McDougall Art Gallery
Sir, —On a recent visit to the McDougall Art Gallery I was again disappointed to note the lack of imagination in the gallery displays. Not only are the works shown to their least advantage, but the gallery seems to have remained quite oblivious to contemporary trends in the visual arts. What little sculpture the gallery does possess is, in the main, made quite inaccessible to the viewer, two Rodin pieces being enclosed in a somewhat sterile-looking glass case. Fortunately, this incredible institution is not necessarily indicative of the present state of art. If it were, one would feel that “art” ceased to exist somewhere after the turn of the century. In spite of the McDougall Art Gallery, however, art persists: but it is a sad reflection that the gallery refuses to acknowledge new forces in art. and should tend to “worship the mean and cultivate the mediocre.”— Yours, e-c., M. McNEILL. August 6, 1965. [The director of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery (Mr W. S. Baverstock) replies: “As I am busy promoting one of the innumerable exhibitions of contemporary art held in the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, 1 have little time to comment I would, however, invite the correspondent to call and demonstrate his methods of display which differ so surprisingly from those of many knowledgeable overseas and other visitors.”]
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19650811.2.109.3
Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30826, 11 August 1965, Page 12
Word Count
223McDougall Art Gallery Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30826, 11 August 1965, Page 12
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.
Log in