David Blair collected archives

This archive from 1981 to 1985 holds material including a list of artists who were part of Artists Against Apartheid, and the price list of their works sold at an art auction in November 1981 to raise money for protesters’ legal fees. The price list includes Barry Lett’s Heart sticks (of which Te Papa has three in the collection). An AAA newsletter by Tim Shadbolt in November 1981 summarises the achievements of AAA, and considers renaming (which it would, eventually becoming Auckland Artists Action).

A HART newsletter from December 1982 reflects on legal issues and fundraising, and the success of an insurance campaign. That campaign is represented by David Blair’s proxy form which enabled him to attend and disrupt shareholder meetings for the New Zealand South British Group which operated in apartheid South Africa.

The archive also includes a list of artists who were part of VAANA (Visual Artists Against Nuclear Arms), and minutes from 1985 approving their iconic anti-nuclear mural on K Road, Auckland.

The archive belonged to New Zealand artist David Blair who was active in seminal protest movements from the late 1970s and during the 1980s: anti-nuclear and anti-apartheid movements, anti-mining in the Coromandel, and Treaty of Waitangi activism. Blair screen-printed many protest posters during this period, including his own designs, the work of other artists. He taught and worked alongside students and activists learning how to create their own protest posters.

In detail:
- A.A.A. Art Auction Catalogue, 22 November 1981
- AAA members list and brief notes on auction on 22 November 1981
- AAA AGM agenda by Tim Shadbolt (could be Sunday 27 June 1982)
- HART Supporters Newsletter, no. 32, 2 December 1982
- The New Zealand South British Group Limited Proxy Form (signed by David Blair, 1981)
- VAANA Artists' Registry and Working Group VAANA
- VAANA Minutes, 30 July 1985