Daniel Thomas : Newspaper writings

"TELEGRAPH" Sydney, N.S.W. The Week in Art by Daniel Thomas MOTION PICTURES DETER UPWARD'S ex- hibition at t h e Komon Gallery raises the question of movement in painting just as much as the Stern Gallery exhibi- tion of Peter Foldes' pic- tures, which actually do move. upward's involve the spectator more. They can be experienced. They are therefore more truly works of art than Foldes', which arouse in- tellectual interest, and then subside into clever, smart decorations. No one could fail to sense the physical move- ment, the hand behind the brush, in Upward's simple dark gestures on a white ground. Or preferably the arm behind the brush, or the whole body. On a small scale this kind of painting seems like niggling wristwork. Only when the artist's arena approaches full man's slut-six feet, as in "October Still"-does the gesture seem inevitable. Then it offers the same abstract human pleasure as athletics, or classical lance. And, above this. some mlisation of the wonder 'alt by the first primitive nan, or by every child. viten first they make a nark in the sand and see hat It Is beautiful-that hey, too, as well as God. tan CREATE, All of these. paintings ire sent, from T.ondon. :October Still." the best /Kirk, and "Slow Move - mutt; both of 1962, are sot so different from his Sydney days. The others, toted 1963, have become nore compact and heavy. The panels are nee( with /cry broad parallels or with a number of large dabs, or with one huge, swelling, irregular slab. A sense of movement be- lins to come from the ava -like behavior of the paint itself, instead of from the artist's gesture that put It thew. In any case there is movement, be it fast or slow. As usual with Upward, these "black" paintings reveal themselves. in fact. to be purple. Five are large, four small; there are 20 water- colors, and one litho- graph. Peter Foldes The appearance of Foldes' moving pictures will be familiar front the numerous newspaper and television illustrations. Water-filled glass unities and globes are set an a canvas -fronted oux. They are surrounded oy finely painted arabesques and swirls, while uen.nd is a large rotating dith whose paintings or collages slowly metam or ph ose through the glass. The three -watt motors are not noisy. The effect is gentle and any, like a rock pool of arilliant sea anemones slowly heaving. The motors can, however, be set to slither speeds. Besides the five moving Uctures 1145.425 guineas) :here are six traditional utintings (85-225 autnees) end four lithographs t20- 15 gum as). "OCTOBER STILL" by Peter U,wiard (Rudy Komon Gallery). parents, and are rather roughly carpentered. It produced very glos- sily, without the bits of wire round the bottles. they would be happier. The interesting litho- graphs have 'sore tne Paris touch. One is printed on caper iiiat already has a few comae elements. Two are "mobile litho- graphs," each with two windows cut Into them. Through these a meta- morphic peepshow story can be :cad in seq_ence by Judiciously tugg.ng a paper disk whose edgc pro- jects down behind the lower margin. . The content of these charming toys is in many cases big -city folklore - words, signs. advertise- ments. lights, hectic bustle - and to express this by real movement Is a prom- ising idea. But, as I nave suggested. the forms scarcely describe a space teat the spectator can inhabit or space -gen- erating gestures with which he can Identity. They remain separate and detached from the spec- tator, and hence de. ora- live. They do. however, exer- cise the mind, If they scarcely have the poetic force of wori:s of art. they are certainly Interest Ina art thcory ornpoMions. The moving picture: 7'11 ..ctun I movement have been done in the act r Meds i of Ole four weeks shier he arrken ' In Sydney to vim his minds us that any painting But four S by 5 Con- changes Its appearance as ders were a rare pleasure; the spectator changes his what 20 -year-old today has position before It, or as the so succinct a compositional quality of light falling wit, and such a gift for upon it changes. color? We have been given an 'The Dominion Gallery's Instructive lassoo in look- exhibition, "A Century of Ing at pictures. Australian La n d s cape," from Bubelot to Olsen and Early Hessing. is not so even in quality but many pleasant things are there - three Australians fresh pencil sketches by Martens, for example, or a Two mixed exhibitions delicate, WhIstierish, Tom have thrown up interest- Roberts of the Thames I n g earlier Australian done before his return to paintings. Australia in 1885, and a Artiovers' loan exhibition, rCionngdearm beach. Martens of Sand - now closed, ranged from to Gruner. Rather The more conselou s I y too many late Streetons, tic phase of 1900-1910 Robertsand late be s insufficiently appreci- dull too. ated at present. WHAT'S ON TODAY AND NEXT WEER ART G LLLLL V OF N.S.W.t Soimat d.sptays: Modig.an and Souk.... em ty Ur ens Mr, V L.sti. kernt GOON. ,ent by Mr Gher.nt. -Lambert Rrnsay. IVItdrnon" an? .The Black end WAN Arleta."both sn conjunction NOS :Anent TV ser.a. ALL NEST WEEK RUDY KONION: Paw Upward TERRY CLONE. adtn Helm.. nd Gerard Vereguth, DAVID .inNiir PINE ARTS ,NINket St. Store: P511.5 Sptow., VO..PERinUCH, Neanastte: Desmond ChOhe STUDIO IS/. IDGECLIFFI Less Coto GORDOnl COUNCIL CHAGERS: torts. ,t Mt 1,0,1 1,1.1111,11, DOMINION, A Constr N . Ot Austra, an Lnaeen ...IRAN Pete, Fast1- motorsed WALES HOUSE; Hy, e ; 3, HUNGRY MORSE, Fmmenuete Ran cod WEDNESDAY her,E01./ARIE F F n LLLLL pa or nos DAVID J IMES 3. e gt, ARTLOyilits -..- ...s Zussers OPENING FR flat VON RTOUCN ST.... PA[0..... motClay TV LEClUlte LINIVE nil, 0. THE SOH. c 2 414 o rn_1 CHURSOA LECTURE MAR, WHITE SCHOOL - F.cren FRIDAY ANT FILMS 130,11./si THVAvIerTTIE . I. s , VI 0Am