#1 Night Eyes
Created by Toby Morris
Sponsored by
Created by New Zealand cartoonist, comics artist, illustrator and writer Toby Morris, “Night Eyes” discusses the contrast between how visible kiwi are culturally in Aotearoa, but at the same time how literally elusive and hard to see they are.
On one hand, they’re ever-present; they’re on our mascots, our logos and a huge part of our identity. We love them and embrace them, so they’re very familiar visually.
But on the other hand, they’re nocturnal and quite literally very hard to see. So, they’re very seen and very not seen at the same time.
Toby thinks there’s some charm and some humour in that, and perhaps it captures something very inherent in our national identity.
Find out more about “Night Eyes” here.
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Meet Toby Morris
Toby Morris is an award-winning cartoonist, comic artist and illustrator based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. He has worked for Radio New Zealand and The Spinoff, and currently draws a weekly column for the Sunday magazine in the Sunday Star Times.
Toby has published several books, including the comic books Alledaags: A Year in Amsterdam; Don't Puke On Your Dad: A Year In The Life of A New Father; and Dad Man Walking; as well as two children’s books, Capsicum, Capsi Go and The Day The Costumes Stuck. Toby also illustrated Te Tiriti O Waitangi, a graphic novel of the history and importance of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Toby has received international recognition for his work with Siouxsie Wiles covering the COVID-19 pandemic. Published in The Spinoff, the animated graphics were shared widely around the world. In 2022 Toby won the Prime Minister’s Science Communication Prize.
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