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

Works during the Epstein, are Art Gallery. by two outstanding figures in British art first Wolf of this century, Sickert and being exhibited at the Queensland National !III 11,,1 'I' 'II 11 I. 1,, Candid glimpses ,, .,II miall,1. in I :Pao I. si iyilial oho. ;Hon: . tie hood 11111 lalrr I.Scilcol cion.stolo oli wtlnciioa ill 104o old ,,,o, III 111.11 tillino I 1.,o 11111i ,ifirt/11,1, 111, xv.riz 1114111,11 .! 1;1111 3511111 11111'11,t1 IOW , art1,11s is icw,,Ictl 'Intl In 1(1111111 k's' Otto cionivast ay. macs 'I' with \l 1111'11 11e lowtrays 1414 bruslioorl: 1010.1. :1111 .41 .lt "11 It In in 11" h1.1'111311 c :1 1 III' 't1 1141Ie picture lianas 111!:'1 111`1. pal hn, .1111.11'c:a 1011 of xotii511 :11111 1!1,11, .111(111) - - just recently kiiikOlital Ill,' Ins contributions to act was, al one time in his career, a most cotitrttversial seolptor. Some of his major works Noised unite a stir in conservative circles years ago. It has been nicely put (hut the method used 111(5 little mere than sintplification and over- statement to gait' effect. In this collection of ins portraiture iii bronze, HIS 12,0(10 SEE ART SHOW Moro than 22,000 people in seven weeds viewed one of Queens - land's most oupcotant oil exhibition (4 the Nooonot gallery. ,a, .II 11.11141. 111 .111 ,111.`, ;11111 1,1111111e, 11' E111213 '1 13.1111'1 1, Wal- ler :',1t 111111 Sel'e11 heat, by Jacob Epstein. OKE S ON BRISBANE Epstein Art Real Farce (By a Brisbane Art Critic) BRISBANE people have been hoaxed into believing that the collection of bronzes by Sir Jacob Epstein at the Brisbane National Art Gallery represent "superb examples" of the sculptor's art. In reality, the models are technical atrocities, crude, stereotyped and unin- spiring. The real truth is that if teen-age art students had been guilty of the work (heir Instructors would have told them to gel out of the' game and devote their time to neediessorlst Yet some cril;es have used such wild phrases as "1109. metal" and "superb characterisations. The public is asked to believe that every person who sat for Epstein had a lopsided fare, with ears. (1051'. eyes and mouth askew and hopelessls out of step with the Law of Nature. These samples mos showing at the Art Gallery are baldly amateurish, and have been "sold" to the public by a a large band of sychopha ntic critics right through Australia whose lack of y technical knowledge has made them afraid to do other than write platitudinous plaudits. Epstein made himself famous by periodically producing examples of freakish sculpturing which were meant to he controverslal-a shrewd business move. Hut there is nothing controversial about the models now In Brisbane. They are offered as examples of straight modelling. And What About The Ears! A really humorous aspect of the models is that they are literally "on the nose." Six of seven heads have noses almost identical: they mold be inter- changeable and represent It new mass production trend in portrait model- ling-except for the fact the sitters were supposed to be SIN different people. But If nothing clsc urn. considered. a shu11 III the models' ears NM(' the 1113.1N. SIN Ill Ihr heads spurt tun ears III tutalls 1111 ferent shape and size. and so irregular], placed they give the impression the artist lacked even all elementary knossledge human ears. Although ears come In many shapes and sizes, once they clamp on to an individual head one seldom varies from its mate. And In 95 per cent. of cases. the top of the ear Is on level with the eyebrou ; at t h e lowest. level oith the lop of the eye. Some of the Epstein ears. on the "one up and our 1113,% 11. principi e. frolic at angles never seen un a living person. Top of ears on some models ate almost on level 11(11 the lllll nth. Not one lel in the .1 11011StS the same on, urination 1311 both sides of the face. In .lime instances, (opposite sides of the face could be - "TRUTH'S" statement last week that Sir Jacob Epstein at the Brisbane Art Gallery technical atrocities, has prompted one reader newspaper run the rule over the paintings as "I 3.11141 soil 113111111 11 1113 1,111, I 1113.1.m. ..1 Ill p..11111e1;;, i1, It, I- %.1141.11.11 I. ' I r. :11(111RNON. neliffo long to different people. Eyes, generally, are of different sixes while some of them gape in leering fashion. Nostrils vary In thickness and are set at cold angles, and many necks could have been cast from one mould. In the catalogue com- ment, Ursula Hoff some- what naively remarks: "Vet hardly one sitter was pleased with the re- sult ... he lEpsteinl never received a teaching appointment." It's not difficult to understand why! Epstein has produced some first-class work in his time-but none of it will be found in the Itiris- bane eshibillon of his bronzes. the bronzes by are nothing but to ask that this well.