NEW FORMS OF ART IN N.Z. ENVISAGED

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31441, 7 August 1967, Page 8

NEW FORMS OF ART IN N.Z. ENVISAGED

Ultimately in New Zealand there might develop a fusion of art forms from the Western World and the Maori that would be quite new, the national adviser on Art and Craft (Mr W. S. Barrett) said

at the opening of the South Island Secondary Schools’ Art Exhibition in the Durham street art gallery on Saturday.

There were great prospects for the future development of art in New Zealand, Mr Barrett said. New Zealanders had always had a strong ideological sympathy with the Maori people, and the Maori people were now not only re-establishing their own true art, but also exploring new art forms.

The standard of work in the art exhibitions was improving each year, which indicated that teachers and pupils were obtaining benefit from it, said the Mayor of Christchurch (Sir George Manning), who declared the exhibition open. Such exhibitions led to the encouragement of self-expres-sion and to appreciation of art among young people, and he hoped tile citizens and parents would view the exhibition.

The exhibition is sponsored by the “Christchurch Star” and organised by members of the art and crafts branch of the Department of Education. Sir George Manning congratulated al! concerned with the exhibition.

The speakers were introduced by the deputy editor of the “Christchurch Star” (Mr B. A. Mair). The exhibition, which will ran for two weeks, comprises about 300 paintings selected from 1400 submitted from throughout the South Island, and also sculpture, pottery and ceramics, wood-carving, and crafts. It is the 15th time the exhibition has been hold. Defence Computer.—The Ministay of Defence will install a computer at its electronic date-processing division at Porirua early next I year.—(PA.)