Wieneke Archive Book 2 : Queensland National Art Gallery (Director: James Wieneke) 1950-51 Presscuttings

THE CAIRNS POST, FRIDAY. SEPT. 8, 1950 BRISBANE NOTES - I From our ov di correspondent.) ART GALLERY FACE LIFT Our art gallery has been give% a very comprehensive renovatiold which has made it almost a new place. The old terrible drabness has been replaced by new colour schemes which have been thus specially to give "life" to t pictures. Mr. Robert Campbedi. the new gallery director, ita, worked a wonderful change since he has been here. For years thri gallery was a massed jun?ole d.1 art, near art and plain rubbisn. Now the rubbish has gone. and much of the near art with it. Room has been left for the pro- per display of pictures whic% really do represent art as we understand it. The gallery has yet a long way to go. admittedly. but now that it has been estao- lishecrion coirect lines there is some hope for it. For one thing, public interest will be re-created. It has long been dormant. For a second thing, the re -awaken- ing of Interest will demand pro- gress. new pictures, representa- tions of the latest tendencies in the world of art. An must never stand still. It must be pushed ahead with the times, and if possible a little in advance of public acceptance of new ideas, In that way fa gallery is a chal- lenge, and as such becornrs a liv ing entity in the community. s.- FRIDAY. THE COURIER MAIL, SEPT 71111111MINIM7--"-- Enoland's modern to set IT is very fortunate that the work of modern- ising the National Gallery should have been finished in time for the exhibition of the Massey collection of English con- temporary pointing which opens there to -marrow. It is fitting that such a fine and important collection should be so suitably housed. The collection consists of works by artists who have mode their marks over the last 50 to 60 years. It moves from Sickert and Steer to Sutherland and Moore, and gives a fairly adequate impression of the movements in English art over the period. Sickert is represented by three works, including his well-known "Old Bedford." That fine por- trait painter, Augustus John, has eight-all fine, "Girl in Straw Hat" and "Aminta" making most appeal to me. I found "Severn Valley." by Wil- son Steer, disappointing, but not so his "Lime Kiln" and "Edge of the Cliff." Star.ley Spencer is finely rep- resented by a most likeable self- portrait (this and Lawrence Gowing's "Andrew Cakebread," in my opinion, top the portraits). and superbly so with "Magnolia, Olney Club," and "Marsh Meadows." This lust is hung in the same bay as two other works that must also be termed superb. They are tongues THE MASSE COLLECTIO0 Paul Nash's "Dymchurch and "Vale of the White bird." and nre even finer Nash I think. takes most is in the show. * * NASH. Moore, Hillier, Hilt.hens, Sutherland Matthew Smith are of par interest and importance, U of their pictures will is their work indicates the nit cent movements in England,. arouse controversy in consul quarters. There are three splendl Iler's (do not miss the Ga own, in the front bay), and Piper's "House of Comma a glorious thing, once seen to be forgotten. Sutherland and Smith termed the problem child!' the exhibition Sutlic sparse imaginative lard may make immediate apd a few and be overlooked many. But none *ill p the Smith canvases with a glance. They'll stop ad hard. There is lovely colour h in his rather gross-figur' dining Nude." while the of colour and design 1: Life, Fryvern," will mai: evident if the picture is from the opposite bay. There are many other