Geoff Blackwell 2
Geoff Blackwell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Occupation | Publisher photographer film-maker |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
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Geoffrey (Geoff) Blackwell (born 17 July 1965) is a New Zealand publisher, photographer and film-maker. He has conceived and developed numerous books and creative projects specialising on subjects of humanity, equality and the environment.
Early Life[edit]
Born in Christchurch, Blackwell grew up in Auckland. He attended Epsom Convent primary school (subsequently renamed Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School)[1] and later, St. Peter’s College in Auckland.[2]
During his early years at school he was diagnosed as dyslexic and was required to undergo remedial reading classes to progress his education. He subsequently became a spokesperson for the Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand.[3]
His parents, Janet and John Blackwell were publishers who met whilst working for the New Zealand representatives of British publisher, William Collins, Sons. [4] Known as Collins, it published many well-known international authors including Dr. Seuss, and as a young child Blackwell found himself being dressed up in a Cat in the Hat outfit and being used as a support act for various promotions in local bookshops.
Collins also published Mother Teresa and on her visit to New Zealand in 1973, John Blackwell, who was charged with the responsibility of escorting her to various events, was accompanied by his then eight-year-old son, Geoff. Thirty-four years later Blackwell published LOVE: The Words and Inspiration of Mother Teresa in collaboration with the Mother Teresa Center and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Desmond Tutu as part of a series Blackwell and Tutu developed called ME WE.
Career[edit]
Upon finishing school in 1982 Blackwell was persuaded by his father to join the family publishing business, Moa Publications. [5] The business was established in 1971 as a side-line project for Blackwell’s parents to publish books at home that their manager at Collins was not interested in pursuing. By the mid 1970s the company was finding sufficient success for Blackwell’s father John to leave Collins to work on a book about the New Zealand national rugby union team titled Men In Black: The History of the All Blacks, which became both a bestseller and a landmark in New Zealand publishing. It was published in a large format (21 x 15 inches) limited edition as well as a smaller format bookshop edition that became the biggest selling sports book in New Zealand history, a record that still stands.
Blackwell was instrumental in Moa Publications continuing to find success in the 1980s and early 1990s with numerous bestselling sporting biographies and autobiographies including Rhythm & Swing by Richard Hadlee, Champion by John Walker, The Playing Mantis by Jeremy Coney, Ebony & Ivory by Stu Wilson and Bernie Fraser and Running on Instinct by John Kirwan.
In 1992 Blackwell played a key role in negotiating a merger with another long established New Zealand publisher Beckett Stirling, and then in 1984 he and CEO Richard Beckett negotiated the sale of the business to British publisher, Hodder Headline. In 1997 Hodder Headline CEO Tim Hely Hutchinson agreed to Blackwell establishing his own imprint, Photogenique (later PQ), and operating from his own premises. Shortly afterwards Blackwell created a project that he still views as the most significant of his career – M.I.L.K. (Moments of Intimacy Laughter and Kinship): A Celebration of Humanity.
The project was founded on a global photographic competition that was promoted as ‘the richest of all time’ with a prize of US$750,000. It drew 40,000 entries from photographers in 164 countries. Blackwell and chief judge Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt chose 300 winning images which formed the basis for a series of bestselling books founded on Family, Friendship and Love. The images were also the basis for two travelling exhibitions (indoor and outdoor versions) that exhibited in many locations including Grand Central Terminal in New York, London’s Science Museum and Regent’s Park, the Sydney Opera House and Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia.
Blackwell has also worked alongside individuals and organisations including Nelson Mandela and the Nelson Mandela Foundation with whom, and for, he created five books including The New York Times bestseller Conversations with Myself (which featured a foreword by Barack Obama) and The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela; Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Tutu: The Authorised Portrait; anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada with whom he produced two books reflecting on the struggle for freedom in South Africa; and the Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, with whom he collaborated to create an authorised portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales.
He has also created books with photographers including Tim Flach, Platon, Elliott Erwitt, Andrew Zuckerman, Albert Watson, Phillip Toledano, Mark Laita, Rachael Hale McKenna, Leila Jeffreys, Kieran E. Scott, Peter and Beverly Pickford, KK Ottesen, Vince Musi and Callie Shell.
Blackwell's other multi-platform projects include Wisdom, a book, film and exhibition founded on portraits and interviews with fifty of the world's most eminent over 65-year-olds with photographer Andrew Zuckerman; 200 Women: Who Will Change the Way You See the World, a book and exhibition project with co-author Ruth Hobday [6]
In 2004 Blackwell established an independent publishing house, PQ Blackwell, and in 2012 he founded the print-on demand photo book business, MILK Tailor Made Books. In 2017 he co-founded Blackwell & Ruth in partnership with Ruth Hobday, his long-time creative partner.
Major Works[edit]
- M.I.L.K: Moments of Intimacy, Laughter and Kinship – Family, Friendship and Love – Author and Publisher (2001)
- Wisdom by Andrew Zuckerman – Publisher (2008)
- Diana: The Portrait (2004) – Publisher and Art Director
- Mandela: The Authorised Portrait – (2005)
- Conversations with Myself by Nelson Mandela (2010)[7] – Publisher
- Power: Portraits of World Leaders by Platon (2011) – Publisher
- Tutu: The Authorised Portrait (2001) – Publisher and Creative Director
- Days with My Father by Phillip Toledano (2012) – Publisher
- Endangered by Tim Flach (2017) – Publisher
- 200 Women: Who Will Change the Way You See the World (2018) – Co-Author with Ruth Hobday
- The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela (2018)[8] – Publisher
- Wild Land by Peter and Beverly Pickford (2018) – Publisher
- Activist: Portraits of Courage by KK Ottesen (2019) – Publisher
- Hope, Never Fear: A Personal Portrait of the Obamas by Callie Shell (2019) – Publisher
- The Recipe by Josh Emett with photographs by Kieran E. Scott (2019) – Publisher
- I Know This to be True (2020) – Author and Photographer
Films[edit]
- Wisdom (2008) – Executive Producer
- Music (2010) – Executive Producer
Exhibitions[edit]
- M.I.L.K.: Moments of Intimacy, Laughter and Kinship Grand Central Terminal, New York; Sydney Opera House, Australia; Science Museum, London; Regent's Park, London.
- Wisdom Sydney; New York; Los Angeles; Dublin; Toronto.
- 200 Women: Who Will Change the Way You See the World New York; Sydney; Sweden; Munich
Awards[edit]
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Design Annual (2008)
Me We – Publisher, Creative Director
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Design Annual (2009)
Equus by Tim Flach – Publisher, Creative Director
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Design Annual (2010)
Bird by Andrew Zuckerman – Publisher
- PANZ Book Design Awards: Random House Award for Best Illustrated Book and Nielsen Award for Best Book (2010)
The Life and Love of Trees by Lewis Blackwell – Publisher
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Design Annual (2011)
Strip Search by Albert Watson – Publisher, Art Director
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Design Annual (2011)
Box by Holger Keifel and Thomas Hauser – Publisher
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Photography Annual (2011)
Dogs by Tim Flach – Publisher
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Photography Annual (2013)
More Than Human by Tim Flach – Publisher
- Gourmand World Cookbook Awards: Best Cookbook of the Year, New Zealand and Best Easy Recipes (2015)
The Great New Zealand Cookbook – Publisher
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Photography Annual (2016)
Bird Love by Leila Jeffreys – Publisher
- Gourmand World Cookbook Awards: Best Cookbook of the Year, New Zealand (2016)
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Photography Annual (2018)
Endangered by Tim Flach – Publisher
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Design Annual (2019)
Wild Land by Peter and Beverly Pickford – Publisher
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Design Annual (2020)
The Year of the Dogs by Vincent J. Musi – Publisher
- Communication Arts Award of Excellence: Photography Annual (2020)
Activist: Portraits of Courage by KK Ottesen – Publisher
References[edit]
- ↑ "Home". Epsom Parish.
- ↑ "Catholic School For Boys In Auckland | St Peters College". St. Peters School.
- ↑ ":: Inspiring New Zealanders - Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand ::". www.dyslexiafoundation.org.nz.
- ↑ "William Collins, Sons". 28 August 2020 – via Wikipedia.
- ↑ https://opencorporates.com/companies/nz/269885
- ↑ https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/kiwi-duo-complete-incredible-quest-interviewing-inspirational-women-but-which-new-zealander-made-list%7Cdate=3 October 2017|author = Angela M.H. Schuster|date=11 May 2018
- ↑ "Conversations with Myself – Nelson Mandela Foundation". www.nelsonmandela.org.
- ↑ "The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela – Nelson Mandela Foundation". www.nelsonmandela.org.
External links[edit]
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