Author(s): Martin Edmond

Art

In 1984, on his way to a major exhibition opening, celebrated New Zealand painter Colin McCahon went missing for 24 hours in Sydney, Australia. He was discovered by police the next day on a bench in Centennial Park with no identification and suffering from amnesia; by all accounts, McCahon was never quite the same from this night until his death three years later. This work of creative nonfiction underscores the life and work of Colin McCahon and traces a possible McCahon route across Sydney, wandering through bars and flop houses, streets and churches. Exploring key issues, such as the attractions of the bottle, the role of faith and religion, the illuminating power of the imagination, and the hold of family relationships, this record chronicles not only a mysterious incident but also the life and art of the man who lived it.