Older Members Command Attention In Group Show

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29333, 12 October 1960, Page 17

Older Members Command Attention In Group Show

Though the Group Show has somewhat outgrown its . original purpose and no longer stands out as a lonely beacon among the year’s exhibitions, it is still one of the best, for the Group, invariably arranges an interesting collection and often introduces new painters to the city with its guest exhibitors. This year some long-standing members of the Group command the most attention. W. A. Sutton has developed a new style in which he manipulates fluid, viscous paint to express his interest in the rhythms of tussock instead of relying on meticulously realistic transcription as he used to. The paint retains its identity as paint and at the same time expresses rhythmic patterns directly. These paintings are extremely simple in form, just two or three large areas of colour in which the paint itself creates the rhythmic patterns. More complex is "Cemetery for Sheep,” with its imaginative bone forms and a disquieting. brooding atmosphere. ' M. T. Woollaston exhibits three paintings based on the same landscape—“Taramakau” I, 111 and IV. They show a dilemma towards which he has been moving; in his recent work. One is in his .earlier style of quiet colour ahd tonal relationships in light earth colours and blues. In the others he has created stronger; more dramatic structures by using higher-keyed colour and black for the boldest forms. The black is disturbing because it seems to have been used as a negative substitute for colour instead of a positive colour

in its own right. But in spite of this unresolved problem, there is no denying the strength and spirit of Mr Woollaston’s paintings. Colin McCahon, another member of .the Group for many years, this year exhibits two canvas scrolls.' stained with transparent Colour, a medium in which he has done some of his finest work. Both are strongly romantic works in spite of the geometric simplicity of the design. Pam Cotton, a guest exhibitor, provides some variety—irrelevant though that is—by taking figures as her subject. The emotional charge in her extremely vigorous paintings is so strong that it verges on tearing the passion to tatters. When the emotion is more restrained, as in “Woman Reading,” she achieves a wider range of formal invention and is more satisfying in expression. John Coley’s flower paintings are almost unique in that he uses the brilliant colours of flowers instead of the faded tints so beloved of most who take flowers as their subject. He handles his brilliant colour, the full range of the spectrum, with such skill that it does not become cloying arid paints with unconcealed affection for his materials. Quentin Macfarlane’s paintings are in the same vein as those he had in the Hay’s show, but while the eblour is again fresh and evocative, they are rather diffuse in structure, with the exception of "Snow Series.” Andre Brooke has gained much from working on a considerably' larger scale than formerly. In his “Harbour” series he succeeds in using a conventional angular idiom to create a personal style, largely through muted, smokey colour. Pat Hanly, who has been in London for the last three years and is due to leave soon for Italy, to take up an Italian Governmerit i scholarship, exhibits three monotypes. His technical fluency has increased greatly since he left New Zealand, but he appears to have abandoned himself to eclecticism. His monotypes are skilful imitations of the styles of masters but no more. The pottery this year is not as distinguished as usual, but there are some extremely fine cushions woven from hand-spun wool coloured with plant dyes by Ida M. Lough. Among the woodcarvings there is an example of extraordinary misuse of material: a piece of wood painstakingly carved into the shape of a seashell. —J.N.K.