Da Vinci show not for Chch

Press, 26 October 1984, Page 6

Da Vinci show not for Chch

Two international art exhibitions coming to New Zealand soon will not be seen in Christchurch.

Both exhibitions, one featuring drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, the other paintings by Monet, will be shown only in Auckland.

The da Vinci show will open at the Auckland City Art Gallery on November 21 for a two-month showing. The 50 drawings and one binding are from the Queen’s collection in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle It is the first time that works from the Queen’s collection have been shown in New Zealand, according to the exhibition’s administrator at the Auckland gallery, Mr Richard Bolley. The Auckland showing was slotted in between the drawings’ display at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane and at a gallery in Tokyo. The drawings had been shown previously in other countries, Mr Bolley said yesterday.

Because there was not very long between the Australian and Japanese dates, which were already arranged when the Auckland gallery approached the Royal Library, the exhibition could only be shown at one New Zealand venue, Mr Bolley said. The cost of bringing the show to Auckland was considerable, he said. Cooks Wines had provided sponsorship of the exhibition, which had been indemnified by the New Zealand Government.

The gallery had been checked by staff from the Queen’s collection to ensure that the lighting and security measures were adequate. Staff would travel with the exhibition, Mr Bolley said.

As far as he knew no approach had been made from Christchurch’s Robert McDougall Art Gallery, for the show. Time would not have allowed the exhibition to come to Christchurch anyway. Mr John Coley, director of the McDougall Art Gallery, also said earlier this

week that the cost would have prohibited the bringing of the exhibition to Christchurch.

The Monet exhibition, which will show at the Auckland City Art Gallery from April 29 to June 9 next year, has been curated by the gallery’s director, Dr Rodney Wilson. Paintings will be collated from collections throughout the world for the exhibition, which will open in Auckland. It will then be shown at two Australian galleries and in the United States.

Mr Bolley said the paintings would be lent on a limited loan for a certain time and that would exclude the exhibition being shown in New Zealand outside Auckland.

The Robert McDougall Gallery's exhibition officer, Mr Roger Smith, yesterday said that time restrictions prevented the Monet show coming to Christchurch. The cost of bringing exhibitions to Christchurch was always increasing and the gallery would have to look more to sponsorship as the

Auckland gallery had. Three years ago the average cost of staging a travelling New Zealand exhibition was about $lBOO. Today it was nearer $3OOO. Two firms had offered sponsorship for exhibitions at the gallery next year. Sherris and Robertson was assisting with bringing the Raymond Mclntyre exhibition to Christchurch, and New Zealand Express was meeting part of the cost of a Spare Parts exhibition.

The next big international exhibition at the gallery could be Te Maori exhibition, Mr Smith said. The gallery, in conjunction with the Canterbury Museum, had approached the curators of the exhibition now showing in New York.

The Minister of Maori Affairs, Mr Wetere, had said that Christchurch would be considered among New Zealand venues for the exhibition.

Mr Bolley said the Auckland gallery was expecting many out-of-town visitors during the Christmas period for the Leonardo show.