N.Z. ACADEMY SHOW

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 22, 20 October 1944, Page 3

N.Z. ACADEMY SHOW

Talented, Unexciting Work

(By H.P.) There is no element of surprise to be noted on the walls of the annual exhibition of tlie New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, to bo formally opened by the Gov-ernor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, this evening. After all, cun one expect anything of the kind when the paintings, show after show, come regularly from the same group of artists, mostly AVelliugton and Canterbury protessionals aud amateurs? Those who attend these exhibitions know pretty well (be perimeter of artistic achievement to which these talented people are confined, aud, while everyone is interested in the latest output, there ure few jolts, if any. Oue is rather cuueerued with standards within that scope, aud here oue is rarely disappointed. There are the usual half-dozen paintings from the gifted Kellys, of Christchurch, who almost unfailingly manage to achieve the centre of the' line or thereabouts. Then,' naturally, there is also a fair offering from Sydney Thompson, fewer and less striking from A\ r . A. Sutton, a modest contribution from Archibald Nicholl (Christchurch), a good group from Nugent AVelch, aud some characteristic offerings from T. A. McCormack, Cedric Savage, Rata Lovell Smith, Basil Honour, Gwyuneth Richardson aud Evelyn Page. Pride of place on tlie eastern . wall is held by Elizabeth Kelly's portrait, “April.” Tins is a charming three-quar-ter length life-size study of a young woman in evening dress, probably a debutante. Tlie ovul face, aud placid self-assured expression are in harmony with the easy poise of the sitting figure and the nicety of touch which gives the white silken gown a delicate sheen. Tlie arms are beautifully modelled, uud tlie hands are discreetly half-buried in a feathered cloak. On the whole this is a lovely piece of work. Other canvases by this artist worthy of admiration are “Heathcote River,” “A Fine Hay on the Estuuryss (little bouts skimming the water iu a blaze of suushiue), and “Canterbury Hill, from St. Andrew’s Hill.” Cecil Kelly also has some good work. His metier is painting the Avou, its bridges uud its moods, aud ho does it with a eharm and distinction. His “Misty Morning ou the Avou" and “Heathcote Valley” tire skilful examples of this artist’s work.

Next one is struck with the smooth broad finish which makes Rata. Lovell Smith’s "Road to Mt. Cook” oue of tlie pictures of the exhibition. The subject may be conventional, but the chilly relmoteuess of the old mountain and the darkling foreground arc features of u composition that is essentially right. This artist also has other . interesting mountain studies in “Across the Tasman Valley” and “Upper Waimakariri.” One who seeks the out-of-the-way in studies is Evelyn Page, whose “New Year Holiday,” representing a colourful holiday crowd on some beach, is a gay study that catches the eye; difficult, too, from the numbers of figures the canvas holds. Her “Thames Street, Oamaru” and “Inner Harbour, Lyttelton” are worth mentiontag. .. . -i ....

Nugent Welch has a few small oils to his credit. “His “Sty and Stack” is rather crowded, and “The Cave, Boom Rock” is arresting, but the gem of his offering is the skied “Moana,” an aloof cold mountain lake scene with a backing of mist-capped mountains. This is quite away from AVelch’s sunny skies and set-piece rocks. Two admirable pictures on this wall are “Ploughing” by George Lewens, and “Porirua Hills,” by Cedric Savage, the latter absolutely characteristic in form and colour. Sydney Thompson (using gouache as the medium) is a valuable contributor to the show. His “Spring-time in Hagley Park’ and “A Country Lane, Southern France,” are lovely works, and his “Canterbury Farm” and jagged limestone cliffs (the latter on a central pillar) denote strength and an inherent rightness in colour-blending. On the northern wall are. two large oils, larger than anything else in the show, both of Wellington city, by Marcus King. One shows the city iu clear sunny weather, with the buildings picked out iu pink serried array—a good poster study. The other is a veiled Wellington, seen mistily through the branches of a bluegum in Central Park, a likable picture. Archibald Nicholl’s “Hillside”, is another sound bit of deft painting on the eastern wall.