ART EXHIBITION

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26813, 19 August 1952, Page 2

ART EXHIBITION

WORK OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS An exhibition of art, the work of pupils in Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough and Westland post-primary schools, was opened in the Durham street Art Gallery yesterday afternoon by the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie). The exhibition includes much colourful and attractive work, and is one of the best of its type ever shown in Christchurch. There are 295 paintings, 28 lino-cuts and a number of pencil drawings. The work comes from 33 schools, and there are twice as many entries by girls as by boys. Mr Algie emphasised that all the work exhibited had been done during ordinary school classes. He doubted whether such exhibits could have been collected in the same way 40 or 50 years ago. One of the principal aims of modern education was to teach children to be masters of themselves.

The entrants’ ages range from 12 years to 18 years, the middle age groups predominating. On the west wall of the gallery is displayed the selection of about half the entry made by a panel of senior pupils from* Christchurch secondary schools. On the east wall are mounted the selection made by members of the advisory committee which helped to organise the exhibition. The south wall is also occupied by adult choices..

On the north wall are murals, and 17 paintings done by children at Bedales School in England. These pointings were lent for special display at the exhibition by Mrs Betty Walton, of Christchurch. A central feature is a bay on which are mounted lino-cuts, paper pattern work, pencil and pen drawings and examples of craft work done in the. schools, and this type of work is also shown on tables. The advisory committee had hoped to display 300 paintings, and this number has been accommodated, although there is some overcrowding. Mr W. S. Barrett, of the Education Department’s arts arid crafts branch, who has been responsible for arranging the display, said yesterday that its high standard reflected great credit on those who had sent in work. He also praised the efforts of volunteer workers from the schools and elsewhere who helped to stage the displays. A £5O bursary has been given by New Zealand Newspapers, Ltd., for the pupil whose work is judged best in the exhibition. The winner has not yet been announced.