Arts Society Argues About Statuette

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29985, 21 November 1962, Page 20

Arts Society Argues About Statuette

A controversy over the artistic worth of a marble statuette of “a little girl knitting,” said to be worth several hundred pounds and given to the Canterbury Society of Arts by citizens, was unresolved when the society's annual meeting was declared closed last evening. Some members thought the statuette should be displayed in the gallery. One woman member wanted it for her garden. It had been considered putting it in the children’s bathing pool in the Botanic Gardens. Two men members wanted it destroyed. During the discussion, the statuette, covered in grime and dust, lay in a comer of the scullery, where it had been stored for many years. Mr Paul Pascoe, the president, began the discussion when he said, in his annual report, that alterations to the gallery planned included “the removal of strange objects from the gallery.” Mr Q. Macfarlane: What do you mean, sir, by strange objects? Would you care to define them?

Mr Pascoe: I think it would be more tactful not to enumerate them. “Lovely Statue” Mrs G. Hennessy: There is a lovely little statue of a girl, in marble. It has been in storage for many, many years. I think we should show it again. Mr Pascoe: We plan to have a real reassessment of the objects we have in storage, and many old things will come to light again. There may be more treasures hidden away. Mrs Hennessy: I believe that the statuette cost several hundred pounds and was given to the society by the citizens. I’d like to borrow it for my garden. Do you know the origin of it? Mr Pascoe: It will be the work of the historian we plan to appoint to search the society’s records.

Mr G. C. C. Sandston: It is of a little girl knitting. A member: Or fishing?

Mr Sandston: It has been considered by the council. It was thought of showing it permanently, blit it was thought that it was more

suitable for outdoors than in the gallery. We did consider giving it to the Botanic Gardens for the children's pool, but then we thought it might suffer attacks and be damaged.

Mr Pascoe: If any member has a suggestion or opinion, it would be welcome. Destraction Proposed Mr A. Forrester: I move that the society have the statuette destroyed. Mr Pascoe (after consulting Mr Sandston): I rule that motion out of order. It must be remembered that persons have differing tastes. Mr Forrester: In my opinion, it is a worth-while suggestion. Mr W. A. Sutton: I support Mr Forrester’s motion. This society is known throughout New Zealand as an old-fashioned and pedestrian one. Showing this statuette will confirm this opinion. Get rid of it, at all costs.

Mrs Hennessy: I’ll take it—for my garden. During an adjournment of the meeting, many members went to the scullery to inspect the statuette. Nobody knew who the sculptor was. how long the society had had it, nor who had presented it to the society. The little girl hung her dirty head in silence and serenely continued her knitting, or fishing.