Complaint by gallery

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32971, 18 July 1972, Page 10

Complaint by gallery

The National Art Gallery is missing overseas ; touring exhibitions be- , cause the gallery’s build- ; ing is sub-standard, says the annual report of the gallery, tabled in Parlia--1 ment. “Within the last few 1 months two important exhibitions which were displayed in the country could not be shown in the National Gal- ; lery because the physical conditions were unacceptable ■ to the overseas galleries which mounted the exhibitions,” the annual report I of the gallery says. “This is ■ one reason why a new • gallery is necessary.” 1 The gallery is inadequate for contemporary needs. When large touring exhibitions are# mounted more : than half the permanent collection has to be stored. The gallery also requires 1 more workshop space, equip--1 ment and staff, the report ; I says. “The physical requirements of the gallery must be con- ! sidered as a matter of urgency because the inade- ! quacies of the present building do not allow the staff to ’ serve the public as should a ' national institution. “It is hoped a practical • i proposition can be submitted ■' co the Government this year,” i the report says. i The gallery’s plea is given ' added point by the opening Lin Auckland last night of an I exhibition featuring several | works by Picasso and paintings by Max Ernst and other ; I twentieth-century masters. , The exhibition, which is ; ; sponsored by the “New Zealand Herald,” will be shown ; only in Auckland, because ;! the Auckland City Art ;! Gallery is the only one in the I country which has humidity 'control as well as air conditioning. Several touring exhibitions have already been shown to (Auckland gallery-goers since] I; .he humidity-control plant: was installed in the new wing; i of the Auckland gallery. Although a number ofi ! galleries in New Zealand have air conditioning, most' of the travelling shows from’he New York Metropolitan; Museum of Art are not avail-1

able to them, because the overseas galleries do not consider mere temperature control to be sufficient protection for valuable paintings. However, this situation is unlikely to change in the immediate future, because of the high cost of installing the necessary equipment, the continuing high cost of running it, and the relatively small number of exhibitions involved. Many major exhibitions —such as ’the “Portrait of Mexico” now showing in Christchurch —make no such demands. Nor is the National Gallery’s plea for new premises likely to hasten Government action —a . similar plea was made in the gallery’s report last year.