Beautiful Black and White Art Prints for Your Home

As the Mist Clears by Robyn Schroeder, black and white art print

Black & white print by NZ artist Robyn Schroder "As the Mist Clears"

Monochrome art prints have long been a staple when it comes to decorating, as black and white—when used appropriately—can fit into almost any colour scheme. Many different styles of interior design make use of monochrome tones, including minimalist, contemporary, art deco, and Scandinavian design. Even very vibrant colour palettes can benefit from a bit of black and white, as black helps bring a space down to earth and gives other colours a grounding point, while white provides a dramatic contrast. Including both is a great way to focus the look of almost any space and bring a fresh sophistication to it. Here in New Zealand, black and white (or silver) are two of our national colours, along with the red ochre seen on the Tino Rangatiratanga flag. When adding a bit of black and white to a space here in Aotearoa, it carries a little bit of extra meaning, and can really be a chance to create a visual context that us Kiwis live within. Below, we showcase our favourite monochrome art prints, with particular attention to the those that reference our home right here at the bottom of the world.

Rise Up – Barry Ross Smith

First, we have this print by Barry Ross Smith. It’s no surprise that a lot of Kiwiana artworks reference our national pastime—rugby. For many, the All Blacks are the first thing that comes to mind when you mention ‘black’ and ‘New Zealand’ in the same sentence. Nearly all our national sports teams use either black or silver in some way, and this translates easily into the monochrome pieces created by Kiwi artists. Barry describes this painting as evoking the passion we feel for our national game, while tying it to our agricultural heritage.

Mince – Dick Frizzell

Part of a series of domestic graphics, ‘Mince’ is an understated print, perfect for the kitchen. It embodies the labour of household management, but chooses to do so in a sharp, uncompromising way, referencing the Kiwi approach to practical living. This screenprint is available on Artistico Fabriano cotton rag paper.

As the Mist Clears – Robyn Schroeder

Monochrome NZ landscape with lake & trees

This print of Robyn Schroeder’s original painting showcases another element of Aotearoa that we hold dear—the natural landscape. Presented in stark black and white, this piece depicts mist evaporating off a South Island lake in the morning. Connection to the land has always been important for those living in New Zealand, giving this piece an unspoken weight and beauty. This print is ideal for pulling together larger spaces, like the dining or living room.

Game of Two Halves – Weston Frizzell

Black & White Rugby Ball with Koru lacing

Another Frizzell family piece, this print is a cool piece of modern NZ printmaking which also celebrates our national game of rugby. It is a sophisticated representation of the game, referencing the popular phrase “game of two halves”, which is used to state that any situation could end any number of ways, regardless of how it seems to be going now. It also references the koru shape, the illusionist works of MC Escher, and the dualist concept of Yin and Yang.

Scared – Colin McCahon

I am Scared, I stand up in Colin McCahon's handwriting

Finally, we have this NZ masterwork. More abstract than the others presented so far, ‘Scared’ can be seen as a highly personal work, and an allegory of McCahon’s life, but its cry is also a universal one—a call of protest and a demand to take action. Colin McCahon started his ‘Scared’ series in the mid-70s when he was around 60 years of age. His work was often directly related to emotion, and he talked at length about his fears and doubts when discussing his art. The artwork has a harder edge than more commercial Kiwiana style prints, making it better suited to spaces that want to be more attention grabbing, or challenging. Similar prints by this artist can be found in our Colin McCahon art collection.

Learn more about decorating with Fine Prints!

For more advice on decorating from the NZ experts, follow our blog for articles like this. If you’re interested in purchasing high-quality prints in black and white, you can also take a look at our new black and white prints collection!

The Best New Zealand Landscapes for Art Prints

Clouds hanging over milford sound with two mountains and water between them

framed wall art

Aotea / Great Barrier Island

Aotea, known to most as Great Barrier Island, is part of Auckland’s well-known Hauraki Gulf. The island lies around 100 kilometres from the central Auckland harbour. It’s the sixth-biggest island in the country, and Mount Hobson—the island’s peak—reaches over 600 meters above the sea. Aotea is the ancestral home of Ngāti Rehua, and the island has two marae, one affiliated with Ngāti Rehua, and the other with another local iwi; Ngātiwai.

Print of Great Barrier Island by Justin Summerton

During the colonisation of New Zealand, Aotea was settled by Europeans for mining, Kauri logging, and was later the location of New Zealand’s last whaling station. As time went on, more on more of the island fell under the protection of the Department of Conservation, and these days, over half of the island is a nature reserve. Just under 1000 people live on the island, and those who visit tend to feel like it is like stepping backward through time.

Aotea’s position just off the coast of Auckland is a big part of what makes it so great for art. It’s pronounced shape in the heart of the harbour draws the eye, and it hasn’t been settled in the same way that other islands—like Waiheke—have. Even though it’s just next door to New Zealand’s biggest city, the island remains largely how it always has.

Piopiotahi / Milford Sound

Milford Sound Canvas Print by Dale Gallagher

Milford Sound, or Piopiotahi in Māori, almost needs no introduction. The South Island fjord is world-famous, having been named the world’s number one travel destination in the TripAdvisor 2008 Traveler’s Choice Awards. Piopiotahi is potentially New Zealand’s most famous attraction, and in the age of the Travel Instagram, the magical location has charmed thousands. Rudyard Kipling even once called it the eighth Wonder of the World! It’s no wonder Milford Sound makes such a popular subject for landscape art—it’s hard to think of any part of New Zealand that looks more visually arresting. View our Milford Sound prints for more!

Aoraki / Mount Cook

Mt Cook & The Tasman River by Peter Beadle

The tallest mountain in New Zealand, the mighty Aoraki reaches 3,724 metres above sea level, towering over the Southern Alps; the mountain range that forms the spine of the South Island. Mount Cook has long attracted avid mountain climbers, with several summits, and views of nearby glaciers. Ngāi Tahu, one of the main iwi in the south of New Zealand, have a strong connection to Aoraki. They hold the mountain as a sacred ancestor—Aoraki forms a physical link between the natural world, and the supernatural. It’s easy to see why the locals hold the mountain in such high regard—it truly is awe-inspiring. Mountains—particularly volcanoes—are almost always held in high regard by indigenous peoples, and perhaps this sense of awe is also why so many artists are drawn to it, in an attempt to capture the immense sense of scope the mountain has. View our Mount Cook prints to find the perfect landscape piece for your space.

Want a piece of New Zealand’s landscape in your home?

Here at NZ Fine Prints, we sell a huge range of NZ landscape prints, from a number of celebrated artists. If you’re looking to decorate your home with a piece of New Zealand’s natural majesty, you can’t do much better than a framed print. See the range for yourself in our shop today!

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