Bill Culbert: Making Light Work

Celebrating one of New Zealand’s most distinguished artists, this substantial monograph reviews the artistic accomplishments of Bill Culbert. Exploring the predilections and passions that have fueled Culbert’s art over the past 50 years, this account presents an in-depth exploration of his preoccupation with light—stemming from his days as a student in London in the late 1950s. Demonstrating how he has deployed his concepts through numerous mediums, this survey illustrates the domestic-scaled works, dazzling large-scale museum installations, and public spaces such as the Champs Elysées in Paris and the Millennium Dome in London. Suggesting that energy, travel, congeniality, and conviviality are also key to understanding Culbert’s work, this study depicts the diversity of his pieces, from wall-mounted light sculptures made of white fluorescent tubes and colored plastic containers to his installations of objects from the dump near his home. From his studies in Auckland and London to his life-changing visits to Philadelphia and France, this chronicle explores every facet of Culbert’s career, providing a thoughtful and compelling overview of an art aficionado.