Daniel Thomas : Newspaper writings

hem L 2 flrt / eLEGRAPH" i Sydney, N.S.W. LEISURE `) Gothic period of great freshness OTHIC art has never been shown in Sydney before. On no account, therefore, should the exhibition now at the Art Gallery of N.S.W. be missed. It contains sculptures, ivory carvings, goldsmith's work, pottery and painted glass, needlework, and Il- luminated manuscripts all from the Victoria and Al- bert Museum. London. As well, there are rubbings from engraved memorial brasses, owned by the Art Gallery. What la Gothic art? It is the art of Western Europe In the late Middle Ages, from the 13th to the 16th century. Instead of Rome or Byzantium, Gothic art developed in France, and it is usually defined in terms of the architecture which pro- duced the miraculously beautiful cathedrals of Paris, Amiens and Rheims. Instead of dark grim en- closures with massive shel- tering walls like fortresses, these cathedrals reduce the wall to a linear skeleton for holding colored glass. They aspire upwards to heaven with pinnacles and steeples, they let in the light of the outside world. It is above all a Chris- tian art. No longer does Christianity have to use the styles inherited from pagan Greece and Rome (and to which Christian- ity returned again after the Italian Renaissance). No longer does Christian- ity have to turn in upon itself defensively. It is the art of Christianity trium- phant, and in full control of its world. It is not the art of great individuals. Later, from the Renaissance, it is the individual artist that be- comes important. A paint- ing or a sculpture by Michelangelo or Leonardo is significant chiefly as revelation of the great al- tist's inner being. But Gothic artists are not con- cerned to express them- selves-indeed we hardly know their names, let alone their life stories. They are concerned sole- ly with praising the glory of God, or with illustrat- ing Christian stories for an illiterate population by means of stained glass windows and statues. They also, for the first time, ex- press thb humanity of Christ instead of His majesty and awe: and in consequence the Virgin for the first time becomes im- portant too. If Christ Is treated as a real person with human feelings, so is the real world which He created in all its living variety seen as something marvellous Instead of being ignored In favor of the life after death. Christ is brought into the real world, flowers and animals, and daily ac- tivities begin to appear in art. Birds and beasts frolic gaily through the painted borders of the prayer books. A vision of heaven then is brought to earth; and earth itself begins to par- take of the vision. Yet the graceful style in which this outlook is expressed being linear, agitated and flame 'te cannot help but redireLt attention to higher things. In the history of art it is a period of immense spiritual freshness. This touring exhibition of course contains no major objects, but the English Speaking Union is sincerely to be -hanked for bringing it to Australia. _ FRANK HODG- HINSON (Hungry Horse) brings us from the sacred to the profane in his HI erotic gouaches of ab- stracted genitalia at 90 gns to 220 gns. And yet it is in no way offensive. Maybe the high-keyed In- tensity of these tingling surfaces - covered with desperate scribbles that Just fail to shape them- selves into written words- is a good symbol for a beautiful (sacred?) experi- ence. These gouaches are as usual much fresher than his oils. Some keep his familiar colors of brown earth and eucalyp- tus bark; others come in new sharp underwater blues and greens. Herberts Sits (Little Gal- lery) shows pen and brown wash drawings at 24 gns. to 30 gns. He conies from Latvia where he was a famous illustrator. There is considerable facility, but the domestic and genre subjects don't on their own, quite carry the poetry, or the,drama indicated by. such titles as "Unkind Brother," "Solitude," or "Dog Sneezes." He is best at simple cuteness. Francis Lymburner (War Memorial Gallery, Sydney University) can be cute too. This loan exhibition of 34 early paintings in- cludes a couple of unfami- liar circus nieces as fun, - as Cedric Flower. But as, pink and brown chlart./. curo sometimes builds up to a good solid structure; he does have some poetry of his own to give to Syd- ney Harbor; and when he Ls closest to Pasch), who must be his major source. he says the lyrical things about underclothes and female flesh, not like Pas- ch), the sardonic. What's on TODAY AND NEXT WEIN Art Geller,. New South Wm..., eentbliions. English Share,. 1060.1010 fleet day). Gothic An. 1515.1615 senior,. Y. Nesemetle.-nGeorl. fey HoollTrl 17.,V,Zatta.-,Taclovas g.phis art. TXT WEE Hungry P Hey..-Frank K. Hodgkin. , goose,. from pain. "Anthony Hardern's. Arens. lery 0111 An Society, an. nuel eekibitoon. E a./ Sliten.-Arth Euthberlson, Melbourne paint.; Wanda Germ "yInVnnlverelly, War Memorial Geillery.-Francis Lymborner, 15.- 52 (10 m.4 p m. only). Terry Clunir.-Roberi Boy... Ade,aide p.m.. UnleemIty of N.S.W., Golds. n Hall.-Pay Dottrel!, lltiTchotd pan. 10 ni.4 anip). Lilt. Gallery. - Herb.. S., dream., Workshop Orb Genie*, Chale- t... exhibition. Walk Gallery, Hornsby. Arno, and Leur4 Taut, Quatins land artists OPINING TUESDAY. S.W. - Totters Society of OPINING WEDNESDAY. Poly - Andrew Sibley PainOngt Macquarie. - Grace Cusslngeon zaintmAs. E deutlan Deparernent Glellery. b.:1,eis, of Art's., ann.' exhi 1/4 1