44 exhibiting in Group show

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32461, 23 November 1970, Page 5

44 exhibiting in Group show

Forty-four painters, print-i makers, sculptors, potters, 1 weavers and jewellers are exhibiting their work in th* I 1970 Group show at the Canterbury Society of Arts gallery in Gloucester Street.: The show, the only one Of! its type held annually in New Zealand, is attracting viewers from as far south as, Dunedin and as far north as Auckland. It is possible to conclude; from this year’s exhibition that figurative painting in New Zealand is emerging as! a movement of some! strength. Although wide! stylistic differences separate their work, figures, as dis-! tinct from portraits, are thep dominant theme in [puttings, by Patrick Hanley, Louise p Lewis, lan Hutson (whose? “Jockey m” is shown' above), Olivia Spenter-Bower * and Michael Smither. Expressionist painting, too, 1 has firmly entranced itself * in the New Zmland art;* scene. Expressionism is often < a contributing element ini* romantic painting. This I would be particdarly so in t Q. Macfarlane’s three paintings, where the transfer of his feelings is mixed with s non-emotive lani and water « symbols, but vhere the re- f

- action of intense love, joy, , hate or anger is dominant, as ' is the case in paintings by ' Rudolf Gopas, Phillip Tnist--1 turn, and Barry Cleavin. The s results are self-revelatory ; and autobiographical. In their sharply defined ; New Zealand landscapes ' Michael Smither and Don Binney, when compared with the more penetrating vision ! of Leo Bensemann in No. 69, “Tigar Bay,” Doris Lusk in No. 75, “Banks Peninsula,” or any Rita Angus landscapes exhibited, seem to be trying a little hard, Smither to shock in No. 81, “Thomas’s First Attempt to Stand Up and Pee,” and Binney to portray Canterbury even to the point of mentioning the province below his signature. Abstract painting involving the elements of colour, line and shape in varying degrees of emphasis is best represented in the work of John i Coley, Ralph Hotere, Michael Eaton and David Graham. Graham’s use of thrusting diagonals with slight refer-, ences to landscape forms is a departure from his more , precisely geometric compositions of recent years. Ten paintings by Rita An- 1 gus, who died in Wellington ! earlier this year, are hung in fitting memory to one of the i

most important and productive artists in the history of New Zealand painting. Sculpture in the exhibition is disappointing with the exception of work by Carl Syndow and John Turner. Syndow’s assemblages of corrugated iron, hose and pipes have a random look about them that in itself is appealing when compared with the more laboured but joyless efforts in more traditional media. Turner is pursuing a serious line of investigation with his wood and