When art makes the headlines

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 24

When art makes the headlines

Christchurch has proved a wonderful source of exhibits for Jim and Mary Barr in their selection of controverial art for an exhibition. Several items with a Christchurch connection have been chosen for the Wellington exhibition, which opens on December 12.

Among them are three paintings which raised a furore at the Robert McDougall Art Gallery.

One is Colin McCahon’s “As there is a constant flow of light,” which many city residents felt was not worth the $lO,OOO the gallery spent on it

Another is Frances Hodgkins’ “The Pleasure Garden,” removed from the gallery wall after complaints about the nude figure in it.

The third is the fake "Psyche,” painted by Christchurch’s Jack Ruscinski as a hoax. He sent a snapshot of his

work to the gallery, saying it was of the original painting, missing for several years from the gallery. The exhibition will feature the empty frame of the missing painting along with Mr Ruscinski’s reproduction.

Also in the “When Art Hits the Headlines” exhibition is Paul Johns’ screenprint removed from the McDougall after a complaint.

A second Colin MacCahon work, called “Painting,” is on show. It was one of three paintings that shared the 1960 Hays Prize when the judge could not agree on a single work. Mary Barr says the other two paintings would be in the exhibition, but the organisers have been unable to find them.

Jim Barr was the director of the Dowse Museum and Art Gallery in Lower Hutt in the late 1970 s and early, 1980 s. He was involved in a number of

controversies about exhibitions and decided an exhibition of controversial art was an interesting concept.

One of the main works in the display will be “Fountain,” by the French artist Marcel Duchamp, borrowed for the show from the Indiana University Art Gallery.

The work is a white porcelain urinal, signed R. Mutt. It was first rejected for exhibition in Paris in 1917. Fifty years later it was removed from an exhibition in Christchurch because it was considered offensive to public taste.

The exhibition of more than 60 works is being coordinated by the National Art Gallery in Wellington.

The works will be exhibited with newspaper clippings of the events that made them controversial. The exhibition will be in Shed 11, from December 12 until February 28.