studio catherine griffiths

Working typography onto ceramics came about after an experimental collaboration with poet Jenny Bornholdt and ceramic artist, Raewyn Atkinson. We combined our different skills and made Pitcher with Women, a set of three vessels each containing a part of a poem Jenny had written after Picasso. The words wind their way around each form inside or out, black on black. For the vessel pictured, a different project, we worked with a light band to carry the words.

03 other in(ter)ventions

TypeSHED11
an international typography symposium, Wellington, NZ

typ gr ph c
a series of compact workshops, Karekare, NZ

installations, exhibitions

Catherine Griffiths: Out of Line
Griffith University Art Museum, Meanjin Brisbane, Australia
24 February — 16 May 2026

Catherine Griffiths: Walk With Me
Te Wai Ngutu Kākā Gallery, Auckland University of Technology, Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa NZ
30 July — 24 October 2025

Catherine Griffiths: Out of Line
The Design Gallery, University of Melbourne, Naarm, Australia
19 May — 27 June 2025

Iterations/Alterations
Enjoy Contemporary Art Space, Chapter 1, Aotearoa NZ
15 February — 29 March 2025 [extended to Chapter 2]

What is my threshold now?
Manifesto vs Manifest, PLATES #1, 2024, New York, USA

7/7, 14 views
Te Tuhi Project Wall, Aotearoa NZ
20 August – 22 October 2023

Self-preservation
Offering It Up, Adam Art Gallery, Aotearoa NZ
24 August — 29 October 2023

The Phone Book: Club de Conversation (2012): deconstructed (2019), suspended (2022)
Counterparts // Part one: Where To From Here?, No Vacancy, Naarm Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
12 – 31 July 2022

catherine griffiths : SOLO IN [ ] SPACE
The Space Gallery, Shanghai, CHINA
13 October – 1 December 2019

Work/Space
Shanghai Art and Design Exhibition, CHINA
3 – 13 December 2017

A whakapapa, two lines of women, an installation drawing
All Lines Converge, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery Aotearoa NZ
2016

Installation with mirror and line
transitionalfieldwork, an exhibition, Aotearoa NZ
2016

only U know ...
collaboration, Lela Jacobs AW17 Auckland, and SS17 Paris collection, Aotearoa NZ + FR

Constructed/Projected
installation, Typojanchi 2015, 4th International Typography Biennale, Seoul, KR
November 2015

The Tuwhare Poster Project
fund-raiser for the Hone Tuwhare Trust Writers Residency, Aotearoa NZ
2014

memento :: motif
Proyecto de Arte Contemporáneo Alzheimer, Valparaíso, Chile
23 September — 23 August 2012

The Phone Book
a maquette, for the Club de Conversation project, Aotearoa NZ
2012

Club de Conversation at S/F with Dino Chai, Auckland, Aotearoa NZ
14 July – 18 August 2012

Club de Conversation: Keyhole Series and Dials
rug series, Dilana Workshop, Aotearoa NZ
June — July 2012

Sound Tracks
installation, The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt, Aotearoa NZ
2011

The Jets
short film, Paris, France
2010

posters, protest, statements

SHREDDED
[LUXON QUOTES] RUBBISH COLLECTION, six [type specimen] posters, 2026, Aotearoa NZ

The Best Design Awards
three [type specimen] posters, 2018, Aotearoa NZ

Labour of Love
another word-play poster, 2018, Aotearoa NZ

W in black
drawings in progress, 2017, Aotearoa NZ/FR

The Alphabet
front page takeover of the Sentinel & Enterprise newspaper for 26 days, Fitchburg, USA

The Brexit Series
a word-play [type specimen] poster series in response to Brexit, Aotearoa NZ

Raising the Flag
contemplative, suggestive — design unravelled, Aotearoa NZ

Protest Vessel 1/2 PRICE
a collaboration with ceramic artist Raewyn Atkinson, Aotearoa NZ

Protest Vessel — 1/2 PRICE 2003

Collaboration with ceramic artist Raewyn Atkinson

Protest Vessel, 1/2 PRICE was made specifically for the Norsewear Art Awards in protest over the unequal awards offered between fine arts and applied arts. The following year the awards were adjusted to equal amounts.

Size 700mm x 250mm

RAEWYN ATKINSON & CATHERINE GRIFFITHS, PROTEST VESSEL, 2003 / red earthenware, black and white slips, laser transfer prints. collection of the Dowse Art Museum