Rei Hamon 1919-2008

If you asked someone in the street to name a New Zealand artist in the early seventies, chances are they would have called up Peter McIntyre or Rei Hamon rather than Hamon’s contemporary Colin McCahon. Both McIntyre and Hamon became household names largely through the publication of their work in coffee table books as well as Hamon through prints. Rei Hamon, Artist of the New Zealand Bush, died a couple of days ago at the age of 88. We saw one of his familiar black and white prints today in a secondhand store, pre loved and still working the crowds.