Barry Brickell publication press pass
It was great to have the new publication ‘A Collective Memory of Barry Brickell’s Devonport Days’ go through the press pass this morning at Soar Print, under the eye of Julia West the editor and designer and Soar’s Lloyd Rutherford.
The book is a bricolage of anecdotes, memories, photographs and doggerels celebrating our much-loved Aotearoa New Zealand cultural icon, potter, painter, engineer, conservationist, writer, wrerter* and all-round genius, Barry Brickell, and his Devonport days.
* Wrerting: word-murdering. ‘An essential escape from writing, which has certain rules, whereas wrerting has none. Hence
it gives me much pleasure. The best wrerting is done on a warm summer evening, stark-naked with a glass of pinot noir in hand.’
As part of the Depot’s commitment to celebrating, protecting and documenting Devonport’s distinctive cultural identity, this book contains collective memories of Barry Brickell’s life here. Barry, (d. 23.1.16), was an iconic potter, conservationist, engineer and railway enthusiast and a significant part of Devonport’s cultural life in the 50s-60s and recently, over the past 5 years as resident of MKWC. Barry is meaningful to our cultural heritage – his work has a significant presence in Devonport Library and Museum, and so far more than 30 have contributed, or will contribute their memories to be part of a publication.
In describing Barry as a great Aotearoa NZ Vernacularist the book will also represent his concern that Maori were honoured as tangata whenua. Much of Barry’s work was in respect of our indigenous cultural heritage and some of his work in relation to this will feature, such as a submission he made to Auckland Council about the representation of tangata whenua at the gateway of Auckland through the construction of a hakari, along with some of his own writings.
The Depot is again working with TGS student Loretta Riach to create a publication accessible to all generations.
This publication is made possible with the generous support of the Devonport Takapuna Local Board.
