%0 Journal Article
%T Transforming the ¡°unimaginative and literal¡± into an art for the nation: writing and exhibiting New Zealand¡¯s art history in the twentieth century
%A Rebecca Rice
%J Journal of Art Historiography
%D 2012
%I 
%X This article analyses three cultural events associated with the opening exhibitions of New Zealand¡¯s National Art Gallery in 1936 and the centennial celebrations of 1940: the Loan Exhibition of New Zealand Art, 1936; the National Centennial Exhibition of New Zealand Art curated by Alexander Hare McLintock, 1940-1 and Eric Hall McCormick¡¯s publication Letters and Art in New Zealand (1940) to evaluate how New Zealand art was put to use in the construction of a national history of New Zealand art. In the case of McLintock¡¯s exhibition and McCormick¡¯s text, the employment of works from library and museum collections importantly ¡®recovered¡¯ more ¡®historical¡¯ works for New Zealand¡¯s art history. But they also attempted to identify a modern element within New Zealand art, or ¡®an art truly national¡¯. Taken together, these exhibitions and associated publications provided the first attempts at a critical evaluation of New Zealand art and are consequently foundational documents for the writing of New Zealand¡¯s art history.
%K New Zealand Art History
%K retrospective exhibitions
%K colonial art
%K national art gallery
%U http://arthistoriography.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/rice.pdf