ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 8, 4 October 1919, Page 10

ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

EXHIBITION OPENED GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S ADVICE There was a largo attendance of artists and subscribing members at the annual exhibition of the New Zealand Academy .of Hre Arts, which wns opened last evening .at the gallery, in Wliitmora Street. In the course of a short address, the president (Mr. T. S; Weston) voiced tho sincere and feeling regret of members at tho death of Mr. E. G. Hood, a local artist. His demise came before lie had reached the zenith of his career, and he left behind him works which bore great promise. It was, announced the president, the intention of the council' to purchase a specimen of the late artist's work for tho purpose of including it among their collection. Mr. Hood's place 011 the cou.ucil had been filled by Dr. Fell, who had returned from the front. During his absence abroad Dr. Fell had found time* to acquire two or three artistic treasures, which' he had presented to tho council. Mention was also made by Mr. Weston of the fact that the Now Zealand Government had presented to the academy some of the war works of Mr. Nugent Welch, which were included in the collection. The president read a letter from the Minister of Defence (Sir James Allen), thanking the academy for the action of various artists and some of the members in lending pictures, some 58 in all, for brightening the walls of the Military Hospital at Trenthnm. The thanks of tho council were due to Mr. H. M. Gore for presenting. to the academy a brass replica of the bust of himself, made by Mr. Joseph Ellis, and presented to Mr. Gore by some of his admirers. Referring briefly to the exhibition, tho president pointed with pride to the fact that this year a greater number of subject pictures were on displav. It wns very pleasing to note that our artists were essaying what was one of the most difficult features of art. Concluding, Mr. Weston expressed his pleasure at the attendance there thnt evening of His Excellency the Governor-General, himself no mean judge of pictures.

Neglect of New Zealand Subjects. His Excellency in declaring tho exhibitioii open congratulated Mr. Weston on having assumed the presidency of the academy, and went on to stnto'that'this was the last occasion on which he would navo the honour of performing the opening ceremony of the aendemy's exhibition. Speaking on art generally, His Excellency said that recently he hnd come across a London review'of a work on the Sounds of New Zealand, in the course of which regret was expressed that so tar as New Zealand was concerned artists devoted tbe major'portion of their time to depicting anything but their own beautiful native scenerv. He himself had also been impressed with this tact before be had made his acquaintance with the Dominion, and as one who was shortly leaving these shores, he recommended tho council to do everything possible to remedy this defect. "I think " he added, ' thnt the .more you can bring your country before your kith and kin in the Old. Country, the better, indeed it will be in every possible wny." He rusted that Ne;v Zealand artists would hear tins in mind, as it was a sugges,2 J V a '" P 'i •,"!? B **»«Ky then V dared the exhibition open.