Kiwi visual artist, Tom Gould has captured the strength demonstrated by hapū and iwi after floods and a cyclone wreaked havoc throughout Te Tairāwhiti / Gisborne region in March ’22, in a new brand creative and gallery exhibition for Canterbury of New Zealand.
Previously exhibiting at MoMA, Gould has been featured in Vogue, worked with NBA stars and renowned recording artists across the globe and is now collaborating with Canterbury of New Zealand.
“It’s this positivity and Kiwi resilience I wanted to capture in the new brand creative and gallery exhibition I’ve developed for Canterbury of New Zealand,” he says.
“I wanted to portray this resilience in a way that shows beauty in the stillness and repetitive nature of everyday life.”
Gould has been a long-time fan of the ‘World’s Toughest Activewear’ and says it has been special to share the stories that showcase the true characters of Aotearoa’s East Coast.
AJ Moriarty, Head of Product and Marketing ANZ, for Canterbury of New Zealand, says the brand is excited to partner with Tom and his team.
“As a friend of the brand, Tom truly understands the rich heritage of our brand and the resilience and toughness of the people in our communities.
“For us, being the toughest is not about being hard or ruthless, it’s about showing up in the moments that matter and standing up for something. We put quality, design and versatility before anything else, giving respect to those who wear our clothes and celebrating the way they face life’s physical and mental challenges. Tom is helping us to share these stories.”
Gould has captured a suite of striking portraits and films featuring people from Te Tairāwhiti who typify resilience, while sharing their unique stories. The campaign will be available online and in a sensitively curated exhibition at Knowear in Ponsonby.
The content is also available to view online here www.canterburynztwta.com.
“We’re giving our community the opportunity to vote for and win their favourite image from Tom’s portraits. Each vote equates to a $1 contribution, up to a total of $10,000 for I AM HOPE. Resilience comes from a place of strong mental health, and we admire the work I AM HOPE does to help build mental health and resilience with the young people of New Zealand,” Moriarty says.
The exhibition curated by Canterbury of New Zealand and Tom Gould, will be live for two weeks from 28 July – 10th August, at Knowear, 123 Ponsonby Rd, Auckland. There is also a limited range, the Compass Collection, whereby Canterbury of New Zealand celebrates archived graphics, heritage styling and introduces new outer pieces fitting of the brand’s iconic product offering through the 1980s and 1990s. The Compass Collection is available to purchase instore at Knowear and online https://nz.canterbury.com/ while stocks last.
