Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 10 : Record of press coverage, March 1982 - May 1984

r , 1rier-Mail 27 December 19 83 Has tb.e Archibald become a trifle dull? THE ANNOUNCEMENT of this year's Archibald Prize prompts thoughts on art prizes genera.Uy. This annual portrail prize, conduct– ed by the Art Gallery of New South Wales under a bequest from J.F. Ar– chibald, was first awarded in 1921 and one wonders whether that vital newspa– perman and art lover might have thought that his prize had become a , trine dull over the years ... the "rather as expected" syndrome. "Rather as expected" were the words used by the art gallery director, Ed– mund Capon, when the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman winners were an– nounced. He could scarcely have expressed surprise that each prizewinner, no mat– .ter how deserving, had won his particu– lar prize before. This gives Eric Smith his third Ar– ,chibald win. The first winner, W.B. · Mcinnes, almost made a second in– come from the Archibald, winning it four years in a row and seven times in all. His winning streak was only exceed– ed by William Dargie, first past the post eight times between 1941-1956. The Arc_hibald ~as often been highly controversial (as in the Dobell win or 1943), has frequently engendered great excitement and done much to foster arl. I am rather fond or"Archie" but the prize seems to need a win by a rank out– sider to be revitalised. Now' we come to our Trustees' Pur– chase Eithibition, which grew out or the prize given to honor Professor H.C. Richards in 1951 . This year, with a purchasing allocation of S20,000, it is the richest buying exhibition of its kind in Australia. Being held for the first time in the new Queensland Art Gallery makes it an historic exhibition. From 400 entries only slightly more than one-quarter have been hung. This is nol quite "as expected" as there seems to have been some anticipation that in the new premises more paint– ings could have been accommodated. Feeling a bit like the judge at the ret– rial of a ·much-discussed case, I am making a late enlry as a reviewer to an Art - exhibi1ion which has provided a conver– sation piece for some time. Let me say quite simply that many paintings have been hung which gave me pleasure. Others would not have been my personal choice. Among those purchased, the Sen– bergs (S5500) catches the eye as you ride the escalator. It is a good Sen• bergs. Michael Shannon displays his usual competence in "Abandoned Quarry" ($7500), I by-passed realist Alfred Engcl's "Split Planks" ($2800), being drawn to the more potent realism or Bryan West•·• wood's oil nearby. The self-taucht En• , gel has used the difficult egg _tcmpera 1 medium. There is a lift of the spirit as . you sec Helen Lillecrapp's highly origi- . nal "Ideas arc Bound to Twig" ($400 .· per pair). . • . _The .other artists purchased arc Mikt .Nicholas ($2000) and John H. Robin~• son ($2500). It was a nice gesture to conduct the three Pedersen prizes (for drawing, . small sculpture and printmaking) si•, multancously in 1982 to ho11or Queens• land Art Gallery benefactor Mrs E.L. Pedersen. The t~_xtural contrast provid•" ed by scattering sculpture pieces throughout the exhibition rooms seems an excellent idea, although it gives a marathon walkathon to any reviewer • duty-bound to view the lot. And despite help from atten·dants and members of the public I never did find Shirley Miller's "Sleeping Cat". · Julie Paync's winning entry in this sec!ion}s a ~autifully put-together ex– ercise in social commentary entitled "Australia Fair?" In the mind's playback of the work of . an ar_tist, Mary Mac9ucen's drawings and lithographs or animals will always come first with me but I don't think that anyone will begrudge this versatile ; artist her win in the drawing section with her fine outback sketch, "6.30 Nullabor". _Bea Maddock'~ winning entry in the printmaking section, "Four Finger Ex– ercise for Two Hands", displays a high degree of tec.hnical skill. - PIIYLLIS WOOLCOCK. , . • I ~-