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Story: Birthdays and wedding anniversaries

Birthday parties: an artist's impression

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Birthday parties: an artist's impression

Jacqueline Fahey's 1974 painting 'The birthday party' captures the excitement of a children's party – the colourful balloons, paper hats, wrapping paper, toys, sweets and cake – as well as the exhaustion of the adults who organise it.

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Adam Art Gallery Te Pātaka Toi

Reference: VUW 1986.2

by Jacqueline Fahey

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Birthdays and wedding anniversaries – Birthday rituals, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/38846/birthday-parties-an-artists-impression (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 12 November 2012.