A wonder through 100 years
Scraps from an Egyptian book of the dead, Sumerian clay tablets, a Japanese songbook and hand-sewn buttons created by 19th Century prisoners are on display at a new exhibition celebrating the Alexander Turnbull Library’s centenary.
Mı¯haro Wonder, which opens at the National Library this weekend, was originally supposed to be on show last year but was pushed out due to Covid-19.
The 170 pieces which make up the exhibition are a sample of the more than 4 million items in the library’s entire collection.
‘‘We played with the idea of the library as a catchment, and these [items] being anchor-points with the intersecting web of connections and cultures,’’ said co-curator Fiona Oliver.
Turnbull began collecting books, art and artefacts from New Zealand and the Pacific in the late 1800s.
At Mı¯haro Wonder, visitors will encounter a net by capital-based weaver Matthew McIntyre-Wilson, which represents the idea of the library as a catchment – both of items and histories.
The concept relates to a quote from Turnbull himself, who once said anything relating to New Zealand would be ‘‘fish for my net’’.
Co-curator Peter Ireland said the idea of a net resonated, as things also slip through the gaps – a metaphor for the exhibitors not being able to show off the entirety of the collection. ‘‘We reconciled to the fact that this is the show we have.’’
Oliver said the library was also a collecting place for different people.
Among the other items on show are rare books, a globe showing the tracks of James Cook’s first voyage, a 2.5-metre-high kauri tree, photos by Ans Westra, and a work by an unknown photographer of people crossing a bridge on the West Coast.
Ireland said the latter work became a bit of a ‘‘guiding star’’ for the direction of the exhibition, despite it being a slightly unlikely choice. The figures depicted in it appear to be carrying baskets, possibly on their way to a picnic.
The piece summed up the idea of the selection process, with curators having to leave certain items behind.
Both Ireland and Oliver were familiar with the collections through their work already, combined they have more than five decades of experience working at the library. Together, they trawled through thousands of items, discovering new work alongside old favourites before selecting the final line-up.
The selection was informed by what had previously been shown to celebrate anniversaries. But for the centenary the curators wanted an emphasis on visual elements which represented Aotearoa, versus significant documents or digital material.
It also took inspiration from its own title – mı¯haro (to wonder). ‘‘We started to pull out things that we felt in our hearts, that made us ask questions, that made us feel a sense of awe’’ Oliver said.
The pair both hope that the public, too, will find things on show which surprise and amaze them – things which expand people’s idea of the Alexander Turnbull Library’s role, function and purpose.
‘‘In the end, we just had to trust our instincts . ... We get one show, and it’s supposed to reflect 100 years. It’s a bit of a killer brief, in a way,’’ Ireland said.
Mı¯haro Wonder, National Library, runs to October 2, free entry.