Daniel Thomas : Newspaper writings

"TELEGRAPH" Sydney, N.S.W. 2 9 :L: 1963 The Week in Art by Daniel Thomas VENERABLE ONCE upon a time the Society of Artists' annual exhibition was the main event in the Australian art calendar. more specifically the twenties and thirties, un- der the presidency of Syd- ney the Smith, was its heyday. His art-statesmanship brought exhibitors from other States, instigated the New South Wales Govern- ment's travelling art schol- arship (which the Society used to administer), pub- lished the Society's work his magazine Art and Australia, and in 1923 made the Society organise the only large official ex- hibition of Australian art to be held in London be- fore the 19805. Even earlier, the Art So- ciety of New South Wales (now the Royal Art So- ciety) had the same posi- tion, that is from its foun- dation in 1880 till Tom Roberts and other paint- ers formed the Society of Artists as a breakaway group in 1895. The emphasis was on the word artist, for they felt professional standards had to be asst !led: that the Art Society was dominated by laymen and amateurs. Both of these extremely long-lived societies have their annual exhibitions on at present, and something of the same distinction still holds. The Royal Art Society (it became "Royal" in 1901 after a shot -gun wedding with the Society of Artists, which broke away again six years later) is still over - tolerant. There are as many as 210 works exhibited, tend- ing towards an amateur- ishness at one extreme, commercialism at the other, with a small middle - ground contalnint Albert Rydge, Allan Hunsen, J. R. Jackson, the veteran Howard Ashton and a few others. Impressionist landsca and still life account forpe nearly the whole display, though there are one or two rampant nudes of a kind seldom seen nowa- days. Perhaps it is the too well groomed hair that makes them so embers - Maly naked. Since Degas we expect nudes to be nat- ural - bathing, or in the bedroom, not posing in the :radio. There is little to enlarge our experience, or to indi- cate much poetic feeling on the painter's part, either. It might be better to regard these inoffensive pictures not as art, but as domestic furniture. The Society of Artists offers none of the vitality of offensiveness - this is the function of the third major group, the Contem- porary Art Society - not so young either, with its 25th birthday due next months-but it does main- tain a degree of profes- sionalism. It is not easy to become a member; one must be elected. And indeed a ma- jority of the present ex- hibitors are art teachers in the Government schools', they are the guardians of tradition. They can also be an inspiration for their students, or, just as use- ful. something to react against. My guess is the lyric Poetry of David Strachan's still life, the visionary fer- vor of Lloyd Rees' coast scene, the abstract sym- bolic colorism of John Co- burn could all serve for in- spiration. And the per- vasive post - impressionist style is the stimulus for reaction. Cubism, surely an ideal art - school discipline, is neither prevalent nor well digested, though Caring - ton Smith's The Rose" is a decent specimen, while Gilliland, Apple- ton and Green have car- ried It into abstraction. In this context Feuer- ring's sharp colored ab- stract surrealism makes an Independent stand, with Its Ernst -like forms lung- ing playfully about rie picture. It is interesting to see something by Aelalde Perry, and others seldom seen elsewhere (maybe classroom duties prevent them painting enough for other exhibitions through the year). Three pictures Includ- ing a 1938 self' -portrait pry tribute to mold Shore, a recently deceased member. The 82 &tures (and sensibly sin' II total) by members mid one or two invitees make an at- tractive exhibition. with an instructive art-schoa flavor. However the absence of nai yia leadingt artistscay only confirmsiof the exhibiting society is gone. The reason is simple. We now have numerous art dealers and almost too many art competitions. In the recen6 past these opportunities for brirging paintings to a buyer's notice did not exist, A small short-lived group of painters with aims in common - the Imitation Realists, the Antipodean - may still be useful. So will a society for neglected media, like sculpture or original prints. But In an increasingly sophisticated art market large bazaars are no long- er necessary. Repairs This week there is room to repair a few (3111194.1011. (for space reasons) in pre- vious weeks. REG BUTLER, for in- stance, was omitted from my discussion of the Brit- ish sculpture exhibition - the year's moat exciting exhibition, as explained last week. Butler is the only one of the nine art- ists to anal with the figure in a realistic manner. He is neither modern nor ol .- fashioned: in- stead the utter directness and simplicity of these nude girls make them time- less. The pose Is natural, not a studio formula. There Is a modicum of sexiaess entirely proper to the subject without any of the pitfalls of the nude. that is, without either petrification on the one hand or naked exposure on the other. - A Henry Moore show of photographs, color - prints and four small bronzes will add interest to the big show from Tues- day. REINIS ZUSTERS, Some weeks ago I intended to add that although his geometricised harbor views seemed only modernistic, his turbulent bush land- scapes revealed a much more personal talent. TOM SANDERS was the potter whose apparent at- tempt at brainwashing was so infuriating, especially as It prevented me seeing his exhibition for myself. After all one only agrees to go reviewing because of the pleasure to be gained from works of art. Originally I had written that the fleeting impres- sion was of decidedly in- ventive forms marred in some cases by too slippery glazes: and that the pots on the whole seemed more successful than the sculp- tural heads. This is con- firmed by a second visit. Other exhibitions WILLIAM MARLER'S carved bowls at the Hun- gry Horse are in such un- expectedly lovely woods as banks's. native apple, cas- sia, etc. He is 80. and was set on his path by the late Ger- ald Lewers, whose kindly spirit Is present in the ex- hibition. The bowls are eloquent of dignity and hapniness, and contribute in no small measure to this high Jen- son for sculpture. Prices 3-35 guineas. JAMES CANT fiends 13 oils and eight watercolors from Adelaide to Barry Stern's. Dates 1959-1083, prim 25-185 guineas. This one-time surrealist. whose London street scenes were once eaminely dis- turbing, distippnInts. The watercolors seem preferable; we have seen BODIES .4$ , ' ',efts -4...A C. IS AC. 6, "Girl" by Reg Butler, in British Sculpture Exhibition. better specimens of his re- cent oils elsewhere in mix- ed shows. His dry, prickly nests of twigs and grasses are strange enough without the mystic girls and but- terflies. Downstairs Barry Stern shows a good group of tex- turalists front stock: Lynn, Peascod, 1959 Gieghorn, and a few flguratives: a good early Dickerson, a Blackman oil on paper, and a 1981 Lanceley exactly like a Dubuffet. THREE AUSTRALIAN EXPATRIATES at the Dominion make easily its most attractive show since its previous three-man show. Runt, James and Lym- burner are a more abstract lot than Strachan, Jessup and ()Hey, but equally Prenchilled even though one now lives in San Fran- cisco, the other two in London. Good solid charm, with James better represented than the old and new left- overs of the others. James' watercolors and oils 22-130 guineas. Smith, oils 45-250 °guineas. Lym- burner, drawings and oils 22-125 guineas. WHAT'S ON TODAY AND NEXT WICK An Galley et HAW. - Spegial exhibition.: Recent British Sculp- ture (Henry Moore, Hepworth, Paatotti, ett.l. Henry Moor* (wail brooms. reproductions. photographs!. Specie! disploys Auptralien black and white illustrator., Merearel Preston. ALL Naar Walk Terry Chine.-Robert KlIppet. sculpture and collage.. Davie .Soclety of Ani1111 ennuel chthiiion. Education Department GaING.-Royal Art Society, annuol 4111 - ea.( 11.ml Dem.-Jame. Cant. An Lewes, Artannon.- 'en Cloth. Dantsh potter. Von Ilertomb, Nesecestle. oete anct ursine Levert,. Cram Well Frank twiner With Cohen, PlermIty.-04. short. Male 183, INHOR.-Ponery r Tow Sanders end Peter Mobach, Workshop Art Centre (35 . /.1 St.. Willoughby), Elitabeth Rooney. etching. 194.51163. URI CO CHILD ART, daily 10.4 evening p m. (mmpt TuNda. end Saturday). OPENING tUtSOAY 14mgry Norse.-Colin Lmatey. Gemini. -Flower painting, and orch.g., OPINING WIDNILSDAY MateuitHe -Margaret Oilm Rudy Kenton-Seven Melbourne Printmaker, Pawnees Hawk.. THURSDAY LIICTURR leery White S pre, °Modern Art Vulgarity... ND Stud. MIttagong.-Anouel NEXTWEEKE Pottery, volleying, carpentry; SM., ,oe, in s Sunday.