2007 past exhibitions

Heritage Collection 2007

Open:

1 January 2007 – 31 December 2007

Venue:

Galleries, Mitchell Wing

Explore the continuously evolving Heritage Collection, presented by the Nelson Meers Foundation.

 

 Supported by the Nelson Meers Foundation

Image: A selection of fine book bindings from the Library's Rare Books collection.

Max Dupain — Modernist

Open:

9 June 2007 – 28 October 2007

Venue:

Mitchell Galleries

This exhibition celebrates the modernist idiom as well as Dupain's photographs of Australian modernist architecture. Dupain's own words are used throughout the exhibition and, where possible, comments by architects provide an alternative view on his photography.

A Grand Obsession: The DS Mitchell Story

Open:

18 June 2007 – 30 September 2007

Venue:

Picture Gallery, Mitchell Wing

A Grand Obsession: The DS Mitchell Story celebrates the centenary of the bequest of David Scott Mitchell. Mitchell's peerless collection of books, manuscripts, maps and pictures — together with his substantial endowment — established the Mitchell Library.

This exhibition will focus on the life of this great benefactor, on his collection, and on the world of collecting.

Sydney Harbour: Seldom Scene

Open:

5 March 2007 – 10 June 2007

Venue:

Picture Gallery, Mitchell Wing

Sydney's magnificent harbour - the physical and emotional heart of the city - came to life in this scintillating exhibition which displayed 40 original works that captured aspects of the harbour over a period of almost 200 years.

World Press Photo 2007

Open:

11 May 2007 – 31 May 2007

Venue:

Mitchell Galleries

This exhibition features award-winning photographs from the 50th annual World Press Photo contest.

This year 4460 professional photographers from 124 countries entered 78 083 images in this prestigious competition for press photography. Prizes were awarded in 10 theme categories to 58 photographers of 23 nationalities, including two Australian photographers: Craig Golding and Steve Christo.

The international jury selected a colour image by the US photographer Spencer Platt of Getty Images as World Press Photo of the Year 2006.

Image: Spencer Platt, USA, Getty Images, Young Lebanese drive through devastated neighborhood of South Beirut, 15 August

Moran Prizes 2007

Open:

12 March 2007 – 6 May 2007

Venue:

Mitchell Galleries

The Doug Moran National Portrait Prize was established by the Moran family in 1988 to celebrate Australia's Bicentenary. Initially a biennial competition, the portrait prize is now held annually, making it an even more significant event on Australia's arts calendar as well as the richest portrait prize in the world. It was joined this year by the inaugural Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, a national photographic competition created to promote contemporary photography and excellence in all forms of still photo-based artwork, including all types of analogue and digital photography. Winners shared a total prize pool of $200,000.

Bound for Glory: Exquisite Books of French Pacific Voyages

Open:

23 October 2006 – 25 February 2007

Venue:

Picture Gallery, Mitchell Wing

The French made a number of significant scientific voyages into the Pacific in the early 19th century. Almost alone among nations, they published lavishly illustrated, multi-volumed accounts of these voyages which brought this new, exotic world to Europe. These books are now very rare and, if obtainable at all, very expensive. The State Library is fortunate in having received complete sets from its great benefactors, David Scott Mitchell and Sir William Dixson. This exhibition focusses on four voyages: Nicolas Baudin (1800–1804); Louis de Freycinet (1817–1820); Louis Duperrey (1822–1825) and Jules Dumont D’Urville (1826–1829).

On the Run: Daring Convict Escapes

Open:

6 November 2006 – 25 February 2007

Venue:

Galleries, Mitchell Wing

In the late 19th century Australia was a strange new land at the edge of the known world. This geographical isolation was a major reason for selecting the colony as a British penal settlement. The formidable barriers of distance, impenetrable bush and wide oceans made escape a daunting proposition — yet hundreds of convicts made the attempt. Through manuscripts, rare printed books, artworks and relics, this exhibition reveals the varying fortunes of a number of escaped convicts and explores prisoner rebellions and mutinies in the colony.

Top image: Detail from Flogging a convict at Moreton Bay, 1836, artist unknown, from The Fell Tyrant or The Suffering Convict by William Ross, London, 1836
Hand-coloured etching and aquatint