Icons Nga Taonga

Presents items from the collection held by Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand which includes centuries of art from Europe and New Zealand, siginifcant historical items, treasures from the Pacific and many of the extraordinary animals and plants found in the region.

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Te Papa Tongarewa holds some of New Zealand's richest collections - taonga prized by many iwi, art from Europe and New Zealand, items of great historical significance, treasures from the Pacific, and an extraordinary representation of the natural world. Thousands of objects have been placed in this museum over time, and documented by some of New Zealand's leading scholars Some 300 items from this fabulous collection are presented in Icons/Nga Taonga. Ranging from McCahon's painting to the Britten motorcycle, from a mere pounamu to the engravings of Banks and Solander, from Ani O'Neill's 'Rainbow Country' to an embroidered sampler of 1853, this is a diverse and sometimes challenging selection. These objects are all central to New Zealand experience, but they reflect the disparate nature of that experience. This is a book in which 'icons' ask questions as much as they establish identities. It is a powerful visual statement of Te Papa's cultural vision, which looks for narrative links across collections and subjects, time and place. Biculturalism shapes all aspects of the book; appropriate sections are written in te reo as well as English.
Superb contemporary design and full-colour printing throughout make this book in itself a beautiful object. Authoritative and accessible captions will accompany the images, and short essays introduce each section. Published in time for the February 2004 International Festival of the Arts, Icons/Nga Taonga will be a landmark in the New Zealand calendar - literary, intellectual, artistic, and popular.