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Secret Art Powers

How creative thinking can achieve radical change
By Jo Randerson
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Brief Description
What is the mysterious power of art to excite, confound, challenge and transform us? While artists themselves often struggle to articulate the value of their work, this volume describes artistic thinking as a mindset, a collection of secret powers that we all have access to. Identifying... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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Celebrated artist Jo Randerson explores six creative mindsets which can help us dissolve unhealthy power relationships, communicate across difference and to sing while we do it.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

What is the mysterious power of art to excite, confound, challenge and transform us? While artists themselves often struggle to articulate the value of their work, this volume describes artistic thinking as a mindset, a collection of secret powers that we all have access to.

Identifying six areas of creative expertise—lies, multiplicity, fluidity, failure, live body, and imagination—Secret Art Powers shows how thinking like an artist can increase personal resilience, unleash innovation, dissolve unhealthy power relationships, and help us describe and navigate the complex situations we find ourselves in.

Author Jo Randerson weaves together observations, inspirations, reflections and examples from their upbringing in the Anglican church and their experiences as a celebrated writer, playwright, director, performer, comedian, and public speaker.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780473613976

Publisher: Barbarian Productions Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 July 2025

Country: New Zealand

Imprint: Barbarian Productions Ltd

Illustration: Illustrations and marginalia throughout

Contributors:

  • Edited by Odessa Owens
  • Designed by Sarah Maxey

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 11.0mm

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 368g

Pages: 272

Collections

Arts & Culture Jo Randerson New Zealand and Australia Published New Zealand Published Non-Fiction

About the Author


Jo Randerson ONZM (they/them) is an Arts Foundation New Generation Laureate, and the founder and artistic director of Barbarian Productions. They are an award-winning playwright and author and a graduate of the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University . Jo has published four volumes of short fiction and poetry and a number of play. As a writer they have been twice-nominated for the IIML prize, received the Bruce Mason award, completed a Burns Fellowship at Otago University, and won the NZIFF Patron's Choice Award for their first short screenplay Hey Brainy Man!

Jo is the creator of Barbarian's twenty-five year catalogue of works, from their seminal solo performance Banging Cymbal, Clanging Gong (2001) to large-scale outdoor immersive experiences U R Here (2023) & U R Back (2024). Jo completed their Masters in Theatre Arts (Directing) at Toi Whakaari: The NZ Drama School in 2012. Their theatre work has also attracted many accolades, including Absolutely Positively Most Original Production and Best Director - Wellington Theatre Awards 2019 and the 'Unf**k the World' award - Auckland Fringe Awards 2021 for Cook Thinks Again, and Winner: Excellence For Overall Production, Auckland Theatre Awards 2019 for Sing it to My Face. In 2023 they received the Topp Prize for Comedy.

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