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

BEFORE YOU CONDEMN THIS "MODERN" ART RI AT the Queens - land National Art Gallery the much public- ised and Ion g awaited collection of contemporary paintings f r o ni France is now on view. After suffering iii' buffetings of shipwreck adverse criticisms, ridi- cule. gushing adulation quiet appreciation. clever cartooning. and Hollywood -like publicity, it is at last here. For weeks we have had the opportunity of reading the comments made by both lay and expert people directly opposite one another in thought resulting in a confusion of ideas in which many People are lost as far as appreciation is con- cerned. THERE have been good as well as bad academic painters and the same can be said for all the isms- Impressionism, pointill- inn, fauvism, symbol- ism, expressionism, cub- Asm, futurism, perism, surrealism, constructiv- lam-and the same will most likely occur in the future, no matter what isms develop. ' The past cannot be neglected nor the Pre- sent ignored. Therefore these lines are written In the hope that a wider and more satisfactory 1 appreciation can be en- loyed by those to whom the complexities of so- called modern art are bewildering. Any expression of art should be approached with an open mind. , Preconceived ideas cloud true evaluation, and to the open mind also must , be added knowledge of the direction in which the painter is exerting , his talents-be it con- gtructivism. realism, or any of the others. dillERHAPS the Xap- preciation of the people at large in re- spect of the various out- looks on what we term art, can be likened to their appreciation of the pure uninfluenced sounds produced by wild Three -aveg=sesa.,70...), examples of the French artists' work. From left: Mario Prassino's conservative side, Maurice Utrillo's "La Courneuve" and Yves There's nothin under the new sun birds. In a group of people walking through the bush, unconsciously some will register and enjoy the subtle, soft tinkling of the minor bushfolk, some both the minor chorus as well as the louder but golden rope of melody-from delightful warbling to glorious burst of full song-offered by the magpie. Again, others will hear but the raucous caco- phony of the jackass or the deceiving song of the mimics. To fully enjoy the whole, one must be con- scious of what is going on and listen intently. All have their individual appeal and a share of beauty in one way or another. TRE same thoughts can be applied to painting as well as to sound. Men have marched, and will in future march, to music written in 2/4. 4/4, "TELEGRAPH" 3 Afrn Brisbane, Q1d. 00 INVITED '1'0 RT OPENING Six hundred guests have been invited to attend the opening tonight of the exhibition of French Paintings by the Consul -General for France (Mr. M. J. Strauss) at the Queensland National Art Gallery. Guests will enter Sydney Art Gallery (Mr rough the new entrance Hal Missinghem) wit Of modern glass doors Faye a talk on the French Which lead into a formal aintIngs. rden. In the show ages there will be a dis- lay of African and nth Seas masks and sculpture set in a tropi- cal garden. Chairman of the Gal- lery )Mr. E. A. Ferguson) and trustees will receive the guests who will in- clude the French Consul .) Mr. R. Hunter) and Mrs. liunter: the president sf the Allaince Francalse IM.r. J. C. Mahoney) and Mrs. Mahoney; the presi- dent of the National Gal- lery Society (Mr. Leon :recut) and Mrs. Trout. "TELEGRAPH" Brisbane, Old. QUEUE CHOSE WRONG NIGHT A large crowd as- sembled at the gates of the National Art Geller, last night to see th French art exhibit ton, bu learnt that they he chosen one of the Gal lery's closed nights. The Gallery Will b open two nights thi week-Wednesday an Friday-from 7 until 9.3 o'clock. and 6/8 time, each having a different drum beat. Men have heard and still will hear the different drums; and it is somewhat similar in painting. There are different outlooks, but if all are kept at a high level the result will.be the same- an onwafd movement, or at least a movement which is more desirable than stagnation. This cross-section of French paintings cuts through half a century's effort. There is nothing new under the sun. Basically, it is easy to see ancient Peruvian art underlying a great deal of Picasso. The abstrac- tionists were preceded by out' own old Aus- tralians, the aborigines. and so on. It all boils down to presenting what has gone before in a differ- ent manner. S0 our task is first to consider in what category the painting falls, then, secondly, to appraise it. Does it give what it should accord- ing to the ism under which it has been con- ceived? Is it good cubism Or not? The same query can be put to all art isms. To do this the indivi- dual must divorce his mind from all prejudice, and rare indeed is the individual who can keep his likes and dislikes under control so that his appreciation remains unbiased. We should all strive to choose the best in what- ever form art is offered. All modern art is not bad, and all traditional painting of the past is not good. So when view- ing the show, try not t.). let preconceived ideas move you one way or an- other. Think of the times in which we live. DO you not agree that in an ultra -modern home of today a picture such as Landseer's "Dig- nity and Impudence' would be utterly out of place? If we accept the archi- tecture of today. L tl not logical to accept the best of modern painting. which fits in so well with modern architec- ture? This is not to say that good works of the past cannot. fit in with modern surrounds. They can. and do. This is due to their pure art con- tent. a quality that does not change with time or fashion. And In the works of this exhibition some will live and others die. Time. and time alone, will decide and tell the ikrt from the non -art. At the moment we can only have our likes and dislikes according to the drum, bird song, or painting which claims our attention; but re- member drum beats, bird songs and paintings. having differences within themselves, also have merits within them- selves according to the point of view. AND now for the pic- tures. To anyone who has kept an inter- est in art through the years the exhibition presents no extraordin- arily shocking features. We may not agree on all its points-there are by Melville Haysom the -Brisbane Telegraph- art critic - some works I like very much. some I am pre- pared to accept, and some I am very willing to forget, but, as a whole, the show can be definitely termed inter- esting as well as dis- turbing, informative as to the history of paint- ing as well as provoca- tive to thought. The first impact is that of colour. It riots on all walls in multitu- dinous schemes which leave a lasting imprint. In fact, colour and shape are the dominating fac- tors throughout. Satisfying patterns are to be found in the almost completely ab- st rect "Two Goats Under a Tree." "Negro Ball." "The Tree," and "Herd" by Francis Montanier, Francis Picabla. Denise Chesney and Mario Prassinos respectively. IN "City Perspectives" Vielra De Silva has - caught all the and solidity of people and buildings in a most remarkable manner, and the works of Matisse. "Seascape at the Cap D'Antibes" and "Nude on a Yellow Chaise Longue" are of interest. "Springtime at Na Ferte" by Andre Plan - son, and Maurice Utrillo's "Gilles Rabbit" and "La Courneuve" (Seine) should satisfy more conservative tastes. A deal is to be dis- covered in the works of Australian-born Edouard Goerg, "Prominade" and "Flower Market," which are brimming with character study. while Hendy de Waroquier is represented by the most interesting "Cruciform Landscape." Andre Merchant's "Spring" is vernal and vulgar. Its only excuse for being is its colour, where the complement- ary red and green re- act brilliantly against well placed black areas. THE T series' stand out as useless as discarded pak-a-poo tic- kets. and Francisco Bore's "Small Girl in an Interior" is not even as interesting as true child art. Just how far can a tongue be pushed into a cheek without penetrat- ing? And as for tile much- discussed Picasso, "The Orange Bodice," one can't lose sight of the Veronica Lake -cum - hobby horse combina- tion. Marcel Memories' "Evening in a Rugged Valley" has attractive pattern and colour, In "Prolonged Desire" Andre Lanskoy says much with vibrating hues. while Pierre Sou - loges' abstractions are more reserved yet none the less effective. The tapestries are ex citing. particularly th of Jean Lurcat. "T "TELEGRAPH" French art 'stimulating Most Brisbane people had f d French art stimulating. Queensland National Art Gallery director (Mr. IL Haines) said today. "I think most people nave been surprised at the French art exhibi- tion. "They had expeciiiil Iii exhibition to be more sireme than it actually r. he sold. lie expected more limn 5(1,000 people would see the French modern exhibition by the time it closed at 5.30 p.m. on Friday. .1.0 date, 47.000 people had seen tile exhibition. The gallery will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p ill., and today and on 1.1 ality will also be open from 7 p.m. to 9.30 pm. INOA0VME Rates: ENOnoPMFt ne. o Funeral l'ARTNLV. The Mends of Mr.. k Pamlly are In the Funeral o Ilus,und k the) 1.155 William Olean at.. Ord from Alex Chapel. Petrie morrow 18atur 111 1.30 o'clue Oravatt Cern (IOW. Fun' rot COONEY. 111111a WIIIIIIMar three Relative. az All re. K. T. Coon r afttsed loved th be uteri to lea ^kham al my. for titer Sete CROPOL1TA "Herd," a monochrome abstracGcoer. James. end of Mr. Brayer's "The Asylum of St. Pall -;;milt. Tapestry of the 0 Fear," a monumental work almost overpower- ing in its intensity. It would be impossible to record all the works and their reactions on the observer: the few examples quoted will have to suffice. In conclusion, I must repeat that there is nothing new under the sun, "TELEGRAPH" Brisbane Old. ART SHOW. l'OPULAlt Hundreds continue to isit the French art show .11 the Queensland Nat- ural Gallery. From the time the gal- .ery opened today there vas a steady stream of viewers. Many were housewives nd shift workers evoki- ng the crush of yester- day. The gallery was open or only three hours yes- .erday. in which time clearly 6.000 passed The exhibition is open tom 10 Mtn. to 5 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 9.30 p.m, daily