"ART IS NEVER EASY"
Sir.-I sense in your leader, "The Lives of Artists,’ a sympathy for the New Zealand artist in an apathetic public, and, in Mr. Johnson’s letter, an inclination to blame this public. I am one of these pathetic people, but am freak enough to know why. I have two artistic deficiencies: my medium is not adequate and I was not born with the grandeur of soul to face exile; the exile necessary for stimulus and for poise of mind. So I passionately cancel the berths I passionately book. As for the blame I feel in Mr. Johnson’s letter, I no longer use the word. One is just as likely to be born with the capacity to be destroyed as with the capacity to fulfil. Is it amyone’s fault? Is it New Zealand who cancels my Monowai? No, it’s my cup of tea in the morning, my log fires in the winter and my red family blood. If I had been born with the grandeur of our great exiles, these things would have obeyed perspective and my work might have "got through." The fact that it hasn’t is neither your fault nor mine, Neither is the education of a volcanic family, a job that dries the springs, and utter expulsion from one’s kind and colour, an excuse. That my dreams and efforts have gone down before them proves that I was born with a capacity to be destroyed rather than that circum-
stance has destroyed me; that it is my make which is deficient rather than the New Zealand public. A work will "get through" if it is good enough, with or without this public, and sympathy or blame, far from helping work to become good, does no more than clog the issue. I have not "earned the right for my country to be proud of me." It is not easy to say these things, so T'll make the tea and put another log on the fire and get over it. As for the Monowai, there will be no more passionate bookings and cancellations if for no other reason than that the PassengerManager hides under the counter now. Thank you, Sir, for your charity, and thanks to Mr. Johnson, for his defence. But, "The poor hates the hand that gives
it bread."
MONOWAI
(Hastings).
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19550429.2.9.10
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 32, Issue 822, 29 April 1955, Page 24
Word count
Tapeke kupu
386"ART IS NEVER EASY" New Zealand Listener, Volume 32, Issue 822, 29 April 1955, Page 24
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in