A Potent Way of Talking: Colin McCahon and the Urewera triptych
Hamish Coney
Type: Art monograph
Design: Phillip Kelly Studio
Format: Case-bound hardcover with slipcase
Size: Portrait 285 x 210 mm, 192 pages
Binding: Section-sewn case bound, spine foiled/debossed, hand-tail bands applied
Cover & Slipcase: Paradise Two Tone Covering Cloth-bound (Brillianta/Buckram style) printed on 170gsm silk matt
Paper: 150gsm silk matt for text, 150gsm uncoated for endpapers
Printing: Offset CMYK
Production: New Zealand
Edited by Hamish Coney and essays by Laurence Simmons and Linda Tyler, A Potent Way of Talking: Colin McCahon and the Urewera triptych is a powerful new account of Colin McCahon’s landmark engagement with Te Urewera, Tūhoe history, and the spiritual legacy of Rua Kēnana and Te Kooti. Tracing the journey from McCahon’s first sketches to his final mural, this richly illustrated book combines deep research with a compelling visual narrative.
The book contains 192 pages of essays alongside archival and contemporary imagery, printed on silk matt to maintain colour fidelity and detail to faithfully convey Colin McCahon’s Urewera triptych. This edition demanded careful handling of the cloth-bound case construction, and the Paradise Two Tone Covering Cloth adds a tactile, luxurious feel, making it a collector-quality art monograph. For the launch, a limited-edition cloth slipcase was produced for VIPs and supporters, crafted locally by Book Binding Press Auckland, highlighting how design can create something exclusive and special.