In the late 1970’s Zusters met up with Denis O’Connor and Peter Hawkesby on Waiheke Island were they were all living and making work. She was also aware of John Parker, Bronwynne Cornish and Warren Tippett. Together, as the Five by Five group (an Auckland-based avante garde ceramic collective), they were pursuing the limits and generally causing a stir in New Zealand ceramics. They were also ignored by the wider New Zealand studio potters because they didn’t conform to what as though of as ‘proper ceramics’.

Peter Hawkesby began making domestic pottery in Waiheke where ‘they were breaking traditions, and generally rejecting the domestic vessel and minimalising reference to utilitarian traditions.’ . As Denis O’Connor later said they were considering ‘examples of an alternative way of handling clay that has paid its dues to the great ceramic traditions from the Orient and moved on.’ The ‘brick’ teapot is underpinned by this free experimentation. They are, ‘not only functionless vessels, but metaphors about the body. The process of exploiting the natural limitation and extending the potential of the clay.’

While the Californian potter Peter Voulkos informs some works, Hawkesby’s ceramic works were also embraced developments in 20th century painting and sculpture acknowledging the surrealists Dadaists and constructivists and the New Your Abstract Expressionists.

Zusters diverted from the ‘Five by Five’ principles but remained an ardent and passionate collector of their work. O’Connor stocks the balance of Zusters collection with pieces and arguably the best pieces made by Peter Hawkesby. This selection of works by Peter Hawkesby will continue the systematic development of works from this group underrepresented in the collection.