Colin McCahon

The care of small birds: Muriwai

The care of small birds: Muriwai by Colin McCahon

Artwork Detail

Gannets swarm above the pillar of rock that is Motutara Island, while two strings of rosary beads hang above a shifting horizon. Colin McCahon painted in series, building bodies of work around the big themes of life and death, time and loss, history

and place. The Care Of Small Birds: Muriwai, exhibited in Necessary Protection (1977), explores the young gannet’s leap of faith and first flight from the top of the Muriwai cliffs.

Title
The care of small birds: Muriwai
Artist/creator
Colin McCahon
Production date
1975
Medium
synthetic polymer paint on unstretched jute canvas
Dimensions
1730 x 925 mm
Credit line
Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, 1985
Accession no
C1994/1/146
Other ID
cm000274 Catalogue Number
Copyright
Copying restrictions apply
Department
New Zealand Art
Display status
On display

To find out which artworks are available for print requests and reproduction please enquire here. This service only applies to select artworks in the Gallery's collection.