Daniel Thomas : Newspaper writings

"TELEGRAPH" Sydney, N.S.W. , E Ui L:ilt A LOOK AT OUR O'SEAS "TOURISTS" IN THE WEEK IN ART BY DANIEL THOMAS "We've never had so many so good!" THERE'S never been a year with so many good exhibitions toured from abroad (or so few produced by the locals) . Formerly the new tendencies were shown once in three years; now we've had them thrice in one year, first the American, then the British and this week the Euro- pean In the Stuyves- ant Collection at the Art Gallery of N.S.W. There are 24 paintings by 24 International -set ar- tists including Australia's Whiteley, but they all work in Europe. in London, Paris, Amsterdam - and the general impact is quite 'distinct from the other two exhibitions. The best Americans were the sleekest, Intensively trained athletes throwing off all waste material in pursuit of some self - erected goal; very open- handed deceptively simple. Here Jaffe and Perron give echoes of Mitchell and Riopelle; while Paul Jen- kins pours a few giant pnduddlpusheses, 'cade th t em gentlyd ni a into a huge orchidaceous bit of pictorial muzak. Unlike Pollock's action painting Jenkins' has in- stant appeal (and in full size is far more impressive than in the magazines) but it won't survive contempla- tion. And unlike Pollock, who wrenches the specta- tor with compulsive imag- ery, Jenkins leaves you merely admiring the skil- ful handling of a mysteri- ous technique, like Pay Bottrell's dyed fabrics. The best British were clever and maybe over -in- tellectual; here there is another bit of similar color -theory by CoyleHo. But the best contempor- ary Europeans can make beautifully handcrafted objects. They still prefer being sensual to intellect- ual (like the Brittah) end rather then be strict and pure (like the Americans) they go for giving easy pleasures. Thus the degutted ab- stract expressionism of Jenkins is compounded with the impossibly ele- gant scribbles of the Ital- ian Perlin. But most typi- cal European of all is the texturology by Japanese - Parisian Key Sato where tastefully colored paint is lovingly kneaded and teas- ed, stained. Inlaid and rubbed, as If it were an old L piece of walnut furniture, or a richly iced cake. The Dutch Jaap Wage - maker's is probably the beat texture picture yet seen in Australia and here one begins to find some- thing more than luxury decoration; It swings, slowly to be sure, and may- be In geological rhythms where the earth's crust bubbles and heaves. HANDSOME Our own Whiteley's handsome abstract of flesh and fertile mud stands up well, and is quite at home among these charmers. The pictures after all are meant to ingratiate. This la a meeting between Art and Industry, the paint- ings being commissioned to illustrate the theme "Joy of Living," and to hang above the machinery and the workers in a Peter Stuyvesant factory near Air sterdam. Now factory muzak is never so stirring as say Beethoven or Bartok, They would take your mind off your work. So muzak Is specially designed not to be noticed. It goes in one ear and out the other. Similarly the pictorial muzak of Paul Jenkins and Key Sato who go In one eye and out the other is exactly right for busy factory workers. Great works of art would be far too distracting. Maybe back at the factory they were distracted; we're not told that they greatly mind the paintings being away in Australia and Canada for a couple of years. If any pictures spoke back at them It Just might have been the Wagemaker; or the Lacasse, a veteran cublat perhaps the slip- pery homage to a Goya head by Satins; or most likely the beasts on bicycles by Lucebert, a picture six years later than Olsen's bicycle boys but in its mood very similar to Olsen's and fascinating evidence of how artists can work quite independently of each other and yet arrive (from a source) at a similar result. This instructive and sophisticated exhibition will at times have the ac- companiment of electronic music, made from the fac- tory's own noises, shaken up on tape into a chic, subdued jangle. Don't miss it. A flat viewpoint ROBERT ELLIS (Komon Gallery), the first New Zealand painter seen here In years, paints maps or bird's-eye views of cities. Mostly there is an uneasy balance between black city and surrounding yellow country; instead of staying flat the city is inclined to rear itself on cockroach legs (the rivers) and march upright away. More successful but less interesting are the few realistic views, of the few completely fiat decorations where the city disappears into a pattern. The oils are a bit raw; the mono- chrome gouaches again are much more successful, If less ambitious. Comparisons between our own artists and this well -regarded New Zea- lander? He Is not as good as slides or photographs might indicate; Michael Shannon's cityscapes are much better though more decorative. Ellis' general level might be equal to middling wwwwworealimsoWel 1 painters like John Ogburn, Brim McKay or Robert Hughes, The Aladdin Gallery's inauglral exhibition makes another New Zealand beach -head with excellent color-etc:lings by Kees Hos, ri.mantlic semi- abstract landscapes usually with a baleful lun or moon. Very reasonable prices II gns. to 16 gns. A few doors down from the Town House in Eliza- beth Bay Road, this gallery will hold occasional exhi- bitions introducing New Zealand artists in a base- ment room, WHAT'S ON THIS WEEK Following are details of exhibitions on show this week. TODAY ONWARDS, Art Gallery M - Specie imbibition: Wyvesent on. contempOrary Elite Wan hemlines, NW/Cattili city Art Gallery. - Skr=alAntEibitionsi GetAle Ark Ca- ber:My Art Gamy. - New Guinea Art from she Moriarty Von Earkiwort. etelnaetle. -4 Lane and Loeser% leteellery: Al.ee ff. Sale, Grep3mith. minted rewire. TOMORROW ONWARDS: Aladdin's, 45 Elisabeth Gm Rd.-- Kers Hos, N.Z. etcher. Clunk. French painthom, imstrim. Id Ned exhibition. Gallery A. - Jena bewon. !Weary Harm. - Seven Potters. Macquarie. - J. Ca:Ingle. Smith. Europe., watercolors Little Gallery. - Oldie Abolins. was.colors. CIlectors aendeayar. - Party English Gast PaRns.Ma. - and uder. Latvnian Heine. Stree140.1. - gar Anil:. paintings, an Walk dr. Gallery. Mornsby. - Mom, d n Worukshop Art. Senn. Chatwwiod. -child Art. OPINING TUESDATI Cr.,., kValinklIMIS --'drag aM under. Peace Panndu catIORe, Depa00101tr1hp D.-.ment Galte OPENING WEDNESDAY: David paintings - Franth and EritIsh aintings and drawings Rudy Emma. - Mined ach11:1- Micheel AIL She" detach. and a pa np.