The Spinoff has named Theo Shcoon: A Biography by Damian Skinner as one of the best books of 2018:
‘The best picture book of 2018. That’s on account of the fact it has lots and lots and pictures of the fantastical artworks created by Theo Schoon, whose paintings and carvings (his preferred media: gourds, which he grew in his garden) were among the greatest pieces of art made in New Zealand in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Skinner’s study reveals someone who was really a complete asshole — anti-Semitic, predatory – as well as a pioneering visionary who recognised (and exploited) the beauty in Māori artforms when no one else was looking.’
Read the full list here.
