Gallery mounts display in masterly fashion

Press, 23 June 1978, Page 18

Gallery mounts display in masterly fashion

f The Memorial Hall Colj lection of Pictures on the Christchurch Technical College. Robert McDougall Art Gallery (until August 30). Reviewer: Michael Thomas. The presentation of this I volJection is an example of i, the masterly way in which the McDougall Art Gallery mounts exhibitions of historic importance to Christchurch. Appropriately, a portrait in pencil of Mr McGregor Wright, whose original idea to “adorn the Memorial Hall with pictures” was subsequently realised, is the first exhibit on display. This is followed by over 100 watercolours, oils, and sketches of different styles and standards. They pre sent an over-all picture of the varied approaches to art which were characteristic of painting in New Zealand during the 1920 s and 19305. “The Veranda,” a watercolour by Olivia Spencer Bower, and the 1952 study of a Napier building by Rita Cook (better known as Rita Angus) are quite avante garde for their time compared with the picturesque scenes of the Southern Alps and remote b

Canterbury homesteads which dominated Canterbury painting at the time. Dame Ngaio Marsh—who started out as a painter—is ted out as a painter—is represented by a small oil, “The Market,” and there are several portraits—of which Ivy Fife’s are the most exciting, because of their fresh handling of paint. Van der Velden’s large oil, “Otira Gorge,” which is still in the Memorial Hall, and another valuable work by the Dutch seventeenth century painter, Droochsloot, are noted in the very informative catalogue as being two main items in the collection. But the entire Memorial Hall collection is displayed, has a wide range of the typical art of the time, and provides an artistic context against which the few excellent artists stand out. The show demonstrates the contribution which a collection such as this gives to the greater understanding of an era, and on viewing the comprehensive display one wonders w r hat art collections the institutions in Christchurch are building today. ___