Ian is a distinguished Wellington poet, novelist and critic. He has published a large number of poetry collections and novels, and his poems appear in numerous journals and anthologies. He was editor of the 1985 Penguin Book of New Zealand Verse, co-edited with Harvey McQueen, and has won many distinguished awards and fellowships. His work as an art critic led him to curate a number of key exhibitions and work as the arts projects manager at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa from 1994 to 2004. In 2005 he was the Meridian Energy Katherine Mansfield Memorial Fellow.
Ian’s latest publication is a major book about the artist Bill Culbert and he has another book due out later this year.
In 2007, Ian received a Distinguished Alumni Award from The University of Auckland. These annual awards honour alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their professions, to their communities, and to the nation.
While he holds the 2009 University of Auckland Fellowship in association with Michael King Writers Centre, Ian plans to work on a new novel, a book of poems and a book-length essay about the meaning of home.