Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 4 : Presscuttings, November 1967 - June 1972

' The}Preaident and Trustees of the Queenaland Art Gallery cordially in.ite you to the ""hibition of selected entries for the Richards R.S.V.P. 5 4974 - November 6 Memorial Prize To be judged and opened by Proteuor Bernard Smith, Ph.D., B.A., F .S.A. Tuesday, 12th No-.ember, 196B at B p.m. Exhibition end• 15th December f' CRITIC SAYS OLD. ART IS IN "SORRY Gallery gift 'l'wn µa1n1tng~ frnm IJle H. C. R,lchards MemonaJ RWAl'ri r.ompel.lllnn h&VII been acquired for t-he er,;• bone Art Oalle.ry r.olll!<'Uon, Th• wnrk.s h•v• been ~lven ,v; • ~ifl In 111• QIIJ. lery t ntstces from t ht' Oorl· rrey River. Trust. They are Expandlnir Structure " work by Brl•· bane al'li•t Nevil Matthrws catalogued Al $400, knd the awru·d winner The Coland• er b.v New Zealand Artist Michael Smith, cau.Jogued t $200, . "THE COl,AN tllm", nn oil pnlnt,lng by New 7.e11 la111i nrtl~L Mlc hnrl Smithe r , whlrh wn s nwRrc1e c1 the $1000 H. c. Ri c hard.~ :--1r mnrtnl Art PrlzP by the Jud ge , Prorrssor Brnrnrd Smith trl~l•ll nt !lw Q uern slnnc1 Art Gall e ry Jnst nig h t.. POSITION" A. LEADING historian and critic of art in Aus- tralia last night used the words, "Weedy and malnourished and, in a sense, suffering from cultural rickets," in giving his opinion of the fine arts in Queensland. In o scathing ottock on the QuHnslond Art Gallery and art throughout the State, ProfHsor Bernard Smith said: "One only ha, ta be inside thia gallery-e-.e11 far 24 hours– to aee that art in thia institution la i11 a pretty sorry paaitia11," Professor Smith Wa~ ,relL- he should makt some I-He was surprised lo lear Invited to Queensland remarks obout •rt In that the QuttMland Ar to Judge a record Queensland. Gallery had on annua number or 249 ent.rles \ Queensland'• aollerv """ budaei or $24,000. Wit In t his year's H. C . ~.it. 1~ 111 { 0 ~i,!r:°'~.rir, 1 t:~ 1 ~ ~:'!'tntni:,,:fg:~;::~c~ nd ~:; Rlch1utjs Memorial •Rll.rle• or other Stot••· takt11a about $20,000 o Prize, huL It di~ not ha,·e enouah this. Lhere wa.. onll· 14 Carryln• $1tl00 tn cash, rt'!?r spaer. ":llh which to buv ne IL t, reaorded •• the pre- It t, ele..- thol .round \lork•. mler ort, prl1.e In Queen,- 1h• Lurn or the century, a In roct . tro,·elllna on hmd Rnd one or I he motst Oo\'ernor or Iht~ State '\\ 1 ho other expenses could easi sou~ht-orter tn Au,trolla. WM lntere,ted In 111" Art•. loke J1nother Sll\00. whl He owarded t.he prl1.e to decided to ,do somethlna left • rldlculouslv •m New Zealand ArlL I, Mr. l\~Ul t.hr.m. ' he said. Rf!!Olp1t 10 \L',e. Mlcharl Smither ror his Bui , tnc• I.lien thin•• Its up to you people oil palntlna Lit.led "Th• I"""" b<rn ,,llnwed to •tide the orllst• •nd orl love Cnlandrr " ond lodRv •.hev ore weedv of Lhls State -· to d Pro1es.sor Smith curr•nt- l•nd malnourished ond. In •omethlng AbOUt It." Pro' Iv rrore~,;or or c0ntempor• 11 11enf-f', '-11ffrrlna: rrom res., or Smith ~aid. 11n, .-.r1 ,met " rllrector nf cultural rlck•"t.~." He ~uggested onr meth the Power Institute or Fine Fl11e!1iit ,,•orks mlghL be 10 pre53 for Ar~ Rt svdrle,.. unh·en;H,,: · • • State Oovernrr,.,.t\t. mqulr~ for man\' ·\'e 11 rs hR~ been ; 1 Proftssor .~mlth .~Aid thl8 about Queenstt.•. .1 Rrt an no1rn a,ithor·. 1l1s1orlRn. 9. 1 Rs ~ ctc.;ipttr lhe fact get lhe \•If!\\'" and oplnlo tectu,_·er. Rlld crll lc or orl lthllt Queensland poss•Med of tnieillgent Pf'OPle abo In AuslrRll" ~omr of the be.111,t ,.-orks Inv. hat. could be done. . ' A11~Lr11hA - ~llch R8 l..A tn his remn.rk11 abO Lack~ s11aee Belle Holl•ndnlso ond the entrle• tor the H ·- - surtll' I he finest DeRRS. RlchRrd, Prt,.e, p, Or fort" ll crowct of Rboul .. B111 It 1~ 11 prrlt\' 00or fessor Smith ""Id that Cf ~00 p~ople. he snld thn.t lkrttle of rt.qh when \'OU temporRry Art wa" 1101 11lthoUQ:h hr h Rd come to hR\'f! "n tmport trnt ocr.R· thmg ln which one 'i t.he RRllery RS R J:11est and :r;lon llkft thlA nnd Are quality In mnny dh·c did not Intend to be drawn nnt RblP to .ee thrsr llrlds, Iulo A l<><:AI or~umenl , he works.'' ht ••Id. Hr. AA Id II ~-•• now 1rlcUIL 10 SU51Rln thr 1~~1/icle~~• 1i."1i~d~~~~ A IRrRe l'OrlCLY or QU I n~ 1 11':: 1 !~!ieo~~- l"drnwn bock" to )a11 Smll h,•rs' n• lntIna nf or 11., .,1mollcl1,·. o "IL l.s tu.,t. •n lo. r l'rryda 1· l\Ort of T 1 but he hn., 1th ·en •an which I think I~ I A11L 10 do In Art. ,·,n j 011.lier, 1 Tr11~1 ? denL •Sir Leon \ it had bren oo~c;i ~ \ ulnv onlv 9i of 11· \ I 1Ard~ Pr l1.e r1Hrlri\o (spar e rr1-trlrl Ion.".