AN INTERESTING ART EXHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 164, 7 April 1921, Page 8

AN INTERESTING ART EXHIBITION

(By ‘

"The Lay Figure.”)

An interesting exhibition of oil paintings and sketches by six Wellington artists has been opened at the M'Gregor Wright gallery, Lambton Quay. For tho most part the pictures represent landscape subjects, and it is good to note the success with which, in most instances, the exhibitors have grappled with the difficult problem of relative values. Above all, the impression is created of much honest plain air study having been done. There is an agreeable absence of that meretricious "prettiness” which is- too often achieved by laborious and niggling elaboration in the studio.

The end wall of tho gallery is occupied by the works of Mr. Harley Griffiths, a fine figure study by whom was bought a couple of years ago for the permanent collection of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. Mr. Griffiths’s work is represented in the Victorian and South Australian National Galleries. Mr. Griffiths has put up. a very striking panel of pictures. His work should be viewed from a distance, as most of it is very broadly handled. The portrait of Mr. W. B. Montgomery, Comptroller of Customs, is not only a striking likeness, but an outstanding lesson in portraiture,, It is an open question, however, whether portraits intended to be hung in a private house, and in rooms of moderate size should not be carried a little further than is here done. How MY. Griffiths can succeed with a portrait carried to a greater decree of elaboration is agreeably shown in the interesting selfportrait of the artist hung on the same wall. Mr. Griffiths also contributes a picture of snow-clad hills at Haywards, which has an exceptionally fine perspective; a delicate little flower study and a painting of the life mask of Beethoven —which fairly dominates the whole panel by its serenity and quiet charm. Of Mr. Tiller’s exhibits I prefer "Tangled Pastures,” a good foreground study. A nocturne, a group of trees with, a harvest moon dimly breaking through, the clouds behind, is a dignified composition, soberly colourful, decorative, but not flat. Mr. Tiller also contributes a semi-nude figure study. The drawing is open to criticism, but the painting of the drapery is distinctly clever. Of Mr. Killick’s contributions I prefer "Evening, Breaker Bay,” with its broad handling of masses; "Silverstream Bridge,” and "An Evening Pasture.” The.te is a calm serenity in the "’Hutt River, Evening,” scene, and some pleasant colour in "Wellington Harbour from Queen’s Park.” Mr. Killick is to lie congratulated upon the all-round advance here shown.

Like Mr. Killick, Mr. Sedgwick is fond cf evening-effects, his “Rising Moon”being a most decorative little panel. Two pictures, "Willows” and “Willows and Stream,” are strong and taking works, free from all that is niggly and trivial, charming in. composition, clean and pleasing in colour, and simple and correct.in their tonal scheme. Of the others. I like more particularly "Harbour from Orchard Street” . and “The Poplars,” the latter a simple and dignified composition. Mr. Bender’s work is extremely interesting. What he lacks in quantity is made up for in quality. His "Titahi Bay,” a finely-contrasted study of rocks and water, is a little gem, and a nocturne, a study of trees, is quite in the .best traditions of the Barbizon school. Two small sketches, “A Pastoral" and “Near Ohingaiti,” show a fine precision in the values. One of our most promising young artists, Mr. M. King, is represented byseveral excellent little pictures, all showing a broad and vigorous treatment. Mr. King is not afraid of colour, and is, so it seems to me, destined to show us some very fine work later on.. Perhaps his best effort here shown is "The Hulk”; the effect of the blaze of light on the water is excellent. “Landscape, Taita.” is vivid in its brightness and strength, and, more than a passing'glance is due to his "Grey Day at Evan’s Bay.”

Altogether, the exhibition is one upon which all concerned are to be congratulated. Whilst success may not have been, achieved in every instance, there is abundant evidence of conscientious, direct study of Nature in her varying moods, and rich promise of even greater success in the futui-e.