Art Competition

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29767, 9 March 1962, Page 3

Art Competition

Sir, —You have been publishing a spate of correspondence on art and the current exhibition. The volume of letters is now diminishing without anything new being said, and it might be a good time to draw the subject to a temporary close. When doing so, could you print a reminder that there is now showing in the city a film depicting each and every one of those types who have written to you on the subject and recommend that they go to see “Hancock's Art Hour" and have a good laugh at themselves. —Yours, etc., S. J. BRYANT. March 8, 1962.

Sir, I am one of those would-be artists who did not have a picture hung. I wondered if Hay’s would consider hanging these left-over pictures later. It would give the future artist some encouragement. Most have gone to considerable trouble and expense in entering this competition.—Yours, etc., HONESTY. March 6, 1962. IMr H. G. Hay replied: “The directors of Hay’s, Ltd., gave careful consideration to the possibility of exhibiting the paintings not selected tor hanging in the present exhibition, but acting upon the strong recommendation of the judge, Sir Daryl Lindsay, they have decided not to do so. This decision fallows a precendent established in other art competitions both in New Zealand and overseas. Hay’s directors are fully appreciative of the effort put into the competition by the unsuccessful artists but feel that the standard of the competition can only be maintained by leaving the question of the selection of paintings, etc., for exhibition, entirely in the hands of the judge, as provided for in the rules of the competition.”!

Sir, —“Sheila Lewis” spoke of the decline of civilisations, of man no more building lasting values, but degenerating. Had she the second prize (sculpture) in mind? The baked and painted clay fakes metal. The framed pieces of coloured broken glass, jewels. His pin-point head looks Mjprried, scheming a way to incorporate another story to his sky scraper house and to add some more jewels (weights) to his superiority. As a member of the species. Man, I object to that piece of subconscious creation and hope that it may help the artist to rise above her nightmares, once brought to light. —Yours, etc,, L.S. March 8, 1962. [This correspondence may now cease.—Ed., “The Press.”]