ART IN N.Z.

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 616, 22 August 1933, Page 7

ART IN N.Z.

academy year is reviewed in report. NEED FOR FINANCE.

The annual report of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, to be prosented at the meeting to be held this week, records with regret the loss by death during the year of Dr. W. Fell ( a life member), of seven subscribing members, and of one artist member (Mr. E. Murray Fuller). "The late Dr. Fell," says the report, "was actively associated with the academy, both as president and as a member of the couricil for many years and he also presented a number of valuable works for the permanent collection. By the sad death of the late Mr. Murray Fuller the academy has suffered an irreparable loss. The exhibitions of British contemporary art which he brought out to New Zealand were of very great edueational value and were keenly looked forward to by all lovers of art. The water-colour By Mr. Fuller, entitled 'Malindi Market, Zarizibar, -1931,' which was exhibited at our annual . exhibition, has been purchased by the copncilj to be hung in the permanent collection', in memory of the artist." During the year the following works were added to the, permanent collection: — "Peninsular Winter," by Archibald F. Nicoll (purchased by the academy) ; "Portrait of Professor James Shelley," by Leonard. H. Bo.oth (presented by Mrs. R. F. Blair) ; "Landscape," by J. Denovan Adam, .R.S.A. (presented by G. A. Tro'up, Esq., C.M.G.) ; "Landscape," by Hans

> Heysen (presented by G. A. Troup, Esq., C.M.G.) ; and "Malindi Market, Zanzibar," by the late E. Murray Fuller (purchased by the academy.) "During the year," remarks the report, "the council has spent much time in considering a proposal to join the Empire Art Loan Collection Society which has Been formed in London for the purpose of arranging from public or private sources, collections of representative works of fine art and craft work for loan to Empire galleries and art societies. The chairman of the society is Mr. J. B. Manson, of the Tate Gallery, London, and the committee is composed of representatives of some of the principal galleries of England and Scotland. Unfortunately, owing to the uncertainty of the academy's position regarding its building and to the difficulty of arranging the necessary finance, the council was regretfully compelled to decline, for the present, the invitation to Join the society." The academy's building fund, with accrued interest, now amounts to £1369 13s 8d, and this sum has been transferred to the Board of Trustees as a contribution towards the national project. On the subject of finance, the report says "In view of certa.in misapprehension as to the financial positi»n of the academy and of the need for support in these difficult times for its work, it may be desirable to inform members and others of the basis of our finance. A cursory glance at the accounts does not altogether disclose it. The academy j is the trustee for the Dominion and for Wellington, and acts as custodian of the national collection of pictures and of the city collection. Because of its former position the Government grants assistance. It supplied the site of the gallery and pays the bulk of the salary of -the caretaker and the insurance premium on its picitures. The academy provided the i building and finds the balance of the money required for the upkeep of the gallery and the holding of exhibitions. I Its main source of income is from I members' subscriptions. There are ! 450 ordinary members at one guinea, and 200 artist members at half a guinea. Under the rules 10s of the ! subscription of ordinary members is j applied to the annual art union. ^ It 1 will thus be seen that the annual income, if every member paid his subv.scription, would be £352. Other | sources of income, but quite small ' ones, are lettings of the gallery arid rommission on saies of pictures. There may be a loss or profit on the exhibitions. From this small income j was have to pay salaries, lighting, | i insurance, and all the other expenses | jncidental to maintaining the collec- i tions and making them available to j the public and holding exhibitions of , artists' work. It will be seen how nec- I essary is the support of members and j I tho public." J