Gemma Banks is a Ōtautahi-based multi-disciplinary artist who graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Graphic Design) with First Class Honours at Ilam School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury in 2017. Gemma’s mode of working explores the threshold between fine art, literature and graphic design, involving experimental and technological approaches to producing text-based work. A prevalent enquiry in Gemma’s work is the investigation into embodied reading and the expanded page.
Recent exhibitions include ‘Select 2017’ and ‘Select 2016’ at the Ilam Campus Gallery, and 'Share / Cheat / Unite’ a collaborative exhibition between Te Tuhi (Auckland) and The Physics Room Contemporary Art Space (Christchurch). Recent awards include two Bronze Awards from the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Awards, a Finalist Award from the PANZ Book Design Awards and the Mary Fleming Prize in Design 2014 from the University of Canterbury.
m: +64 21 273 2113
e: gemmaraebanks@gmail.com
Exhibitions
Select 2017, Ilam Campus Gallery
Share / Cheat / Unite 2017, The Physics Room
Select 2016, Ilam Campus Gallery
Dark Slumber 2016, The Casting Room, School of Fine Arts
Black Hut 2016, The Hut, School of Fine Arts
Graphic Design School School 2014, The Physics Room
Book design
Night Realm Gemma Banks, 2015, self-published, 440pp, printed through Risograph MZ10 and hand-stitched, edition of 26, Finalist in the New Zealand Best Awards 2016
My Mother and the Hungarians, and other small fictions Frankie McMillan, 2016, Canterbury University Press, 114pp, printed through Risograph MZ10
There are no horses in heaven Frankie McMillan, 2015, Canterbury University Press, 102pp, printed through Risograph MZ10, Bronze award in the New Zealand Best Awards 2015, Finalist in the PANZ awards 2016
Fish Stories Mary Cresswell, 2015, Canterbury University Press, 132pp, printed through Risograph MZ10
Blood Ties Jeffrey Paparoa Holman, 2017, Canterbury University Press, 167pp, printed through Risograph MZ10
World Gemma Banks, 2017, self-published, 157pp, holographic foil applied by hand/heat press and printed in-house using white toner, edition of 50
Publication design
B.179, B.180, B.181, B.182, B.183, B.184, B.185 Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puno o Waiwhetu
Catalogue design
Rachael Dewhirst 2016
Curating Under Pressure 2015, Bronze award in the New Zealand Best Awards 2016
SoFA Student Series 2015
Temporal: Gareth Brighton 2015
Poster design
Forget me, Forget me Patrick Lundberg and Richard Frater, 2016, North Projects
Javelins in the scrum Abbra Kotlarczyk, 2016, North Projects
Bella Vista Jack Hadley, Oliver Gilbert and Zina Swanson, 2016, North Projects
Oscar with a sinister hoist, the semaphore flag Gabrielle Amodeo, 2016, North Projects
Soft Indicator Hana Pera Ooake and Nathan Gray, 2016, North Projects
Is the past a foreign country? Ana Iti, 2016, North Projects
Black Hut Gemma Banks, 2016, The Hut, School of Fine Arts
Dark Slumber Gemma Banks, 2016, The Casting Room, School of Fine Arts
Brand and Identity design
Voices Co. Contemporary A Capella Academy
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu — The Devil's Blind Spot
Print and production
Pale like a fish Dawn Blood, Sophie Davis, Newspaper Reading Club, Ella Sutherland, Eleanor Weber, Riet Wijnen, 2016, designed and edited by Ella Sutherland, published by North Projects and Ilam Press, and printed by Gemma Banks at Ilam Press, edition of 200
Awards
Gwendoline Mary Fleming Prize in Design 2014
New Zealand Best Awards: Bronze 2015 — There are no horses in heaven
New Zealand Best Awards: Bronze 2016 — Curating Under Pressure
New Zealand Best Awards: Finalist 2016 — Night Realm
PANZ Book Design Awards: Finalist 2016 — There are no horses in heaven
Ockham New Zealand Book Awards: Longlist 2017 — My Mother and the Hungarians