SUR-REALISM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 247, 18 October 1941, Page 12

SUR-REALISM

STUDY OF PAINTINGS EXHIBITION IN AUCKLAND An exhibition of sur-realistic and abstract drawings and paintings by Mrs. Adele Younghusband was held at a luncheon in the Art Society's clubroom. Mrs. Younghusband returned to New Zealand last year from Australia, where she spent about three years studying in Melbourne and Sydney. Opening the exhibition, Mr. E. J. Hipwell, who was introduced by the president of the Auckland Art Society, Mr. R. Cross, emphasised the fact that there was no key as a password in respect to the measure of appreciation of sur-realism. In March, 1940, he said, the first exhibition of this branch of art had taken place in Auckland, and the reaction of critics had been interest, curiosity and hostility. The speaker went on to give the meaning of the word and likewise the portrayal of its meaning by the artist. Sur-realism was something beyond and above realism. Sur-real-istic art was beyond realism in the deepest sense in connection with normal vision. Such famous men as Gogh, Gaugin and Cezanne had adopted this way of expressing their mind pictures. Regarding the criticisms of abstract and sur-realistic paintings, Mr. Hipwell said it was necessary to look back at most of the works of these modern painters. Only byclose study could deep appreciation and understanding be cultivated. Just as the word "beauty" had no definite meaning, he said, so was the word "art" without definition, and no true critic could pronounce a painting bad or good. An interesting point, too, was the fact that so much criticism was voiced concerning surrealistic art, whereas sur-realism was by no means confined to art and was becoming increasingly popular as a style of window dressing, interior decoration and dress, concluded the speaker. '' ~ I