MAORI ART

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 717, 18 December 1933, Page 7

MAORI ART

WIDER USE ADVOCATED IN PUBLIC BUILDING DESIGNS. ' WANGANUI MAN'S VIEW.S. Wanganui, Wednesday. j "It seems hard to convince the people of New Zealand to whom is entrusted the design of our puhlic buildings that the natural art of the country should, in some measure, be ' incorporated with the national life," said Mr. T. W. Downes to a Chronicle reporter yesterday. "It has long been rec'ognised that artistic design is largely influenced by the environment and characteristics of a country. But, like many people, those responsible for the designing of our buildings ' seem to be imbued with the idea that ' in Maori art the grotesque with conventionalised figures is the only theme, which would, of course, be ' quite out of plaee except with native surroundings. "This idea is incorrect, for we have ' innumierable examples of delightful designs of curves and intricate pat- ' terns which conform entirely to all our rules for decoration and yield nothing to modern ideas, as'well as simple running patterns which are chaste and artistic. As Maori art is slowly but surely dying out in the natural ' changing over to European ideas ,and culture, it behoves a younger generation to learn something of these ' designs and-seek to perepetuate what is considered worthy of the old Maori system of decoration. "A specimen of this work will he found in the interior decoration of the committee room of Native Affairs in the Parliamentary Buildings, of which Mr. J. Mair was .architect, where three or four rafter patterns have been cast in plaster and used for ceiling decorations. The pure ' white running designs with their slight cast shadows show a decor,ation as chaste and beautiful as could be conceived. In contrast with some of the Greelc designs used in other corridors of the same building, the Maori patterns stand out in attractivencss iand dignity. It was Mr. J. McDon- ' ald, the assistant director of the Doniinion Museum, v/ho was responsible for this work, and he had the wholehearted support of the Hon. J. G. Coates and the late Mr. Elsdon Best, and other lovers of the exceedingly wonderful art of the Maori. "Maori designs are now frequently used ,a.s the decorative motif for hook covers, such as "Hamilton's "Maori Art," Buck's "Material Cultuiie of Aitutaki" and many others. They are adaptable and attractive and do their shai'e in perpetuating the art evolution from the soul of the beauty-lov-ing native of days gone by. In the Chronicle I have lately noticed some advertisements from the enterprising Texas Cq. (Aust.), Ltd. They should be congratulated on their distinctive taste in publishing this series of educative advertisements. The rafter ' patterns shown are. those of simple design1, yet very suitable ,as horder patterns, and the pieture of ICing ' Tawhiao is a fine example of the ageold Moko, which' has not been seen by the younger generation. Every line fits into the curves of the face and yet work in towards each other with grace and barmony. "To one who has never seen the tattoo in life the work may seem strange and crude and we are not anxious to see this part of their art perpetuated. Yet, to the older gene- [ rations who were familiar with old friends so decor,a.ted, there was nothing out of place or incongruous in ( the custom. The old-time artist, when he could find nothing else to carve, decorated himself. Unfortunately, the reproduction does not show the cheek spirals and other curves that were chiselled deep into the old King, but enough is shown to give some idea of the character that such lines possess."