Humphrey Ikin is a central and influential figure in the evolution of the Pacific design movement. Since the early nineteen eighties when he first began to explore Polynesian forms such as the ceremonial bowl and the canoe in his furniture, writers have used his work to promote the idea of a wider New Zealand design renaissance. For Ikin, the actual means of construciton of our vernacular architecture forms a basis from which to develop an identifiably New Zealand design, out of which has emerged the constant theme of his oeuvre - the inventive potential of furniture structure and function. "Ikin's objects are playful containers of space. They are also portable, able to be dismantled physically and explored intellectually. Here Ikin gives proof to the assertion that the domestic object deserves critical investigation - to no less a degree that the finer arts." - Giles Reid Humphrey Ikin (b 1957) is a freelance studio furniture designer based in Auckland. He has regularly held solo exhibitions: most notably "Room" at the Dowse Art Museum (1994) and "Facing North" at the City Gallery, Wellington (1997) and Auckland Museum (1998). His work is held in both public and private collections in New Zealand, Australia and beyond.