Conversatio

Conversātiō looks at the astounding practice of leading photographer Anne Noble, set against the issues of ecosystem collapse and climate change and examining what an artist can do in response. Its creative focus is on that most important insect, the European bee. Reminiscent of an artist book in its extensive visual content, its appeal is to a wide readership curious about art, ecology, science, literature and their intersections.

Through Noble’s art and newly commissioned essays, the book traverses Noble’s deep interest in how humans relate to bees. From images of communities of bees to tintype photographs showing the beauty of translucent bee wings, photograms from the wings of dead bees and a black and white series of electron microscope images, Noble’s photographs present the hive life of bees in rich detail. Like the finest honey this book is a treasure.

WINNER OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOOD DESIGN AWARDS 2022 BEST IN CLASS AWARD

LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND AWARD FOR ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION AT THE OCKHAM NEW ZEALAND BOOK AWARDS 2022 

• A renowned photographer focuses on the importance of bees
• By Anne Noble
• With Zara Stanhope and Anna Brown
• Published by Massey University Press
• Published September 2021
• 272 pages
• Soft cover book
• ISBN: 9780995140752

Anne Noble is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most widely respected contemporary photographers. Zara Stanhope is a curator and writer connecting publics with artists across the global south. Anna Brown is a book designer, educator and researcher who works with visual artists, curators, art historians and musicians.