2006 past exhibitions

National Treasures from Australia's Great Libraries

Open:

26 August 2006 – 22 October 2006

Venue:

Galleries, entry by Macquarie Street wing only

Be amazed by the magnificent collections of Australia's National, State and Territory libraries. This exhibition tells a rich and remarkable story about our history, our treasures ... and our libraries. Discover more than 170 priceless treasures that have shaped our nation, such as Joseph Banks' and Captain Cook's Endeavour journals, Ned Kelly's helmet and Sir Donald Bradman's favourite bat.

Top image: Helmet worn by Ned Kelly at the siege of Glenrowan on 28 June 1880, steel with iron bolts, State Library of Victoria

An Unbroken View: early nineteenth century panoramas

Open:

10 June 2006 – 15 October 2006

Venue:

Picture Gallery, Mitchell Wing

Painted and sketched panoramic views were a feature of early nineteenth century topographical art, documenting recently settled lands such as Australia. Their unique format provided extensive prospects — a long, expansive look — to excite curiosity and pleasure for new places. This selection of these unique artworks from the Library’s collections includes delicate watercolours in facsimile and contemporary views of the same sites revealing changes in the landscape.

Image: Detail from Panorama of Hobart, Augustus Earle, 1825
watercolour and pencil

Eora: Mapping Aboriginal Sydney 1770–1850

Open:

5 June 2006 – 13 August 2006

Venue:

Galleries, Mitchell Wing

Eora presents the Aboriginal past of early Sydney and surrounds. It chronicles the clans and families of the region and their connections to the land, each other and the English colonists. Through rarely seen maps, artworks, manuscripts and relics, drawn from collections in Australia and overseas, the exhibition reveals the distinctive saltwater culture of the Eora and the cross-cultural interactions that have formed our shared history.

Image: Nouvelle — Hollande. Gnoung-a- gnoung-a, mour-re-mour-ga (dit Collins), Barthelemy Roger (after Nicolas-Martin Petit). From François Péron, Voyage de découvertes aux terres Australes, Paris, De l'Imprimerie Imperiale, 1811

First Sight: the Dutch mapping of Australia 1606-1697

Open:

6 March 2006 – 4 June 2006

Venue:

Picture Gallery, Mitchell Wing

To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first European discovery of Australia, by Willem Jansz in March 1606, the Library will display some of its rarest and most valuable treasures relating to the Dutch charting of our coasts in the 17th century. These include Tasman's manuscript journal of 1642–43; the unique Bonaparte map recording Tasman's voyage of 1644; and Hessel Gerritsz's very rare chart of c. 1628.

Grateful acknowledgement is made to the Royal Netherlands Embassy, Canberra, and particularly Ambassador Hans Sondaal, for assistance with this exhibition.

Image: H. Hondius, India quae Orientalis dicitur ... (detail) Amsterdam, 1641

World Press Photo 2006

Open:

4 May 2006 – 28 May 2006

Venue:

Galleries, Mitchell Wing

This year 4448 professional photographers from 122 countries entered 83,044 images in this prestigious annual international competition for press photography. The jury gave prizes in 10 theme categories to 63 photographers of 25 nationalities, including five from Australia: Mark and Jenny Evans, Palani Mohan, Ryan Pierse and Adam Pretty.

The annual World Press Photo exhibition features these award-winning photographs including the winning image by Canadian photographer Finbarr O’Reilly. This picture shows the emaciated fingers of a oneyear-old child pressed against the lips of his mother at an emergency feeding clinic in Niger.

World Press Photo is sponsored worldwide by Canon and TNT.

The World Press Photo exhibition has been brought to Sydney by Canon Australia.

Image: Mother and child at emergency feeding center, Tahoua, Niger, 1 August, Finbarr O’Reilly, Canada, Reuters

Doug Moran National Portrait Prize 2006

Open:

11 March 2006 – 30 April 2006

Venue:

Galleries, Mitchell Wing

The Doug Moran National Portrait Prize is a biennial competition established in 1988 by the Moran family. A diverse and vibrant collection of Australian lives, captured by contemporary artists, is presented in the 30 finalist paintings selected for the exhibition. The winner, to be announced 14 March, receives $100,000, making this the richest portrait prize in the world.

Image: Wounded Poet 2006 by Peter Wegner, winner 2006

Exotica: The Macquarie Collectors Chest

Open:

7 December 2005 – 26 February 2006

Venue:

Picture Gallery, Mitchell Wing

Discover one of the Library's rarest and most beautiful pieces of early 19th century Australiana, created for Governor Macquarie c. 1818. The Australian red cedar and rosewood chest, which opens to present a wonderful array of beautifully preserved natural specimens and rare painted views of the colony, is one of the Library's most important recent acquisitions.