ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2583, 4 October 1915, Page 6

ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

4 28th EXHIBITION OPENED "A MARKET FOR ARTISTS' PICTURES. Tho twenty-eighth annual exhibition of tho IScw Zealand Academy of Fine Arts was opened in the Art Gallery, Whitmore Street, ou Saturday afternoon, by the Minister of Internal Affairs (tho Hon. G. W. Russell), in the presence of a fair gathering. The president (Mr. H. M. Gore) welcomed tho Minister, and said that tho exhibition was almost, if not quite, up to the standard of past years, despite tho fact that in a time of war the fine arts must languish. Some of thoir past contributors were fighting in _ the trenches, notably Mr. A. F. _ Niecol, who was recognised last exhibition to have the picture of the year on display. They were' proud of him then, and they were ! more proud of him today. (Hear, hear.) In declaring tho exhibition open, Mr. Russell said that it was a pleaWro for him to attend. ' It >was a relief for them to forget, if only for a few moments, the terrible war that was bringing so much sorrow and anxiety into their homes. Ho therefore welcomed such a gathering as tending to draw their minds away from the awi'ulness of tho carnage which was going on in Europe. He understood tho Government had offered the society a grant for additions to their building, but the society had suggested that during tho .war tho money should bo withheld. Ho thanked them for that, and said that ho had in his mind a much larger scheme. As Minister of Internal affairs he controlled the National Museum, and when a nicmbor of ihe Mackensrie Government he had had prepared plans for an entire new museum, to include an upper floor for a National Art Gallery. There was a sum of £'2000 on the Estimates this year for the Museum, and if he could get tlio Minister of Public Works in an amiable frame of mind ho intended to lay the founda-

tion stone .for a National Museum on tile present site. . (Applause.) With that building erected ho hoped that it would come to his lot to assist in establishing a School of Art worthy of this country, which was covered with tile noblest specimens which had come from the hand of God as models for the artists. He proposed as soon as possible after the session closed to call together the National Board of Art and Science which had been set , up. One of the functions of that board was to advise the Government. upon matters connected with art and science. As soon as financial conditions became normai they would be able to bring pressure to bear for the purpose of placing art on a more solid footing than it was on at the present time. A Novel Idea. ■ It seemed to him tnat what was wanted in New Zealand was something in the nature of au assured market , for the work of the artists. To a large extent that market did not exist, for they did .not have in New Zealand a leisured money class, and those who had money, for a large part, did hot fully appreciate the artistic work done by others. Ho had been getting into trouble over a proposal to extend the law rotating to art unions, -and he leminded tho society that they had pewer to hold any number of art unions without applying for permission. . Ho was going, within tho next month or. two, to endeavour to establish something that lie thought would be good for tho artists in New Zealand. He proposed to call the Federation of Ait Societies in New Zealand to meet him in Wellington, witn a view to establishing a national art union, for the benefit, in the first' place, of the wounded soldiers, and the. convalescent homes which he was trying to establish. He believed that they would be able to obtain a large number of gift pictures fiom the people in the country, and he felt sure their artist friends would, be willing to provide many specimens of their work, without asking too high a price. Ho thought the Committeo of Management would be able to make a very substantial profit for the wound-: ed soldiers, and at the same time provide the artists with a market. The scheme that he had in his mind was that even after the war was over they might be able to establish a Dominion art union for the salo of artists' pictures.' If the Postmaster-General would allow him to placo tickets for the national art union at the various postoffices in New Zealand, then he thought a large market could be obtained throughout the Dominion. . That was the scheme that was floating through his mind. Art Scholarships. He-thought with tho president that a nation was largely to be measured' by its relation to the .fine arts. He hoped the time would come when the Government of New Zealand would 'establish art scholarships, so that the children in the smallest primary schools in their country who showed a love for art, and an aptitude for art, , might havo the opportunity; as art students, to come to either of the four centres to cret- a scientific art training. (Hear,. Eear.) In conclusion ho wished tho exhibition every success, and hoped that during the time it was open a good number would attend, if t only for the purpose of distracting their minds from tho trouble that was going, on in Europe. . . Mr. Gore thanked the Minister for his interest, and said that the society would do all they could to assist, in raising any fund for the wounded eol- ■. diers.

NOTES BY "THE LAY FIGURE " i • " 1 THE OILS. 1 Some Ghristchurch contributions. i In accordance with my usual custom, [ I pay the compliment of preference to some of the outside artists to 'whom . our annual shows t are so much indebted for their iuterost and value. Prominent Cliristchurch exhibitors in the oils section are Mr. R. Wallwork, Mr. and Mrs. Kelly, Mr. AV. Menzies Gibb, and a youri" and ; very promising artist. Mr. AV. S. \Yau- ' chop. Mr. AVallwork's best contribution is an English country scene, "An Oxfordshire Laiio" (165), painted perhaps in a. somowhat conventional style, but a. style, nevertheless, quite in keeping with the ordered grace of the suu- ; iect. A pleasant, restful, picture to ' live with. "The Plotters" (156) is a large and ambitious painting; a Bran-givyn-like subject', with much careful painting in it, and a touch, of tho Brangwyn bravura. Tho artist has crowded his canvas'a little, which may at first convey an impression-of confusion in the composition. But a second and less hasty study will show that each figure is strictly pertinent, in position and gesture, to the whole. A difficult subject courageously handled. Among Mr. Walhvork's other contributions I prefer his fine study of breaking waves, "Among the Rocks, Kaikoura" (147), 'and a word of praise is duo also to a modest but effective little nocturne, more impressionistic in style than is usual with this artist, "A Wot Evening, Akaroa" ("34). Mr. C. F. Kelly's bold and impressive "Canterbury Pastoral" (146), oil tho southern wall of the gallery, at once challenges, and repays inspection. It is the most important and ambitious work we have vet' had from this artist, and was much and deservedly admired on the oiiening day. Tho wutio artint & A tie study of va,tet -Tlis Land-

ing Stage" (205). In composition, colour, and the vibrant quality of the water, this is an eminently. satisfactory production. Mrs. A. E. lvelly specialises in figure sketches. Her ''Toiler" (164) most ecurvily treated, by the way, by the Hanging Committee, being shoved away in a corner, is an excellent piece of work, strongly drawn, and with a clever suggestion of weariness in the face. For "The Poem" (237) a female figure with a peculiarly wistful expression in : the faco Ido not caro so much. Tho dress and hat are cleverly-, p.ainted, ;but the left arm • leaves much to be desired in its drawing.' Tho veteran Mr. Menzies Gibb is much better represented this year than last. I specially liko "In the' Valley Golden Bay." (14-1), a windswept hillside with a clump of bush, the whole painted in a key of quiet poetic charm. A seascape, "Fisherman's Wliarf, Kaikoura" (215), quite in the style of RW. Allan's or Coventry's marine studies, is -a well-composed, very effective picture, a decidedly desirable possession for an art lover. Mr. Wauchop's work shows a marked advance upon his'contributions to last year's exhibition. There' is some excellent work in his "Twilight Grey" (179) and his "Pastoral Near -Timaru" (189). i hi the former, a tender study of crcpuscule, there is a quito delightful colour scheme. The picture is invested with a perceptiblo flavour of romance. Indeed, its only fault is, perhaps, that it is too designedly • sentimental. Still it is a noteworthy production for a vomit: artist. Tho "Pastoral Near' Tiniani":"(lß9) is a highly meritorious landscape, a well-planned composition. The artist, has here attacked, with much success, a difficult, colour problem. If Mr. Wauchop fulfils tho promise of these two. pictures he should 'in time emerge into the very front rank of : New Zealand landscape artists. Ihe Chiistcliurch wafer-colours will he reto'iu. their-proper place.'

Some' Wellingtonfans.'- * Owing, no doubt, to an illness, now happily over, Mr. Nugent Welch has but one oil this year, "Summer" (214). What, however, is lacking in- quantity is made up in quality, for. Mr. AVclch's picture is. easily the: best landscape in , this section.. 'It .is a study of the artist's favourite Silverstream, with a familiar clump of trees in the middle distance, and the hills at tho back. The sincerity and beauty of this honest transcript from nature are insistent. The "deadness" of the noontide . heat is cleverly suggested. It is doubtful, however, whether the artist has quite caught the curiously transparent effect of tho foliage, and the straight line of the foot of the hills might' have beau broken with advantage by cattle, or in some other way. But the' picture has a delightful decorative value,' and is easily the best oil Mr. Welsh has yet shown here. . Mr. K. M. Ballantyne contributes portraits, "Charles Wilson, Esq." (200), and "A Portrait Study" (203); a fine figure study, "The Old Sundowner" (194), and a landscape study, "Summer Time" (180). Each, and all display a marked advance on Mr. Ballantyne's work in previous years. The portrait of the Parliamentary Librarian is unusually interesting in that it is a combination of portrait and "interior" paint-' ing. The portrait is a satisfactory 'ikeness, although, perhaps, it may seem to some to lack sufficient suggestion of that trait of natural combativeness popularly associated with the original. But by its background effects, its still life —books, vases, and the ef-fectively-introduced Nicholson portrait of Sarah Bernhardt on the wall —the picture becomes invested with a novel and decided interest. . "Interior" portrait studies, although increasingly the vogue in England, are new to us in AVcllington, and Mr. Ballantyne's further, eifort in this genro will be watched with much interest.

The Portrait Study (208) of a young Jady is another very interesting effort. The flesh ,may be a trifle too smooth, but the picture as a whole is replete with delicacy and charm. "The Old Sundowner" (194), a largo and stronglyprinted study of a weather and ageworn wanderer, is another admirable performance, and the artist's versatility is further exemplified by a gay and Watteau-like landscape, cleverly composed. Note the suggestion of heat tempered by a breeze, the effect of which is shown not only in the trees, but in the grassr-a detail often overloked by painters of such subjects. Of Mr. Ballantyne's equally interesting water-colours mention will be made later on. Thc'Siiverstream School. .

Fine progress is shown by another member of the so-called ' 'Silverstream School," Mr. Fred. Sedgwick, who comes up this. year fairly' by leaps and bounds. Mr. Sedgwick was 'wont at one. time to indulge in slight vagaries in the use and abuse of primary. colours. This year there is a welcome absence of the whilom crudity, if he will pardon me the term, of his colour schemes. All liis contributions this year are interesting. Two in particular, "Haymaking Time" (221) and "Dusk" (235) are worthy of careful inspection, and reflect the greatest credit upon the artist. In each, especially the "Dusk,", there is evidence of close coutact with and careful study'of Nature. It is good direct, clean work, work which shows laudable courage. Mr. Sedgwick'is decidedly "emerging." A little nocturne, "A Wet Street" (227), has, in a quite different style, no small merit, "lies felicitations," as the French say, to Mr. Sedgwick on this year's woris. '

Another ardent and industrious Silverstrcamer, Mr. E. A. S. Killick, shows some promising work, his best contribution being, I think, his "Autumn Glow" (138), in winch, as in "The Silent Pool" (173) and "The Pond!' $l 86)— though in the "Pool" something is decidedly wrong wit 3- the 6edges in the foreground—there is clearly perceptiblo a striving ; after a faithfully realistic rendering of nature. Mr. Killick seems to ho conquering his old tendency to be metallic and hard in his greens. His colouring is' now much moro j mellow. There is good honest work, too, in his study of "A Bush Stream" (241). , . After wobbling about amongst various styles, his experiments being often most interesting, that clever young artist, Mr. A. Bender, seems at last to have "found himself.". The "man in tho street" may consider his boldly conceived and vigorously painted landscapo (skyscape, perhaps; would be moro correct) "A Breezy Day, Near Mastorton" (172) a little hard to understand. But tho sincerity and uncompromising strength of the picture are' undeniable. Artists will understand liow Mr. Bender lias been "after it," and if he may not lmve altogether succeeded—the tree on tho left is too theatrically clamant for attention—there is no gainsaying the sincerity, the almost brutal vigour, of the picture. Mr. Bender's small oil sketches of the Miramar' Golf Links and Kilbiniie Sand Dunes should not be overlooked. Specially good is the Sand Dunes sketch (244), witli its lino aerial perspective. Noto. also, the telling little sketch, "Fishing Boatu, Island Bay" (219), just as good, in its own way, as it well could he. Toning down his somewhat excessive vigour, Mr. Bender should give i}s soino fino istulf next year. Some pleasant' little studies are contributed by Mr. E. G. Hood. Of those, my preference goes to tho Silverstream sketch (188). , . . [Other pictures in this 6cction, together with tho water-colours, will be dealt with in another article.]