HIGH QUALITY IN ART

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 146, 8 July 1937, Page 14

HIGH QUALITY IN ART

Exhibition by Hawke's Bay Society N0TABLE EXHIBITS Though more pictuxes aTe exldbited at the Hawke 's Bay Society of Arts exhibition this year thau has been the case in the past, there has been no sacriffce of quality. Tbe faet that several paintings were last year displayed in the National Gallery in Wellington does not in itself seem sufficient to account for the high average achievement throughout the exhibition. Indeed, it is among the smaller works and those by younger artists that a general tendency towards deeper study and truer draughtsmanship is more apparent than 'in recent years. While the majority of the work may be said to be str|ctiy representational, the modern tendency to place primary importance on . desigu and underlying meaning ratlier than mere s-uperflcial appearance is carried out with marked success in such pietures as Jenuy Campbell'a /'Aratiatia liapids," and Lois White's "War Makers." The former painting speaks for itself. Few observers standing before it could fail to experience that sensation of bewildered giddiness than no mere photo-. graphic representation could produce. "War Makers" is a modern work of symbolic type. All detail that might prove distracting or unnecessary to the theme is omitted. Human flgures, colouf scheme and restless rliythm of the composition are all employed to es^ress the artist 's idea. Insistence on Pattern. Even in pietures that have nothmg or little of the abfetract about them a pleasing insistence on pattern ds apparent. Kathleen Salmond's "Patex-' son's Inlet" is reminiscent of Japanese work in its composition, while many of the smaller pietures have a charmingly decorative quality. Martin Bichdale contributed two splendidly strong oils, "View of Hamilton" and "Hinahina." Roland Hipkins, whos.e work is. well known in this distriet, is, represented by several fine landscapes. His prinoipal canvais is "Ohinikuku," which, besides its pleasing composition and bandling of tone •values, has "tbe admirable quality of being ' a fine- representation of .typical New Zealand country. Tbe same may be said of tbe work of such artists -as I. G. Eise, J. M. Copeland, Robert A. P. Whyte, A. C. Hepwell, aiid M. Wbite. ' , Landscapes of other parte of tbe world are contributed by such able artists as J. Weeks, W. H. Alleu, B. M. Field, and A. K. Vane. A large seascape, "The Passing Storm," by D. W. Low, with its quiet tones and colours. is convincing and harmonious. Fresb • Techniq,ue. The work of K. Little who coutrlbutes several fine water-colours, doservos mention for its splendid draughtsmanship and fresh technique.' Though the majority of the pietures are landscapes, flower pieees and portraits claim a considerable amount of attention; Among 'the latter perhaps the work of Ida Carey is the most outstanding, but J. M. Copeland, W. H. Allen and A. E. Bollard all present work of more thau passing interest. There are more flower pieees than usual this year, and all show such exeellence of taste and execution that at would be unjust to give preference to the work of any one artist. Etehings from such capable artists as Trevor Lloyd and A. H. McLintock, several fine drawings, and a very interesting set of photographs make the non-colour section one of the most attractive portions of the exhibition./ T. P. Husheer contributes an exeellent statuette in plaster, and the craft section, though small, contains somc very fine work — notably the group of jewellery exhibited by Eleanor Adkins. The student members appear to be very keen, and work of different types sucli as painting, modelling and wdod carving seems to indicate that the society will not be lacking in enthusiastie artist members in the future.