Council Divided On Painting

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32354, 21 July 1970, Page 1

Council Divided On Painting

The Christchurch City Council decided last evening to buy a painting by the New Zealand artist, Ray Thorburn, titled “Modular Painting 3, Series 2.” It is priced at $3OO.

The director of the McDougall Art Gallery (Mr B. D. Muir), shown above with the painting, selected it from a large body of the work of Mr Thorburn, who has had many one-man shows in Auckland, Wellington and Sydney, and was awarded the Manawatu Prize for contemporary art in 1969.

The council also decided to accept with appreciation an offer by a former Christchurch resident. Mrs C. Carr, now living in Geraldton, Western Australia, of a set of 12 Chinese paintings on rice paper. The works, done about 1860, will be included in the collection of Asian works.

Another painting on display at the council chambers, bought by the council for the McDougall Art Gallery, was by the New Zealand artist, Louise Henderson. It is an example of the artist's present “Bush” series, in which the emphasis is on soft gradations of green. Louise Henderson studied at the Canterbury and Auckland art schools. She also studied in Paris and other European centres, and has travelled widely and exhibited in Britain, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Cr R. H. Stillwell called the painting “a study in geometry” and thought it might be more suitable for the office of Cr G. D. Griffiths, an architect. Cr G. D. Hattaway: What about your Christmas decorations, Reg? Cr L. G. Amos said be thought councillors were getting out of their depth.

The chairman of the cultural committee (Cr H. G. Hay) defended the painting and said it had impressed him.

The council approved of spending $l4OO on improved lighting in the McDougall Art Gallery.

The painting is described by Mr Muir as “a good example of current optical illusion painting.” It comprises magenta to purple diamonds on green lines with gold background. The lines appear to move.