National Library Gallery,
23 April - 21 July 2007
Over the course of its hundred year history, the School Journal has attracted work from some of New Zealand’s greatest poets, painters and novelists, among them Margaret Mahy, James K. Baxter, Janet Frame, Rita Angus, Russell Clark and Dick Frizzell. The 2007 exhibition 'A Nest of Singing Birds - 100 years of the School Journal' highlighted many of the luminaries who worked for the Journal and celebrated, in words and images, the publication that, more than any other, has shaped the country we live in.
The exhibition included original work by artists including Angus, Colin McCahon, Louise Henderson and Juliet Peter. It also featured manuscripts, correspondence, photographs and copies of the School Journal itself from 1907-2007. Not only did the exhibition celebrate 100 years of a periodical intended for New Zealand children, it also told a largely untold story of how the journal played an important role in the evolution of this country's art and literature.
The exhibition was curated by Gregory O'Brien, Susanna Andrew and Jenny Bornholdt. It was accompanied by a 160pp book.
The exhibition was developed by the National Library of New Zealand, in partnership with Learning Media, the Ministry of Education and Archives New Zealand.
Click here to go to the National Library's online exhibition, featuring works and text from the original exhibition.
