PUBLIC ART GALLERIES

Hokitika Guardian, 28 May 1931, Page 5

PUBLIC ART GALLERIES

NEED FOR AN OBJECTIVE

LORD BLKDISLOE’S OPINION

AUCKLAND, May 23. Tbe differing functions of an annual exhibition of art,, such as .that organised by the Auckland Society of Arts, and those of a public art gallery, Avet^e'"'discussed' I ''by”~{lie Governor-Gen-era), Lord BledieW, when ho opened the jubiteo exhibition of the society. “I notice There h«a been ft controversy about the selection of pic- 7", ture? for the Jfaekelvie Trust,” said rrc his Excellency. This leads me to ask what may be deemed the objects of an exhibition such at this and. of n (vr permanent public art gallery. If one -r r does not know what one’s objective is 1:. it is difficult to know how that object- • ive is to be attained.

“Sneaking as a man in the street on the subject of-- art, I should have thought the object of an annual exhibition such as this is to outline the progress of art. It seems to me that you would be perfectly justified in not mierely. placing ,on your walls attractive works of jart, but samples which showed evidences of . genius in some direction.”

However, when the filling of a public gallery was in hand there were other considerations, said his Excellency. A public gallery maintained by funds largely provided by the public should seek to promote within its four walls by the silent eloquence 1 of its pictures an inspiration and a comfort for the ordinary citizen of refined tastes. It seemed to him that as tonic for even the physically indisposed a . single picture might possess more invigoratin'.' properties than the physic of the greatest doctors.