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

"MAIL" Brisbane, Old. AND EXPECTS BIGGEST CULTURE !ZINN WHICH -SIDE -UP ART SHOW HERE QUEENSI..1ND National Art Gallery attendant~ yes- .terday needed several tries to place some of the French nAodern art exhibition paintings the right wa) up. hey began their Easter task of unpack- ing the exhibition's 119 pointings from 21) eases ready foe the opening next Saturday. The exhibition. vionled -French Painting To-day." is expected to draw record eroWds to the clattery. and caw, one ol the big- gest art controversies for years. Gallery staff are also expect= recur(' sales of catalogue, to visitors who Want to know what some of the nandings am about. One network of br strokes culled -17. 50-50" stood on the wrong side yesterday for some minutes before someone not iced the catalogue number was in the wronit position. "No-not that", "I'd hate to mixed up widi the ,Younger entries fur Toe Sunday Mail Children Art Competition." said one of the attendants. Attendant Stan Varley of Enoggera. unscrewed the first of the 20 cases in which the exhibition arrived. The first painting to come out was by 4i - year -aid Jean Le Mai, and it was called "Archaeology." "No, Ito, don't photo- graph that one." the gal- lery director (Mr. Robert Haines) hurriedly told Press photographer. Mr. Haines asked Bris- bane to remember that the paintings were NOT by "bright young men." Average: 60 "Some of Mese painters are men of 70 or 80," he said. "They have beet accepted for 50 years overseas." Average age of the painters represented in the first case unpacked yesterday was 80. Mr. Haines admitted that he did not go all the way with "T. 50-50." Ile gave this list of "old masters" for those who wanted to make sure of seeing the beat of the exhibition: rwitsso, Matisse, Braque. '.outwit., Chagall, Vlam- inck, Duty, Derain. Ut- rillo. "Anyway, the whole ex- hibition will be good for bolt? 'Australian painters and the public," he added. Most important Mr. Haines said the ex- hibition was the most im- portant of its kind seen In Australia since The Melbourne Herald exhibi- tion. The Gallery will be closed this week while staff strip the Walls and hang the exhibition to a plan on which Mr. Haines has been working for weeks. Three of the four tapes- tries accompanying the paintings will not be hung because they are too large for the Gallery walls. Footnote: The Art Gal- lery entrance will be mod- ernised In time for the exhibition*, opening. wienuesneassowtst,12 awff PUZZLED attendant, Stan Varley, of the Queensland Notional Art Gallery, unpacks "Light and the Nude," by Parisian artist Eugene Nestor de Kermadec. The painting is included in the French collection to he shown at the goibiry. "COURIER MAIL," Brisbane, QId. 32,000 Have now seen French art MORE land noon to than 7000 people packed Into the Queens - National Art. Gallery yesterday atter- see the French Art Exhibition. Gallery director (Mr. Robert Haines) said last night that this was the largest number to see the exhibition so far, in an afternoon. A total of 32,000 people had now seen the exhibi- tion, he said. Yesterday's crowd, many in sporting clothes, bought 1100 worth of catalogues during the afternoon. The Gallery has already had to have 3000 extra catalogues printed in hris- bane to meet the demand. A woman fainted while looking at the controversial paintings. Said Mr. Haim: "1 think It was Just the heat." The exhibition will con- tinue till May R. 11 11111111111111111 1111 1111 111111 111 SECTION ut the throng at the French art eod ition at the Art Gallery yesterday. In three tutors a record attendance of more than 6000 squeezed through the Queensland National Art Gallery to see the newly - opened French modern art exhibition. Best day's attendance at the Commonwealth Jubilee exhibition in 1951 was about 1000. This morning the gallery is ordering more eatalogues. More than 1000 catalogues. at 3/ each, were sold at the week -end. Visitors fanned them- selves with catalogues in the almost stifling at- mosphere. 250 Far many people it was their first visit to the gallery. Among the crowd were tramwaymen and rail- waymen visiting the ex- hibition between shifts, National Servicemen. and small boys carrying bicycle pumps. Nearly 250 people waltrd half an hour for the gallery's entrance gates to open. One woman wheeled her nine - month - old baby round the gallery in a stroller. She is Mrs E. Gary, of Highgate Her son. 311eltael Carry, 3. paid lite exit'. bition one of its most unexpected tributes. "1 think they're very good photos." lie said. There was no "snort- ing anti stamping out." Even people who did not "COURIER MAIL," Brisbane, Qld. -Nintriie.. I t 'GUARDIAN' OF FRENCH ART CLAUDE Bonin -Pissarro, V-. the vigorous .32 -year - old "guardian" of the French modern art exhibi- tion hos strived in Brisbane. Ile Is the grandson of the famous French im- pressionist painter, Camille Pissarro. The exhibition catalogue spells Pissarro with one "r." but last night ('laude in- sisted it should be spelt Pissarro. 1.1 T 1 /CH T'S picture n/ 11. Ilimitt-Phosorro. His reaction to the Syd- ney controversy over the exhibition : "Buildings, ears, planes are modern- naturally painters are modern." Himself a painter, he drew a plane and ear to emphasise his point, and then an old-fashioned horse -carriage to represent "photographic art." At the week -end 31. Flonin-Pissarro met Queensland National Art Gallery director (Mr. Robert Haines). Ills comment : "Ile is very good. Ile knows at once what Is good and what is not so good." BRISBANE had the biggest "art rush" in its history yesterday. like the paintings looked long and carefully. The gallery director (Mr. Robert Haines) said yesterday that his tele- phone had been busy with spontaneous tributes to the pictures from strangers. POINTS OF l'IEW Here are two extremes: and a middle out of yes- terday's points of view:-. "1 think they're hor- rible."-Mrs. N of 'raring'. "It's very in -Miss Nell Ile .cy of . Ashgrove. "The cubists are my favourite painters."-Mr.' Ron Phillips, from Graf- ton. The exhibition will be open to -day from 10 ant to 5 pm, anti from 7 am to 9.30