N.Z. ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1253, 9 October 1911, Page 5

N.Z. ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS.

(By "Aqu^rollo."). , ,

TWENTY-THIRD ANNUAL ESHI-' • BIIION. .■

The twenty-third annual exhibition of the New Zealand Academy of Fino Arte opera to-day. A very largo number of entries were received at iho gallery in Whitmoro'Street, and though the duties of the Selection Cominittco are known to have been carried out with a rigour that,

at any rate, shows some appreciation of their responsibility to the public,. there remain an jinu.sua.lly .large, number of pic-, tures that have.passed the standard they set up. It'cannot conscientiously bo said that this is in any decree higher than one would anticipate in this aTt centre, The,quality of work shown t is fairly even throughout; it does not strike one, except in n feiv instances, as showing any marked advance on tho part of any individual painter,' aiifl there; aro so'mo examples in which reactionary qualities aro to bo noticed. It is to bo regretted I that more than one name to whoso work one always looked forward with the certainty of finding something good has no place- in the catalogue. A particularly pleasing fentnro _ is the presence of a larger number of exhibits in the plastic section than has been the case for some years. It is a matter for somo wonder and great regret that there appears to be little desire amongst the art aspirants of New Zealand to take up tho highest branch of creative art. Of course, one cannot create an impression in clay in the same time that one can convey ono's idea with a brush and a dab or two of colour, but as against this drawback, which counts for a good deal in a country where much of tho artist's work is produced in "spare" lime, there is to bo set the unquestionable advantage of being able to work as well with a chisel by artificial light as by daylight. Nor do tho appliod arts appear to be increasing in attraction for the student. Beaten metal and the enamels, seem practically to monopolize attention in this branch. Tho possibilities of leather as a medium aro almost entirely overlooked, and of tho more important woodwork of which there used, some years ago, to be always a few examples in the exhibition, there aro now no specimens sent in at all. Comparison of tho work in oil and water colour leads to tho conclusion that tho best work, both collectively and individually, is shown in water colour. There is'a marked absence of important portraiture as compared with former exhibitions, and one cannot say that much advanco is generally ehowji in construetivo capacity or technical application in either modinm. The arrangement of the pictures is distinctly in advance of tho efforts of somo previous years, and tho general display is good. Thcro are ona or two instances in which individual work has suffered through lack of correct appreciation cf tho relative, inlereffect of different schemes of colour, but with limited wall-space this is sometimes difficult to .avoid. One cannot avoid notico of the presence, principally amongst tho oils, of a good many efforts whoso cxistenco calls a for some explanation, but their number is small, as compared with many other exhibitions, and amongst tho water colours tliero is littlo causo of similar offence. But why havo the Hanging Committee catalogued a pastel as an oil-colour?

Tho competition work in black and irliito is distinctly good all through; in colour the competitors have worked with less success, It is to bo noticed- that tho council, after many years of unsuccessful endeavour to. bring out a catalogue with a capable cover design, licvo this year abandoned ; (ho. attempt,' and called for no competition in this class. In this connection'Ohccannot help expressing tho opinion that tho fault has lain more with tho judges lhan with the contributors of designs. Tho' experiment- is boitig retried of illustrating tho catalogue. Tho result is attended with more or less success. .•:',■■ . -'■•.■■.., . ~