ART IN AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 215, 11 September 1925, Page 8

ART IN AUCKLAND.

■ a ■ SOCIETY'S POLICY AT EXHIBITIONS. REPLY TO CRITICS. In a statement issued with the annual report and balance-sheet, the council of the Auckland Society of Arts replies to criticism of its exhibition policy. The two principal items in this statement of policy refer to the complaints that, although the society exists primarily for the benefit of artists in the Auckland district, their work is crowded out to make way for that of Southerners, and that, having regard to the work available, the standard of judgment is too high. The council says, in reply to the first complaint, that "this raises an important point of general policy. In common with the other three principal art centres, our society has long opened its exhibitions to members of other societies. Without their contributions Auckland would have a very much smaller and less interesting exhibition, with a consequent long drop in revenue from entrance, sales, and art union receipts. Under present. conditions the financial side must be considered in this connection. If a marked preference were given to local contributions, and outside exhibitors were included only after much of the wall space has been filled, and whatever the merit of their work as compared with local productions, Southern exhibitors would soon lo6e interest in Auckland. The council has been severely taken to task for inviting works from New Zealand artists abroad, and also from Australia. This was done not only for business reasons, but because the council believes that it is a. function of the society not only to encourage local talent, but to educate the public, and to seize every opportunity for enabling local artists to study good work.'' On the other question, the council says that "the proportion of rejections, is small compared with older countries, as, of course; it should be. It is larger than it ought to be, because, until quite. recently, anyone could become a working member without first submitting proof that he or fehe had any right to do so, with the result that we have a number of members who submit work, year after year, which it is quite impossible to accept, judged by any reasonable stan-, dard whatever."