Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 1 : Presscuttings, 1959-1962

1 "COURIER MAIL" Brisbane, Gild. ,&56 INVIN44444444444.Vki4444441164444114,1144441144441.44V144444441 Exhibition of Italian art most impressive ART REVIEW -11y Dr. Gertrude Langer THE exhibition of tri the 20th fenttir- is the 1 itnoreaaire loan exhibition front abroad since the French. Paintings and sculp- tures are thought- fully arranged in our National Gallery. The gallery has been Improved by taking out one partition wall. Examples of futurism by Balla. Boccioni, Severitil, and Sironi, though not major works of these artists, remind of Italy's contribution, at the beginning of the century, to modern art. This belongs now to his- tory. Leave impact The bulk at the ex- hibition represents the abstract tendencies of our time, no matter whether the work Is "figurative" or "non-figurative." As can be expected In such a large inclusive ex- hibition, there are In each group, including the nen- realist, works that lack content and leave one cold, but there are enough arresting ones, which will leave an im- pact. Highlights in non- representational paint- ing are: Prampolint's lorceful and balanced "Abstract Tensions." Guarna's charming variations of a simple theme In "Sur- face." Saiitorn a so's a h. ra t s. Antonio Music's. which hint at pre -historic shapes. Abstractions containing resemblances are by Sergio Rom i t I. who ciraies rt poetical still- life feeling with veiled appearances and subtle tonalittes. and Paulucci. who creates a landscape impression with near - abstractions and out-of- door colours, Examples of dramatic abstract. expressionism are Corpora's brilliant "Red Gully" and Vedova's dynamic and lagged paintings of "Protest" and The Cycle of Nature " Doll -like Dova's "Personage and Bled" with its quasi embossed. glossy surface reminds of small crea- tures preserved in amber. Figurative painters Include some doyens of the "Novecento,' such as Campigli, Cerra. Tosi, Chirico. Casorati, and de Pisis. Canapigh never fails to leave us spellbound with his doll -like, open-eyed and aloof females. with his matt, whitened col- ours applied with a dry, blunt brush like mas- onry. all giving nut a feeling . of something ancient as the ages, a feeling which also emanates from the in- triguing self-portrait. Sir this fine painter. gives us a romantic evocation of the past without any archeological deriva- tions. Tender landscape Carra's "Landscape" and "Figure" are both tender and nostalgic, Tosi's "Flowermette" and landscape are immensely still and restrained. The de Pisis do not quite come up to expec- tation. De Chirtco's "Still life" is sit example of his uninspired baro- que realism. into which he lapsed after his early "metaphysical" period to minor example if this is also included.. Casnr- ati's "Girl, nil the Beach" Is a small gent of Inrmalised design. Other interest me fig- urative work iii more re- cent manners are by Cantatore. and Scorda. Scorda's "Interior with Figure" has some- thing of the cockeyed ambiguity of some of Klee's mirk. Neo - realism has gifted representatives in Gla11110 'agnettl and Anna Salvatore. an PN- ,ellent black and white artist. Guttosn's work, are examples of a less samury nen-realism. The sculptures lit the impre,sive eoliitre display, the ,iine trends as In paint- ing may be found. More or less non- representational sculp- tures Include the rattle: cold abstractions in pol- ished aluminium by Nino Franchini. the complex sensitive bronzes by Mirko, and the near abstract "Nude." composed uf voluptuous smooth volumes by Viani. I -swill's bronzes may be termed expressionist.. His "Screaming Man," with Its expressive ten- sion and encrusted, Per- forated, lava -like sur- face, seems to symbolise the agony of our atomic rot,. "he austere and form- a....xl "Bust" shows -a highly original treat- ment. Modern work Modern. yet basically within the sculptural tradition, are: Emilio Greco's -Fairy' i which. however. seems ton huge for what it says., the wholly admirable bronze "Portrait" by Marini, with its restrained. re- fined modelling, and it, stress of the t ypica I in the individual: Mas- cherini's elegant "Young Horse." inspired by the pre -classical past, and his even more satisfying expressive "Cock." The exhibition will he officially opened by the Italian I/Ice-Consul , Dr M. Castaldot at 8,15 to- night. sod will remain open until January 31 "NEWS" Adelaide, S.A. NEW -ART SHOW -LIKELY TO START CONTROVERSY BRISBANE, Thursday: Queensland National Art Gallery's biggest visiting exhibition since the French modern art show three years ago will open on Monday. trance to the etterY even with deflated tyres Public Works Depart- ment men removed the arch with acetylene heavy cases. It has just It could not then pass torches, allowing lie van to reached the gallery from tinder the wrought iron pass out, and then welded Sydney, arch over the street en- the arch back again. It is likely to be just It travelled In a large as controversial. furniture van, When the The exhibition consists cases were unloaded at the of 155 paintings and sculp.' gallery the van rose on its tures of twentieth centurV springs to normal height. Italian art, Parke" .4,-41 6 4 (;" :1 "TELEGRAPH" Brisbane, Gild. Nothing new for artists a, ME, Our pointers have nothing to learn tram the exhibition el 20th century Italian ad at the .Queensland National Art Gallery. We got it from the French years ago. The Gallery exhibition presented under th auspices of the Italian Foreign Office find Ili Ministry of Education. covers 5n years in the development of expression in paint and sculpture. It dives an overall Im- pression of what has been taking PI :I re in taly. the home of ancient culture The exhibits are beauti- fully arranged and dis- played. but, hi itself. the show is rather disappoint - mg. There is a high degree of eraftsinanship throughout. bun nothing that has not been said before. tr