Popular exhibition from private collections

Press, 4 March 1981, Page 12

Popular exhibition from private collections

By

Barbara Stewart

A new. slant on fund-rais-ing, which proved a successful and enjoyable evening, appeared on the Christchurch scene recently. The Selwyn House School Old Girls’ Association organised “Paintings from Private Collections.” These treasured personal possessions, once bought, invariably disappear from public view, so the opportunity to view them was thoroughly appreciated by the nearly three hundred people who attended the evening showing. It was the first time that Selwyn House had used this particular form of fund-rais-ing. Because of the excellent response, the School hopes td stage another art show next year, borrowing works not exhibited this time. AU the work of organising and co-ordinating the evening was done by Lucinda Saville and Carolyn Fletcher, two former pupils of the school. They approached people to consider if they would lend their paintings to the exhibition. At least half of these people had no special relationship with the school, but wanted to help towards the success of the venture. Christchurch artists were also asked,to exhibit works

at the exhibition. If these were sold the school funds would receive the commission from the sale. Thirty-five paintings were for sale, of which fifteen were sold on the evening. Part of the organising entailed photographing every painting, completing forms with every detail of each painting, and then arranging individual insurance. Just before the exhibition Lucinda and Carolyn spread out all the photographs to decide the order in which to hang the paintings in the Canterbury Society of Arts main first floor gallery. They chose to follow the years of the artists’ life, and if these dates were not known, then to approximately work out the period of the painting. From the details gained for the insurance forms, the two women wrote a very detailed catalogue. No owners’ names were given for obvious security reasons. Among the many wellknown artists exhibited were John Gully, J. C. Hoyte, Petrus Van der Velden, Gottfried Lindauer. Frances Hodgkins, C. F. Goldie, Sydney Thompson. Evelyn Page, Doris Lusk, W. A. Sutton, Colin McCahon, Ralph Hotere, Gypsy Poulson, Ray-

mond Ching, Philip Trustturn, Gwenda Turner, and Brent Wong. From this list, and the many other artists not mentioned here, you can appreciate the intensely interesting, and varied work which madeup this exhibition. School fund-raising is a fact of our school system, whether for private or public schools.

This work invariably falls to those faithful and hard working few who can- go unthanded and unrecognised in a world where we take it for granted that someone will do the work — as long as it’s not “ME.” So it must have been greatly satisfying for those involved in this particular fund-raising to have received such enthusiastic compliments, and de-

mands for a repeat. What have the organisers learnt that they would like to do to improve the next exhibition of this type? They aim for far greater public knowledge of the exhibition because so many people who would have enjoyed seeing the works did not’realise the show was on. And they want to exhibit for a longer period.