Speaker by Various Artists

That images talk and dream is nothing new. In France’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams, hundreds of paintings from 32,000 years ago – yup, 32,000 – speak volumes about an innate human desire to communicate progress and dreams. Even in this auspicious year of a new Pope from the New World, we forget that Renaissance painters like Michelangelo painted biblical adverts on instruction from the Catholic Church. (Ad-vertere in Latin simply means ‘to turn the mind toward’.) The Sistine Chapel arguably remains the most famous billboard of all.

 It seems a reasonable proposition that advertising provides a mirror on society’s development, ‘a panorama of life as it was lived, more informing than old diaries and crumbling tombstones.’¹ One would presume a rich reservoir of advertising research then exists, particularly given the pervasive presence of advertising in everyday life. Not so in New Zealand – did someone forget to advertise the historical significance of advertising and advertising art?

Hazel Phillips recently made up some ground; her book Sell is well worth a read. In a very different book, Gary and I showcase a large and impressive collection of early commercial art, before colour photography and TV changed the media landscape forever. Our book, Promoting Prosperity, is the first dedicated and extensive collection of this rich material. 

The book also fills an important gap in our art history, confronting the art-fraternity’s long-running refusal to seriously recognise commercial art. With the product poster now about 100 years old in New Zealand (its 1906 invention credited to German Lucian Bernhard), commercial art has long been in the arts gutter; frowned upon as tainted with trade, a sell-out to capitalism or a last gasp for B-grade artists struggling to sell landscapes at the local art fair. Even highly-accomplished artists avoided signing commercial work, keen on a ‘cheque’ but wanting to avoid reputation loss from the tainted trade.

Frowns on commercial art come mostly, of course, from those well-skilled in putting art in different boxes with different labels, some apparently automatically finer than others. But is it really a surprise that an art fraternity, founded upon historical definitions of ‘good taste’, would degrade commercial art – unsuited to exhibition slots and glossy catalogues – and instead direct its hyperbole on a ‘sophisticated’ audience elsewhere? Clean white walls. A modernist teak desk. Great jacket – Crane Brothers? Spotlights – just tilt that one a little to the left please … that’s it. Provenance. Oil on canvas. A signature work. Did you see the review? What about the Les and Milly Paris Collection?

As art historian Warren Feeney has argued:² ‘A more generous consideration of the history of New Zealand art would acknowledge that, although its purpose may differ, commercial art has played an important role in the country’s cultural development, even anticipating radical advances in the fine arts or, at the very least, reflecting shifts in contemporary art in the popular media.’ The visual arts clearly have had, and will always have, a far wider influence on us than just the clean white space of the gallery.

 Promoting Prosperity is not, though, just a book about advertising or art. It is a celebration of New Zealand’s economic and social foundations, and of the dreams and aspirations of early New Zealanders.

‘Look to the past in order to forge the future’ – according to Māori proverb – hoki whakamuri kia anga whakamua. Or as Winstone Ltd noted in 1956 when annotating Bernard Roundhill’s Auckland 2000, ‘tomorrow is built on today’s foundations’. (Roundhill’s slick mid-century air-brush work remains impressive both technically and artistically some six decades on.)

Such learned expressions aren’t the words you’d hear in the All Blacks’ dressing room, but the effect – the power of legacy – is fundamentally the same. Martin Snedden emphasises this in endorsing the book: ‘Through running Rugby World Cup 2011, and more generally, I believe more and more in the power of legacy and standing on the shoulders of those who have come before.’ In a similar vein, Gareth Morgan calls the book ‘a spectacular and timely reminder of our ability to overcome challenge’. 

Amongst the historical developments illustrated in the book are the building of industries like tourism and farming; the conception of export markets to benefit from international trade; the introduction of electricity and radio; and historical events such as Sir Edmund Hillary’s trip to the South Pole (of course the tractor needed a good spark plug).

You will also observe the fruits of a range of social policies and campaigns to help foster an egalitarian and public-spirited population, such as promoting good nutrition, saving, road safety and smoking cessation. It is a forgotten fact that the Government once had two of the hottest design studios under its wing (within the Railways and Tourist Departments). A range of stunning war-related images also remind us that the price and prize of freedom – the very heart of prosperity – required well-honed advertising, such as recruitment drives, pleas for financial support and the fostering of patriotic public morale. Innuendo also played around, even amongst war, when Jockey underpants were ‘Designed for Active Service’. 

In spite of two world wars, the Depression and our relative isolation from the rest of the world, New Zealand’s development was rapid and, by anyone’s standard, entrepreneurial and impressive. It is even more remarkable how New Zealand – starting behind international peers as the world’s youngest country – would quickly generate some of the highest incomes and wellbeing benefits in the world. We weren’t known as the ‘Paradise of the Pacific’ for nothing.

It’s well reported that, as a nation, we no longer generate the high incomes New Zealand once enjoyed and, despite strong levels of overall wellbeing, we face our fair share of social challenges as well. Was our prosperous foundational era beginner’s luck? Or can that inspirational beginning foster a new level of imagination and drive for future prosperity? What’s certain is the powerful influence advertising can have in shaping our aspirations as a society.

You can see high-quality versions of the inline images here in the gallery for this post.

Promoting Prosperity is available from www.promotingprosperity.co.nz with a 10% discount and free postage within New Zealand (posted immediately on release in early October). With over 750 images and 11 essays across 440 pages, Saatchi’s Kevin Roberts – who wrote the Foreword – calls it ‘a treasure trove of illustration, painting, typography, copywriting and studio production; a wonderful celebration of Zealandia and its foundational graphic glory.’ 

Peter-and-Gary’s first effort – ‘Selling the Dream: The Art of Early New Zealand Tourism’ can also be purchased with a discount at www.sellingthedream.co.nz. Vote for ‘Selling the Dream’ (or someone else) in the People’s Choice Book award here.

This blog is dedicated to the late Ian Scott – 1945-2013 - who was generous to me with his time, knowledge and recent support to include a painting in 'Promoting Prosperity'). Comfortable himself with commercial art as both influence and subject matter, Scott painted a large number of commercially-inspired works, two of my favourites below (with permission from Scott’s family and with acknowledgement of Warwick Brown’s 1997 book, ‘Ian Scott’ (Marsden Press), for images).

Ian Scott, 1978, Photo by John Daley

Colour Card Family, Ian Scott, 1966, Acrylic on canvas, 1730x1730mm

To Live and Die in New Zealand, Ian Scott, 1989, Acrylic and enamel on canvas, 1815x4880m, Collection of James Wallace Arts Trust.

Who knew that the Manic Street Preachers were rugby fans? Not I, although I twigged when I spotted this tour announcement on their website (perhaps their being Welsh should have been a hint):

Manic Street Preachers are pleased to confirm that whilst they are in Australia for the British and Irish Lions tour, they will also be playing a show at the Vector Arena, Auckland New Zealand on 2 July 2013. This will see the band's first ever performance in New Zealand.

And this is confirmed on Australia’s FasterLouder website:

Welsh alt-rockers the Manic Street Preachers have announced two Australian shows, for no other reason than to watch a couple of rugby games while they are here … The Manics have announced their return to coincide with the forthcoming test matches between the Australian Wallabies and the British and Irish Lions. Drawing a fairly long bow, the self proclaimed "massive rugby fans" said that the tour will be a great chance for them to watch some sport and "play a selection of our greatest hits to our Australian fans and the thousands of Lions fans travelling down under".

Although sports lovers shouldn’t expect any Meatloaf-style half time entertainment from The Preachers, as both shows are scheduled to happen the night before each rugby match on Friday, June 28 at Festival Hall in Melbourne and Friday, July 5 at The Hordern in Sydney.

I’d fired off a few questions to the band hoping for a bit of an email interview; having not heard back (and I’m ok with that – they’re in the middle of a tour!) I thought I’d snoop around the internet to see what they’ve been up to lately. This is, after all, their first visit to New Zealand, so unless any local fans have trekked overseas to see them (please share if you have), we don’t have any previous live history to go on.

What intrigues me about the band is that they seem like a bunch of interesting individuals with wide-ranging cultural (and sporting) interests. I’d say a beer and a chat with them would be entertaining. Bassist Nicky Wire is quite comfortable critiquing Welsh poetry.

And here are a few snippets from their Facebook page (I’m not sure who writes it, but it would seem to be one of the band):

 - Hearing 'Fire Woman' by the Cult on Dr Who tonight was a magical tv moment! xx

 - Loved 'the high art of the low countries' on bbc4 - Andrew Graham-Dixon is such a great presenter of art on the tv x

 - Always a pleasure having a chat with the mighty Talksport. I can feel a radio tour diary coming on. X

Yep, bassist Nicky Wire chats on sport radio; you can hear the interview here. It starts with the Manic Street Preachers covering The The’s great song ‘This Is The Day’. Also:

 - "Technology brought in the mass media and technology is now taking it away." -David Hockney.

Must admit I quite like the x’s at the end of most posts too. Quite sweet.

They’re also quite prolific, with not one but two new albums apparently in the pipeline. Garnered from the NME:

Frontman James Dean Bradfield revealed the news to reporters at the Ivor Novello Awards in London on Thursday (May 16), and let slip that the first LP will be almost completely acoustic…Bradfield also said that the acoustic record would feature Richard Hawley, while the second album would be "more aggressive and experimental". The band recently revealed that they are working on a new song called 'Four Lonely Roads' with folk singer Cate Le Bon.

A movie, Culture, Alienation, Boredom and Despair, was released in November last year to mark the 20th anniversary of their album Generation Terrorists, and is a look at the early years of the Manics – including, according to Caroline Frost of the Huffington Post, "... the bitchiness of the Welsh scene (and) their 'playing into the political void."

Prior to this was the brave Journal for Plague Lovers, released in 2009, a recording of songs based around the lyrics of their much-missed bandmate Richey Edwards, who disappeared in 1995 and was finally declared presumed dead by his family in 2008. This was well received, reminding fans of the important part Edwards played in the first ten or so years of the band’s existence, and his continuing influence on the remaining band members. In 2010 they released their tenth album Postcards From a Young Man – critically acclaimed after admittedly a bit of a dry patch in terms of reviews in the years before Journal.

Manic Street Preachers this year contributed a new track to BBC Radio’s annual Wales Music Day, explaining:

The track we've recorded for Welsh Music Day is an instrumental called 'See it like Sutherland' - influenced by Cocteau Twins and Colourbox and it’s rather beautiful xx

Kind of a cool contemporary event to know about for anyone of Welsh ancestry … like me and most other folk named Jones.

So that’s a bit of a quick foray into recent activities of the Manics; and thanks to rugby we’ll get to see them play for the first time next Tuesday. If recent reviews are to be believed, they put on a pretty decent live show – it’s unlikely that they’ll get through 38 songs as they did at their 2011 stadium spectacular at London’s O2 arena but I am expecting a few crowd-pleasers.

Any songs you’re hoping to hear?

The Auckland Unitary Plan provides us with a once in a generation choice: do we keep pursuing the failed model of car-dependent urban sprawl, or do we aspire to developing a quality, compact city? The Unitary Plan sets out the zoning patterns that will guide Auckland's growth over the next 30 years, a period where Auckland is estimated to grow by one million people.

This is a plan for the future, and so it is critical that our leaders hear the voices of the generation who will inherit our city. Unfortunately, misinformation about the plan has spread like wildfire, fuelled by a vocal, older minority who seem to be against any form of change. Now is the time to have a mature conversation as a community about the future shape of our city.

Auckland is a beautiful city, yet it is handicapped by car dependency, poor quality urban developments, air pollution, and limited housing choices. Young Aucklanders have suffered: we have grown up being stuck in traffic, priced out of the housing market and isolated from one another.

We dream of a well-connected community linking up where we work, study and play. This sense of community does not demand a ‘quarter acre’. We prefer to live in mixed-use urban areas with cycling and public transport options, rather than being isolated on the urban fringe where our livelihoods and social lives are a long drive away.

I grew up in Torbay, and have vivid memories of hanging out after school at the picturesque Long Bay Regional Park. At the time, our local community had the foresight to oppose sprawl into Long Bay and Okura. But a decade later, due to our reluctance to intensify around our town centres, the rolling hills behind Long Bay are being paved over because too many think that the only way to grow is out. In fact, it is neither the only way, nor the best way. The Unitary Plan provides us with an opportunity to embrace high quality development of our existing town centres, whilst celebrating our heritage, and putting a stop to further expensive destruction of our cherished rural hinterland.

When I was accepted into medical school, the choice to move to Grafton was a choice to avoid sitting for two hours a day on the Northern Motorway. From my new apartment surrounds not only did I have the convenience of a short walk to university, but I was also close to my friends and numerous cafes, libraries, the Domain, and a greater range of public transport options for my hospital placements.

I have now finished my medical training, and it has been interesting to see where my classmates have chosen to base themselves since graduation. So where have they gone? Many have fled to the inner-city neighbourhoods of Melbourne and Sydney. But why? Of course, money is a factor, but more than that, it’s lifestyle. Vibrant neighbourhoods with character, that allow residents to be close to work, cafes, shops and schools. Having all this in one place, is not, evidently, too much to ask. If the Unitary Plan ends up as an endorsement of the status quo model of urban sprawl, it is inevitable that large numbers of Auckland’s young people will pursue their future elsewhere.

As well as the lifestyle benefits of a quality compact city, there are established health, environmental and economic benefits to cities which have embraced high density. Over half of Auckland’s carbon emissions come from transport, and if we adopt an urban form that reduces our car dependency, not only will we be doing our fair share for the climate but our city will be healthier and more productive. The ability to measure the health burden of air pollution is now greater than ever, and the figures are not pretty for Auckland: 1.16 million days being lost due to illness related to air pollution, and motor vehicle emissions cause twice as many deaths as those resulting from traffic crashes in the city. University of Auckland research has outlined how shifting just 5% of vehicle kilometres from trips less than seven kilometres to cycling would:

• save about 22 million litres of fuel
• avoid 122 deaths annually as a result of increased physical activity and reduced air pollution; and, as a result
• generate net savings of about $200 million per year.

The current debate about our city’s future has been hijacked by a vocal and myopic minority, unable to imagine a 21st century Auckland weaned off petrol and traffic jams. In response, Generation Zero decided to act. We’ve turned up to local community meetings (and have been booed for having such audacity), encouraged our communities to get involved with the discussions and communicated an aspirational vision for a quality, compact city.

We share the concerns of many people and ask the same tough questions of the Council: How does the Unitary Plan ensure good quality urban design? How does it integrate provision of public transport with intensification? These are questions that need answering, by the Council, but we also need to provide a mandate for a quality, compact city through our submissions.

We’ve developed an online form that allows people short on time to submit feedback to the Council, as well developing templates for people who want to write a more thorough submission, available here: 

I’d urge you to have your say this week. An old guard promoting the failed model of urban sprawl wants to place a stranglehold on our city’s future. Don’t let them. Auckland, let’s not grow out. Let’s grow smart. Let’s grow up.

So stupid.  An instinctive act of dumb that lead to one of the most shameful and powerless moments of my life.

There I was, passing a couple of bucks over the counter at a cinema in downtown Lima when a hand whipped out, grabbed the notes, and disappeared out into the street.

I gave chase.

It was 1987 and the Police were on strike.  The army were filling in.  I ran past a platoon of them, pursuing the petty criminal down a dark sidestreet. I stopped.  It wasn't worth it. It was only a couple of bucks, and I was heading into dangerous unlit territory.

But behind me was the sound of a dozen or more soldiers' boots.  For them the equation had been simple.  A gringo, in hot pursuit of a street urchin.  No doubt about who the guilty party was, and an opportunity to showcase law and order in a filthy, lawless and disorderly city.

They stopped beside me, shouldered their weapons, and started firing down the street over the head of my erstwhile pursuit, heedless of the safety of the curious onlookers peering over their balconies.

I shouted at them to stop, and tried to get them to abandon the chase, but some line had been crossed, and now I was committed.  I had to accompany them to identify the offender.

At the end of the street the soldiers entered a still open commercial building, and searched floor by floor until a quivering teenager was plucked from a hiding place on the top floor.  He was presented to me to identify, and being unfamiliar with the grave consequences of such moral choices, I chose the truth instead of the lie that would have spared him what followed.

He was thrown into the back of an armoured personnel carrier.  I was ordered in after him with my companion.  We had seats.  He crouched on the floor where he was repeatedly struck with a chain, and had his head bashed against the thick steel interior plating.

At the army barracks some distance away (where the hell were we? we had no idea - we just knew that it was a long way from where we were supposed to be, that it was close to curfew, and that we were in the company of heavily armed, ill-disciplined sadistic soldiers) the "suspect" was subjected to a further interrogation, which meant the same questions delivered behind a screen from where we were, punctuated only by the sounds of rifle butts and fists on flesh, followed by cries of pain and denials, and accusations about lying gringos.

After a time, the young offender was bought out, paraded in front of us dressed only in his filthy Y-fronts, into which he had secreted the snatched bills.  He was bruised and shaken and his face swollen, and tearstained. Anxious to get back across town before the breach of curfew would render us open to the same treatment, I gingerly accepted the crumpled notes from the proud soldier who had overseen their recovery. I mumbled "gracias". "De nada." he replied, "Es nuestro trabajo"; It's our job.

When you witness a breach of human rights you feel soiled, and powerless.  You feel scared that if you speak up you could be for the same treatment. But if you do not you are diminished. And those that carry out such acts are emboldened.

We should condemn the actions of those that beat these men in Fiji, and should as individuals and as a nation demand that the Fiji Government investigate and hold the perpertrators to account. We should not look away.

NB: The following video contains disturbing images of beating and torture. Unlike the equivalent video on at least one mainstream media site, it will not autoplay.

John Edwards is a Wellington lawyer. This post originally appeared here on his own blog.