“Pull Down” Art Galleries

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30126, 9 May 1963, Page 14

“Pull Down” Art Galleries

(N.Z. Press Association)

DUNEDIN, May 8. New Zealand's public art galleries “all ought to be pulled down, and new ones built,” the British critic art historian and poet, Sir Herbert Read, said in Dunedin last night. “They were built at a time of bad taste; when architects did not understand lighting or the importance of setting for appreciating works.” Sir Herbert Read was invited to New Zealand by the Arts Advisory Council and Victoria University of Wellington. He will give an open lecture in Dunedin tomorrow

ot Otago graduation address on SaturSo far Sir Herbert Read has visited the galleries at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. there is a certain ab’P. S en buildings, he said. An art gallery without a good proportion of modem works was "like a hospital that hasn’t got any modern equipment for dealing with its patients—or any other thW is out of date. The country should take a pride in its artists and accommodate them in the way their work requires. “Every city of the size of

the four main centres ought to have a gallery of contemporary art preferably with $n auditorium a lounge and reading room,' to make ft a® arts centre. -This wouJd a pbjce where artists could hold exkibittons. where people could meet She . artiste Mdtake part m experimental works of all kinds." Sir Herbert Read said he had seen an exhibition of New Zealand painting chosen by Mr P. A. Tomory, director of. the Auckland Art Gallery, while he was in Christchurch. “There is no country in Europe which would produce a show of substantially better quality,” he said.