Art Gallery Restoration Under Way

Chronicle (Levin), 12 January 1949, Page 3

Art Gallery Restoration Under Way

WELLINGTON, Jan. 11. The National Art Gallery will b'e renioved in February from its wartime temporary situation in Lambton Quay, back to its permanent location in tlie National " Museunx and Art Gallery building behind the Carillon. The Gallery 's valuable collection of contemporary original works is being^ reframed and fe-hung in 20 galleries of the building ■ designed to accommodate them. The collection of contemporary artists' works .bouglit just before the war, had iucheased enormously in value in the past nine years, said Mr. S. B. Maclennan, Direetor of the Gallery, today. The Gallery had expended practically all its funds in the buying np of modern i)aintings which had been brought to New Zealand for the Centennial Exhibition and which had been kept in New Zealand beeause of the war. I During the war years there had been an enormous resurgence oi interest in art in England which had sent prices of paintings bought by the Gallery ' ' skyrocketing. ' ' While the Gallery 's collection was gaining value with the passing of the years, it was stored for safety's sake out of Wellington in Hastings. From there it had been reeently transported to Wellington. The collection will have to be re-framed and re-hung before^tlie Gallery can be opened to the public. This miglit take considerable time, said Mr. Maclennan, as the labour shortage was hindering re-franiing and re-hanging.