Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 3 : Presscuttings, Sept 1959 - Sept 1967

TUE AU.l'l'R, LIAN 2,!th J W-:1!: , 1967 Mr Wieneke tells all about the art of patience ... Mr JAM~S WIENEKE: "Plenty of people ore hopeful I will do some good." ly IAH\' WAIN "You can't make a success of anything without running into t r o u b 1 e occasion– ally," said Mr James W i e n e k e . "Such things happen. "A little patience, tact and tolerance help to Iron out problems. Some, of course, wlll be Impos– sible. They'd test the patience of Job-and any of his adherents." Mr Wieneke should know. He has had a try. Ing time recently. Mr Wieneke. who I 60, ls frankly delighted with his new position and Is confident he can handle It. "It Is a most Interest– Ing time In the world of art at prescnt.1' he said. "I think the chal.lcnge and the work can be most rewarding. "No doubt there arc pitfalls, problems, and difflcultles, but these occur every/day." Then, switching to the rnyal plural as he frequently Hoes, he added: ''We'll face them to the best of our ability." He denied he was a traditionalist who would tend to exclude modern paintings. But as 1he centre of an art-world controvcrsy over his appointment as the director of the Queensland Art Gallery, Mr Wieneke remains 'MOST REWARDING' completely unperturbed. Amid wild rumors, the "In the Moreton Gal- unexplained theft end leries we are prepared recovery of a Picasso to consider anyone - and the reported resigns- from the primitive to tlon ot the acting dlrcc- the contemporary, I oni)· tor, two tru•tees have make one stipulation - resigned and a group of the work has to be of a art lovers has called for standard. a public Inquiry Into the "In my own home I 11allcry. have quite a cross- Mr Wieneke', appoint- section ol paintings - ment to succeed Mr from early Australian to I Th · h the contemporary. Laur e omas, w o re- "It's the en)o)'ment of signed to become The . Austrnlinn's arts editor, art m Its b1·oadest sens_c was confirmed on Tues- , that can be the most day by the State Cabl- re::"{'~1s'n!i people don't net. 11et sufficient time or QUALIFICATION The Cabinet twice deferred a decision after the trustees had recom• mended Mr Wieneke, the director or the More– ton Galleries in Brisbane tor Almost 17 years. Born In Bunrlnberg, Queensland, he has n background or painting, rev iewing anrl jurlRlng, His quallflcatlon~ have bee n heatedly dcbnled tor weeks, and the cha ir– man or the trustees, Sir Leon Trout, has puhlicl,v defended the appoint– ment. Far from beln,i dis· turbed by the row, Mr Wieneke rlismlsses It wtth a shrug. He bcllcvPs the nfTn ir, It anything, may have st.lmulatcd Int erest In art. Commentlnit on rr– po,·ts that the two lrus– tcc~ rcsi~ncrt hcrnusc thev did not think he was suit a ble, Mr Wien– eke sold ycstc rdov: " It clocsn 't wnrry nlC' much. I ha ve quite n pile ol tclC/ll'Ams hN c lrorn nil nvrr A11~1rnlln . " ft srP-ms lhcrr nrc plen ty or people whn nre hnpe rul I will rln io:om~ itonrl anrl nre cn111·– n11cn11s enou11h to say i.n." opportunity to develop this appreciation. "I thank it is a State gallery's responsibility to sec people gel the broadest possible oppor– tunity to sec nil kinds or paintings, ,·cgardless of sl'hool. "A Stat e gn!lcry is rlclinilcly not lor anr one J,!rOup or Arti~tf;. Thcv arc oil to he consiclcrcd. The)• all play their p11 rt." Mr Wieneke sees tho l relallonshlp between thr. Queensland Art Gallery I dlrecto,· and lhe trustees - long a source or uneasiness In art circles - ns clear-cut. The cllrector, he ••)•s, Is there as an ndvlser lo lhe trustees, end must be &!it well R person capnble or handling ndmlnlstratlon anci stall. "The trustees declrle pollc.v, ns clenrly nerlnerl bv lnw," he snlrl . ·on the s11h.lcct ol j pop11lnrlsl ng the Queens– lnnd Al'l Gnllery, he ~Aid: I "The 11aller;· Is rn– rlrnvnrinu to ,:rll ,:nmr-1 thing that Is a hit nr n I m.r~tcr.r. l'nntrnvcr.!-IAI. tn some people. " It must he hrnnrl In nu t look, tmnRlnali ve, helpful In artists onrl 1110 puhllc Alike." art 011 to11r :'\ ,, w Q1wrnslu11d Ciu llc r.v dlrt,clor Jame• Wlrneke ho1ll's or Inking lo 1wo11le In lit~ countr,• au; well n• a.Urnctini,: more 11eo1tle to I he gnller)', B11l Mr Wlt\ncke hM no lmmedinte plans tor d1nng. ing the gnllery ... "l wnn to ~r l Iulo the c·ar nnd i ~~<'llr\\' f! 1 6kr:nri·~.roi~~.o~: ings," he snid . Mr. W1cnekr who hn staged nrt exhibitions ;, several countrv centre. from Mt Is11 lo Llsmorc says people In the countri a re "hun1!TY !or art." He like~ one forn1t1r dlr cctor·s idea or "art trains' taking mobile miniat,u~ ga lleries through count11 Areas. And he belle\'es In doln more Io heln people 1111der stand nnd nppreclale art \lith lectu re~. n llhrnry •-1.nd lnformnt1on 1-icr,•ice. THE ART OF AUST. Yl'sterday l\lr, Wieneke talked about his Ideas on 1 he gallery, his dlrector– !~ta~te public. artists .. . " I think that basically we have to be concerned with the art of our own country. 'I'he overseas art and the old ma.sters arc almost out of our reach. m~~h~~~il t~?or~~ 11 rth~~~ hat depend, on the qunllty r the: <mrk. His views on a State gnl– lerv director's freedom'/ . "Wen r suppose I.hut until a bet.te ,· system Is designed the trustees have appoin– ted t he ~allery director as nn advisor. TO PUT A BRAKIE ON h~J a 5 ~P.~: ~~::d 1 luir~~ a rtists they'd still disagree. M~;: p~t~~i(;, tl~~~u~ke~ hopefull note tor con– temporary artists when he said thnt although goon qunlity abstract nnd modern nt·t did not sell well he fell the1·c wn,1 n pince !or it In Ihe "cross- ••~\!~~, .. ~f "th~tnt,\'11 f ~~!~:lc between a i:a llerl' that hns Lo ~tay in buslnCss by sell• In! pnintlngs nnd n Slnte ~a ~~~~ri~\~t d~11:~a~~-h~~ high quall t.v work or all approaches," he said. "Galleries hove to try to seJ I the Iden to all ol taking both pride and rj:;s~•~~ i~ot~~'t~o~'."l1 f~l; can be ncl1leved, more people will, I reel sure, be encourn~ed to nssist In the genera l wcirnre of the oal– lery. "So one could hope and Riso expecl, I.hut 1.woc pn ln fltH?S, ~,·11lpt11re. nnd rurn l1 11rc would br prcsrn– Lcd lo the µnllcry, lr11i-t. e, lRblishert nnc1 s11b.CilRl1· tlnl prlze.s gJl'cn lo th• enrn111·ngcm<'nt, nr nrt wor k ." 22 ./ 1" ' Sydney, N.S.W. "COURIER MAIL', Brl1blne, 0. 23 JUN 1961 Wieneke says "No" Moreton Galleries ' foundo, Mr, John Cooper opporontly wiM not be oblo lo buy bock the 9ollcrle1. , Ga lierlc . present director llld newly • appointee' ueensland .~rt Gallery !rector (Mr. James Wien– ke) Inst night said he would not open 8111 , 1egot1a tlon With Mr. ~l~~>er, or Surfers· Para- On Wednesday, Mr. Cooper said he had 011ened H\lf oJ~~f ~~/~~- to buy back "I Wish to make ll quite clear tha, I do not admit any obllgntlon 1.0 Mr Cooper In this matter-anci that I have no Intention or opening ony negot111tlon With him or his agent with reference to the sole of the Moreton Gollerles." Mr. Wieneke said. "I deny ony Interest In Mr. Cooper·s proposal and wish to advise a~ artists and clients that hi proposal hos not been con sldered," said Mr. Wieneke Wieneke says "No" Moreton Galleries founder Mr. John Cooper apparently will not be able to buy bock the 1ollcrie1. Galleries presen t director Bild newly - appointed Queensland A1t Gnllery cilreclnr (Mr. James Wien– eke) la.st nlR-ht said h e ~~~~ri .. t1cih 0 t ,~Pt'iin irt Coo!)Cr, ol Surfers· Pa l'B· disc. On Wednesday, Mr. Cooper said he had opened negotlatloru to buy back bh~I g!l~'lr'l'.;;· make It quite clear that r do not admit any obllgntlon to Mr. Cooper In this matter-and thRt. I have no Intention of opening ru,y negotiation with him or his a.gent with reference to the sale of the Moreton G1tllerles," Mr. Wieneke Eald. "I deny any Interest In Mr. Cooper's proposal, and wish to advise all artists and client.~ t11at his proposal has not been con– sidered," salci Mr. Wieneke. 22 \_II Judges',--for art prize T HE Bloke Society ; chairman I the Rev. · A, P. 8, Bennie) hu on• , nounced jud911 for the 1967 Blake Prl1t, one of Au1trallo'e riche,t ort , ' ' Conl'enor wlll he tl1• principa l of Sydney Uni versltv's St. Andrew's Col•: leRe lt he Rev. A. A," DOURall). I JUDGES FOR ART I PRIZE NAMED The ludRes Include ~tr, LIO.I'd Rees and t,hc dh·cc~ Lor or the Newcn.stlc Art Gnlle1·y /Mr. D a v Id' Thomnsl. , The nrlze ol $IOOO II nwnrded to stimulate the· Int erest or nrl ls ts nnd ths, public In rellRIOUS Pnint-. Ines Rlld 6CIIIPI ure. • lucloes o f lhe 191i7 ~ahhk : ~lr L101,i Ree, and · " · · I' ~lr Tnm Gleshorn, a.rt1<L<, Bla ke Pnze fn r re ,giou, Mr 0 , 11 .,d Thnm.s. director art are . lwo clergymen, of the Newca<ele Art two ;ull!-ils. and a n art (i;1 llerv. ga llery director. Fnt rics lnr the SI ,onn T he judges were ~amed Rl,ke Pri,r, nne nf ,he ycs1r rdr1 y hy rhr ~h:u rman richc~I nrl rri1r~ In An~• or 1hc Rinke Snc,~1)', ,1hc 1rnli,1, cln,;c ,m Scrtrmhcr Re\', 1\ r. R. fknme. \\ ;u - 11 den or S:~1n1 l-;i ul', ~·nllc~r "clcc1cd pa 111111\•~, :n lhc lJ n1 , cr,1I )' nf S~•tlnc} . n hrhucd 111 lhc ( o111111nr1- I he\ nrr lhc l< l:' · '' · ,A ,q•,,llh \ .,, 111 ,:.. n 1nl,,, . l)n11J,:an ~1.A . li.:P ll \CIH I.I, , \ drl('\ fr Hrn Tl111r,d,n , Pn n1,:1r ,tl Pf . S:df! 1 1 ' 11 " "~'~ 1' SCrrcmi,c, ~,.;. 1n \\'r tl nc!r-· \ ,,llqic. Um vc.-1,,1 ~ nf S~ 1 • 'Ith\ 0 ~•1,,h,•1 11 OC\ : the l? r, . l)n c l111 l,, 111 ' •' . •· Th h II Vire-Rcw •r nfl I 11,· 11.,,,, I 11,r " , p,,n• nrnl ~. 1;1 rer in cto~mnlic 1;nrc,t h rhr < nn1111nn"l':--t \l h f~tnln \, Al the Mnrii.! Bun~111c ( nq1,,11 t1n11. It " 1H FnlhcJ , SemlnAq•, Tnnn• n"1 nll'arde,I in 1ry51, The Darcy Morris Mem• orlal PJ'ISI! IOI' the best; l'eli~lous pnlnt,ln~ on a: scrlpturnl xub.Jcct will bo lnercMcd this venr rrom ~100 to $400. M orr ton <1111Jerlrs' fmrn .. <Irr Mr J ohn Coonc1·. of Surf •I's' Pnrncl lsc. Mid \'estcrl/nv hr hnrl nnrnrd nraor ntlon.• tn hUI' them bnck. Tl1 e 1>resent rllrcrlnr l ~t r. ,Jnme.s W ieneke) hn., been noroln tcd QuecnRlllnd ·t aller.v d irector.