13 December 2007
Behind the Lines: The Year's Best Cartoons, an exhibition exploring the twists and turns of another eventful year in Australian politics, opens tomorrow at the National Museum of Australia.
Now in its tenth year, the National Museum's popular annual exhibition features more than 80 cartoons which cover major issues surrounding the environment, healthcare, the economy, Indigenous Australia and leadership, which quickly became the dominant issue for 2007.
'Cartoonists led the way in developing a popular understanding of Rudd as a leader, and faithfully recorded the beginning of the end of the Howard era. They also provided snapshots of the major issues and personalities of year,' said Guy Hansen, curator of Behind the Lines.
'Looking back on the year through the works displayed in this exhibition, we can applaud Australian cartoonists for continuing to provide an invaluable record of the nation's political life,' he said.
The cartoons in this year's exhibition represent the best of the National Museum's latest set of acquisitions from artists around Australia including Alan Moir, Bill Leak, Cathy Wilcox, Geoff Pryor, John Spooner, Mark Knight and Warren Brown.
Exhibition visitors will be invited to choose their favourite cartoon for the People's Choice Award, a $1000 prize for the cartoonist with the most popular work.
Behind the Lines: The Year's Best Cartoons is a National Museum of Australia travelling exhibition. In the spirit of a true political campaign, the exhibition will travel to Parramatta, Melbourne, Hobart, Perth, Bega and Brisbane throughout 2008.
The exhibition is on display at the National Museum of Australia until Sunday, February 24, 2008.
For interviews, images and more information please contact Dennis Grant on 02 6208 5351, 0409 916 481; Caroline Vero on 02 6208 5338, 0438 620 710 or media@nma.gov.au