin and Scripsi, and in Vincent O'Sullivan, ed. (1987). An Anthology of twentieth century New Zealand poetry. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-558163-8. His poetry has frequently been set to music by New Zealand composers.[1]

Novel

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  • Diesel Mystic (Auckland University Press, 1989)

Anthologies

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  • Jenny Bornholdt; Gregory O'Brien; Mark Williams, eds. (1997). An anthology of New Zealand poetry in English. Oxford University Press New Zealand. ISBN 978-0-19-558338-0.
  • Welcome to the South Seas. Contemporary New Zealand Art for Young People (Auckland University Press, 2004)

Art History and Criticism

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  • Parihaka: The Art of Passive Resistance (Victoria University Press, 2005) (co-editor)
  • A Nest of Singing Birds: 100 Years of the New Zealand School Journal (Learning Media Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand, 2007)
  • A Micronaut in the Wide World: The Imaginative Life and Times of Graham Percy (Auckland University Press, 2011)
  • His Own Stream: The Work of Barry Brickell (Auckland University Press, 2012)
  • Don Binney: Flight Path (Auckland University Press, 2023)

O'Brien also appeared regularly on Kim Hill's Radio New Zealand show to talk about poetry.[8]

Art works

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O'Brien regularly exhibits his work, and his art is included in many of the major art collections of New Zealand, including the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellingtons, the Hocken Library, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs collection; the University of Auckland Art Collection and the Chartwell Collection.[1]

He also illustrates the work of other authors for books and book covers.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Gregory O'Brien | Arts Foundation Laureate". Arts Foundation. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  2. ^ "New Zealand Book Council". Archived from the original on 9 October 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  3. ^ "Jenny Bornholdt and Gregory O'Brien receive honours". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Ockham New Zealand Book Awards 2024 Winners' Announcement". Scoop News. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Previous winners". Creative New Zealand. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  6. ^ "New Year honours list 2014". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  7. ^ Wellington, Victoria University of (7 June 2017). "Gregory O'Brien's honorary doctorate address | News | Victoria University of Wellington". www.wgtn.ac.nz. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Poetry with Gregory O'Brien from Poets and Poetry". RNZ. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
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