Publicity For Amateur Art Deplored

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31307, 1 March 1967, Page 14

Publicity For Amateur Art Deplored

(N.Z. Prest Association) INVERCARGILL, Feb. 27. "Never before has amateur art been so widely practised, and never before has it received so much notice and encouragement It undoubtedly has value, but gets publicity out of all proportion to it” said Mr W. S. Baverstock, director of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery in Invercargill today. Mr Baverstock was at the ninth biennial conference of the Art Galleries and Museums’ Association conference, being held in the Southland Museum. Mr Baverstock has been a member of an art society for 50 years, was honorary curator of a city art gallery for 12 years, and has been full-

time director of a gallery for seven years. The question of amateur art “receiving that publicity in a public gallery is not one to be dealt with lightly if trouble is to be avoided,” he said.

There were so many amateur groups nowadays that, if one was favoured, others would arise from unexpected quarters and expect similiar treatment, he said.

Cook Strait Bid.—A 24-year-old Lyall Bay surfer, Mr Ray Gough, will probably make an attempt to swim Cook Strait next week-end or on Monday, depending on the weather and tides, according to Mr John Cataldo, of Island Bay, who will act as pilot.—(P.A.),