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

The Sundae Mall - - - Page 33 "DOGS" is the title of this painting which is included in an exhibition of Italian art which will be open to the public at the National .4rt Gallery on Tuesday. Salvador Dail would be a help at I wish I could have had Salvador Dali at my elbow yesterday for my look at the Italian Art Exhibition. all sees logarithmic curves in cauliflowers, so I am sure he could have pointed out the signifi- cance of many of the paintings that puzzled me. a an ordinary domestic soul satisfied with the patterns on his linoleum I predict this response to the exhibition: "What Italian does most of it mean?" The exhibition will be offi- cially opened by the Italian Vice -Consul in Brisbane I Dr. M. Castal- dol at the National Art Gallery at 8.15 p.m. to- morrow. It will be open to the public from Tuesday to January 31, between 1.0 a.m. and 5 p.m. every day except Sunday (2 p.m. -5 The exhibition, representing' "Italian Art of the 20th Century," is valued at (100.000. The exhibition brochure says: "Fi urativIsm and non-figura ivism, neo- realism and abstraction- ism are now the new ex- pressions of artistic crea- tion. 'Phone, N.03133 AUSTRALIAN PRESS CUTTINGS "TELEGRAPH" Brisbane, Gild. Italian art drew less Less interest has been shown by Brisbane people in the Italian Art Exhibition, now at the National Art Gal- lery, than In the French Art Exhibition in 1953. This was stated today by the Director of the Queensland National Art Gallery (Mr. Robert Haines), "The French paintings were supposed to be a trifle naughty, which ex- cited people's curiosity." said Mr. Haines. "The same degree o Interest has not be shown in the Italia Paintings, although th exhibition has been qul successful." More than 80,000 peopl saw the French exhibi Lion in the one month which It was present The Italian exhibitior which opened on Deem ber 10 and will close o January 31, has nttracte onl 30.000. "They have gained universal consensus in the artistic life of the five continents. Painting and sculpture in Italy to-day hold a place of prime importance the evolution of conteir porary art." And Public Instruc- tion Minister iMr. Paolo Rossi) adds: "I feel that these pictures and sculp- tures carry a message to all of you from the Italian people. I myself did not get the message yesterday. but I could try again.-13.11. ITALIA Ail' OF TM: "OTII C,MURY in paint" AFTER taking a gond look at the Italian collection of pictures at the National Gallery Norman Lindsay's description df a similar French exhibition a few years ago comes forcibly to mind-''An Emetic in Paint."' It fits this show like a glove. Beyond a few quasi-intri- lcctuals. nobody wants this kind of art. Shows of this kind cost a lot of money to send around the continent. I'm all for overseas collec- tions being brought to our country for touring pur- poses, but surely we can have some selectivity. Think of the tremendous interest that would be aroused if, say. half a dozen old masters were lent. to its for exhibition by some overseas Government, and what an un- nere. they would give to art The contemporaries have had more than a fair go -- L. .1. Middleton. President, Half Dozen Group Art So- ciety, Brisbane. 'Thrilled by Italian cprtrr REGARDING L. J. Middleton's letter con. cerning the Italiihn Art Exhibition at the National Gallery (C. -M., 2/1/57), the truth is not all of the exhibi- tion's appreciators are his quasi -intellectuals, but are numbers of his "nobodies" who experienced a thrill, especially from thg fine sensi- tive sculptures of; Marini and Mascherini. It is unfortunate that Mr. Middleton follows Norman Lindsay, whose own works neatly fit the description he gave the French Art Exhibi- tion ("an emetic in paint").- William Smith, Ellerin@ Crescent, Taringa, "COURIER MAIL" Brisbane, Ald. kt A N I957 REGARDING L. J. Middleton's letter con. cerning the Italian Art Exhibition at the lkiatlanol_ Gallery St..)L.,.2,1/57), the truth-H*1M all of the exhibi- tion's appreciators are his quasi -Intellectuals,. but are numbers of his "nobodies" who experienced a thrill, especially from the fine sensi- tive sculptures of Marini and Mascherini. It is unfortunate that Mr. Middleton follows Norman Lindsay, whose own works neatly fit the description he gave the French Art Exhibi- tion ("an emetic in paint").- William Smith, Ellersile Crescent, Taringa. "COURIER MAIL" Brisbane, Gild JAN :957 To display 3 Epstein pieces V:11111Ible ,c1111)(111 ni All1P11.11,11.1 . Sit Jacob Epstein a di n. displayed :it the Art ONE,. ni the end of this month All thief. rile heads and our will he on show for the first. time. It is "Nail." completed by Epstein in 1911 and con- sidered typical of his early wet k. The other two are -Ssrn- ard Shaw," completed in 19311. and "The A rt s Daughter," completed in 1949.