Ghosts on Every Corner

Four years of detailed research and meticulous work in miniature has gone into creating scale models of 13 iconic pre-earthquake Christchurch buildings for Ghosts on Every Corner, a project by Ghostcat – also known as Ōtautahi scratch build artist Mike Beer.

The collection is a labour of love and and has been a journey of nostalgia and discovery, documented in the hardcover book that accompanies the exhibition. With text by Dr Reuben Woods, art historian and creative director of Watch This Space, and imagery by Christchurch photographer Dave Richards, Ghosts on Every Corner is a uniquely insightful record of monuments, memories, and moments of Christchurch history otherwise lost to the passages of time and seismic activity.

The book features stunning photographs of the small scale recreations, which include Smiths Bookshop, Echo Records, Wizards Arcade, Java Café, the Cathedral Square Police Kiosk, and the Deans Ave Sales Yard building. As well as studio shots, Dave photographed the miniature buildings in a selection of artful locations around the city, from train tracks at sunset to a moodily-lit underground supermarket car park.

Mike worked with the production team at Blueprint to come up with clever use of print effects that neatly incorporate the themes of the project, using the play of light to reveal glimpses of hidden elements and layers beneath the surface.

Along the spine, the title is foiled and embossed, with the warm hue of Rose Gold foil toning in beautifully with the overall colour palette.

The title and Ghostcat’s name are rendered in spot UV overgloss over the image on the cover, making it visible only as a light reflection from certain angles. Ghostcat’s emblem on the back has the same treatment – its presence is subtle, catching the light, then leaving its memory just visible against the solid colour of the cover. 

The cover and printed internal pages are Silk Matt, a high quality, high white, coated art paper. The cover is printed on 150gsm and matt laminated for durability, and the foil and spot UV overgloss are applied before the sheets are crafted by hand into the case binding.

As you open the book, unprinted end papers in Trophee Intensive Pink 160gsm give a punch of colour, followed by a single leaf of lighter 80gsm Trophee Pink that allows a ghostly glimpse of the title page to show through.

Both Silk Matt and Trophee are produced using FSC® certified pulp from Responsible Sources, and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.

The smoothness of Silk Matt is ideal for the rich imagery throughout the book, in particular bringing out the depth of colour and fine detail of Dave Richards’ in-situ photographs and studio shots of the models. 128gsm provides perfect opacity and satisfying weight to the pages without feeling too heavy.

Ghosts on Every Corner explores our recollections and connections with places and the past. This book needed to be tactile, to hold literal weight, and as an object it had to do justice to the combination of Ghostcat’s art and design, Dr Reuben Woods’ words, and Dave Richards’ photography, along with the stories of our community collected within its pages. This created a sense of responsibility to the artists, the city, and the reader, which was present in each decision made during the production process.

The official launch of both the book and exhibition was held as a special one-off exhibition preview in Christ Church Cathedral on Friday 21 March. Guided tours were held throughout the day to view Ghostcat’s buildings in the surroundings of the Cathedral, currently in a state of ongoing repair. The heavily reinforced walls and light-filled space served as a unique setting in which to contemplate the ephemeral.

The team at Blueprint is very proud to have been involved in bringing this highly collectable book to fruition. It was important for the print and production to be done here in Ōtautahi, and it has been a privilege to help make that happen.

After the initial limited edition print run to launch Ghosts on Every Corner the book alongside the exhibition, a further print run will be on the presses later this month, for which pre-orders are available now for delivery in May 2025. Pre-order your copy now »

All of Ghostcat’s works and prints are available for sale, along with book pre-orders, at the exhibition Ghosts on Every Corner, on now from 11am to 3pm daily at the Pūmanawa Gallery at The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora, until Wednesday 7 May, 2025.