Heritage

The Group Catalogues, 1927 — 1977

The Group was an informal art association formed in Christchurch in 1927 by seven ex-students of the Canterbury College of Art. Its main purpose was to provide an alternative exhibition opportunity to the local Canterbury Society of Arts annual show. The Group exhibited annually in Christchurch from 1927 to 1977, quickly gaining a reputation for representing the latest trends in contemporary New Zealand art and attracting artists from around the country, including now well-known artists such as Rita Angus, Colin McCahon, Doris Lusk and Toss Woollaston.

It appears that no catalogues were issued for 1927, 1928 and 1946 while only two pages of the 1931 catalogue have been found. There was no show in 1930, in 1933-1934 (when the New Zealand Society of Artists replaced The Group), 1937, 1939, 1941-1942 and 1944.

(Adapted with permission from The Group 1927-1977: an annotated bibliography by Elizabeth C'Ailceta).

The Group Catalogue 19291929 The Group Catalogue 19311931 The Group Catalogue 19321932 The Group Catalogue 19331933
New Zealand
Society of Artists
The Group Catalogue 19341934
New Zealand
Society of Artists		 The Group Catalogue 19351935 The Group Catalogue 19361936 The Group Catalogue 19381938
The Group Catalogue 19401940 The Group Catalogue 19431943 The Group Catalogue 19451945 The Group Catalogue 19471947
The Group Catalogue 19481948 The Group Catalogue 19491949 The Group Catalogue 19501950 The Group Catalogue 19511951
The Group Catalogue 19521952 The Group Catalogue 19531953 The Group Catalogue 19541954 The Group Catalogue 19551955
The Group Catalogue 19561956 The Group Catalogue 19571957 The Group Show 19581958 The Group Show Catalogue 19591959
The Group catalogue 19601960 The Group Catalogue 19611961 The Group Catalogue 19621962 The Group Catalogue 19631963
The Group Catalogue 19641964 The Group Catalogue 19651965 The Group Catalogue 19661966 The Group Catalogue 19671967
The Group Catalogue 19681968 The Group Catalogue 19691969 The Group catalogue 19701970 The Group Catalogue 19711971
The Group Catalogue 19721972 The Group Catalogue 19731973 The Group Catalogue 19741974 The Group Catalogue 19751975
The Group Catalogue 19761976 The Group Catalogue 19771977    

Thanks to the Robert and Barbara Stewart Library and Archives at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu and the Macmillan Brown Library, University of Canterbury for supplying this material.

The assistance of Mary Bensemann in supplying catalogues, granting permission for their reproduction and offering other valuable advice and information is gratefully acknowledged. The permission of The Caxton Press to reproduce this material is also gratefully acknowledged.

Related pages

The Group 1927 — 1977: an annotated bibliography
by Elizabeth Louise C’Ailceta Cooke
Press Clippings — 1946 — The Group
Two articles describing the 1946 exhibition.
Survey
Digitised publication of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery (Christchurch) 1971-1978.
Includes the Group Special Issue Survey 16 — November 1977.

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