Art Students’ View Of Mural Painting

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28264, 30 April 1957, Page 14

Art Students’ View Of Mural Painting

Christchurch art students, holding that mural painting requires great technical knowledge as well as a highly-developed aesthetic taste, are concerned that an em-. ployee of the City Council is to paint the mural in the new cacti house in the Botanic Gardens. They communicated their concern to the council in a letter: but the council confirmed the commissioning of its gardens’ employee. ‘‘lt has come to the notice of this body that an unqualified designer has been commissioned to execute a mural in the new' glasshouse,” wrote Mr D. S. Page, president of the Art School Representative Council, Canterbury University College. “While you might justifiably protest that this matter is no concern of ours, we feel that we have a part to play in protecting and maintaining a high standard of craftsmanship and artistic integrity which has been established by our leading New Zealand artists in the decoration of public buildings. “The art of mural painting is one which requires great technical knowledge apart from a highlydeveloped aesthetic taste which only an artist of wide experience and ability can provide. The fact alone that the mural is to be subjected to the humid temperatures of a hothouse sets problems concerning the permanency of materials and the preparation of an adequate painting ground that only a person with the abovementioned qualifications would be able to understand and solve.” Aesthetic Effects An incorrectly-conceived mural could detract from the aesthetic effect envisaged by the architect, he said. There were a thousand and one problems associated with the painting of a mural that a signwriter or commercial artist could not hope to solve without wide research and experimentation on small panels which were not for exhibition in prominent public buildings. The letter proposed that if the cost of a mural by a qualified artist was not feasible, the council should approach the school

with a view to senior students executing the mural under the supervision of Mr Russell Clark and Mr W. A. Sutton. A member of the reserves department staff who was to execute the proposed mural had been subjected to criticism from outside sources on his ability to undertake the task, the reserves committee reported. About 12 months ago the employee was engaged as a label writer and for signwriting work at the gardens. He was a commercial artist with more than 35 years’ experience, and originally studied at the Canterbury School of Art. Artistic Ability “During the time he has been employed by the council his work has given every satisfaction, and of his artistic ability there can be no doubt,” the committee stated. “When time permits he has been encouraged to do watercolour sketches of some of the rarer plants when in flower, with a view to building up a collection of such paintings, which would be a valuable asset to the gardens. These illustrations have been very faithfully done.” Explaining the need for the mural, the committee said that so that many of the big cacti and succulents might be shown to the best advantage, and to grow them satisfactorily, it was essential that they be planted out into soil in the house and arranged in a natural setting. No matter how expertly done, any arrangement in a natural setting would be wasted unless there was a mural to set it off and give an appearance of realism. The mural would occupy the greater part of three walls. The department had obtained the free services of one of the city’s foremost commercial artists as an adviser. He had had wide experience with the painting of-murals and was prepared to advise in any way, particularly on the type and quality of materials to be used. After seeing a scale model of the mural, the council agreed to the committee's recommendation that its employee should be entrusted with the work.