Daniel Thomas : Newspaper writings

CAMAY TELEGRAM, JULY 29,, )962 The Week in Art by Daniel Thoma WO art prizes, and the opening of a new gallery, were i the week's principal events. The 500 guineas W. D. and H. 0. Wills Art Prize at -Dairld Jones' was awarded to Frank Hodgklnson for an anti -elegant, but still incorrigibly s t y fish, abstract of brown and yellow shapes and Scratched lineS. His style Is the product of the artist's recent years In Spain. Nearly all the 31 entries hung are non -fig urative, three or four are academic impressionist, three or four are decorative or post -Impressionist. This would seem a fair reflec- tion of quality among the artists who exhibit regu- larly, and the competition this time provid a far better image for its spon- sors than the crowded walls and- makeshift gal- lery of its past two years. Then the prizemoney was divided. now the larger sum has attracted more of Lb, leading artists, Last year also the prize was divided into "tradi- tional" and "contempor- ary" sections; now the only criterion Is quality. Some competitions might be Justified in having these sections if part of their aim is to instruct an audience-say in the sub- urbs, or the country-in distinguishing various kinds of painting, and thus beginning their apprecia- tion of art. But even so, is asking for a specific style really very different from asking for blue paintings only, or circular paintings. or paintings done with the left hand? There is, besides, the difficulty of defining "tra- ditional" end "contempor- ary." The former is usu- ally, in Sydney, taken to mean impressionist, and last year's prize had the absurd business of the contemporary section be- ing given to David Strachan, one of Aus- tralia's best "traditional" painters, but one who works within a rather older tradition than impression- ism. In a metropolitan com- petition the encourage- ment of good art, regard- less of -style. is the only proper aim. Limitations of subject matter will ulti- mately produce absurdities too, such as the proposed Portia Beach Prize for "portaits of famous men or women painted by women artists": in this limited field all one can see is mink each year for Judy Cassab. W. D. & H. 0. Wills ar therefore setting a better example in art patronage than before. Better still would be exposing them- selves all the year round to some of these paintings in their own boardrooms and canteens. Among the entrees, two figurative paintings show a simple authority, refresh- ing among the more in- tense abstraction. They are Sail Herman's "Over - lender" (which was highly commended), and Ray Crooke's darkling interior, quite the strongest picture I have seen by this lightly romantic artist. The abstracts included a fine Gilliland in which sonic of the subtle clarity of his watercolors is for once transferred to an oil painting. Ross Morrow's abstract expressionist landscape, de- spite some spatial ragged- ness, is most beautiful in color, and full of promise. Another young painter, Emanuele Raft, has moved into a more troubled and interesting phase since the perfected solutions of his previous work. Sheila Mc- Donald is rather better than usual, the rest are much the same. Rockdale Prize THE Rockdale Art Prize is one of the older municipal competi ti o n s (1955) and one of the best run. In its first years it awarded open oil and watercolor prizes. Recent- ly there have been tradi- tional and contemporary sections for the two media. but this year the distinc- tion is becoming meaning- less again, for the "tradl- timer oil went to Zusters, Ind Elaine Heaton and Susan Wright exhibited In the same section. "Tradi- tional" apparently meant figurative at Rockdale. not impressionist. The contemporary oil WHAT'S 0AI... TODAY ART GALLERY OF N.S.W.: Special exhibitions. Modern Japanese Prints; Loan collection of oriental ceramics; ancient Chinese Rubbings. 2 p.m. -4,30 p.m. Also next week, 10 a.m.-4.30 p.m. CORONATION HALL, BARDEN STREET, ARN- CLIFFE: Rockdale Art Prize, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. CLOSING WEDNESDAY BEARD WATSON: Robert Owen, sculpture and Jewellery. ALL NEXT WEEK DAVID JONES: W. D. & H. 0. Wills Art Prize. DOMINION ART GALLERY: Eight Sydney painters. BARRY STERN: David Rose. TERRY CLUNE: William Drew. RUDY KOMON: Jon Molvig SYD- NEY UNI. GALLERY: Dr. J. W. Power, paintings. WALES HOUSE: Paintings by art teachers. OPENING WEDNESDAY FARMERS: Margo Lewers. MACQUARIE: S. Ostoja Kotkowsld. RS DAY. HORDERN BROS.: Housewives Art Competition GENERAL VIEW of prize was won by Margo Lewers, and the watercolor sections by Brian Stratton and Guy Warren. Once a generous sprinkling of "highly commendeds' have been scattered, the public has near,/ all the good pictures labelled for them in these cheerful free -for - ails. Then one can relax with the Sunday painters or, if keen, pick out new names (Dick Watkins, Meg Greg- ory) or older ones that exhibit infrequently (Enid Cambridge), for here is the proper place for 'agent spotting. Teachers' show AT Wales House there is an opportunity to see the work of a dozen or more painters who do not exhibit very often. They are nearly all too busy teaching at the National Art School. Although the exhibition is called "Ab- stract and Figurative Paintings," only three or four are abstract (Coburn, Laverty, Freeman). The rest would easily win all the "traditional" prizes if they cared to enter. Strachan, Jessup, Dun - des, Salmon, Alfred Cook are some of the artists in the instructive exhibition. I would be surprised if Melbourne's biggest art thu interior of the new Dominion Art Gallery. school could find a similar team. New gallery THE Dominion Art Gal- lery has opened its .irst exhibition In a large and handsome white - painted attic, at 192 Castle- reagh Street. It ha's-. Easily the best architectural space of any Sydney gallery, divided by hanging screens. There is good natural light and individual lights for each painting. The managers, Mr. Evatt and Mr. Mandelberg, were previously importers of furniture, furnishings and art objects. It will certainly attract enough exhibitions even though it will be the fifth commercial gallery opera- ting In Sydney on a basis of regular exhibitions. There are also the depart- ment stores' prestige gal- leries at David Jones and Farmers. There are the dealers who never have special exhibitions, Art - lovers at Artarmon and the Gordon Galleries at Double Bay; there is the Hungry Horse. which neither sells nor exhibits: the Royal Art Society which sells from Its rooms in North Sydney; and there are occasional exhibitions in various department stores. The Newman Gallery, has turned into an antique shop again. One can only wish them all well, and At the same time express the hope that their -nerchan- casing skills will not have to be applied to too much inferior art. The Dominion's opening exhibition is mostly of work seen before. Judy Cassab's brown stratified landscape images especially are good to see again. The others are Hunder, Co- burn, Fluke, Feuerring. Hawkins and Joe Room. Decorators WILLIAM D R E W'S weakly pretty clowns and girls at Terry Chine's are worse than ever. The poor drawing and organi- sation is much more ap- parent than when he kept to stiff geometric patterns. One can also get away with this sort of thing much better when the picture be- comes an object in luxuri- ous materials, in gold -leaf and enamel, than when it has to stand on its own merits. David Rose, on the other hand, at the Barry Stern Gallery is a very good decorative artist. His colors are fresh and clean, his forms simple and clear, and his motifs intelligently varied in their eclecticism. Some designs based on mediaeval script and let- tering are especially striking.