FINE ARTS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 123, 27 May 1933, Page 5

FINE ARTS

AUTUMN EXHIBITION

OPENING CEREMONY

Notwithstanding the unpleasant weather, there was a large attendance last evening at the opening ceremony of the autumn exhibition of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. The president, Mr. D. A. Ewen, welcomed the Mayor, who had consented to open the exhibition. It was a great pleasure, he said, to know that the Mayor and the civic authorities took a keen interest in the art of the city. Art was not an irridescent bubble to be grasped as it passed by, but was one of the greatest civilising agencies today, and :t was specially important in times like the present. Evidence of that was shown, he thought, in the large industrial cities in the Old Land; where such commercial cities as Liverpool, Manchester, and other centres took a great pride in their local galleries.. Wellington had hitherto been sadly handicapped, but now a contract had been let for the new art gallery and museum, and it was hoped that before long the reproach would be removed that Wellington had not a building in which the national pictures and civic collection could be properly shown. The president said he would like to pay a tribute to the Board of Trustees of the National Museum and Art Gallery, of which the Mayor was a leading member, on the manner in which they had met the Academy, and on the very pleasant way in which the negotiations with the Academy had been conducted. That had been a matter of great satisfaction to the executive. THE LATE MURRAY FULLER. Mr. Ewen said he could not pass over the occasion without mentioning the loss art had sustained in this country through' the passing of Mr. Murray Fuller. He performed a great service for art. Through his ;personality and1 instrumentality ' the people of Wellington and New Zealand were able to see collections of pictures by contemporary artists such as otherwise they would never have had an opportunity of looking at. Mr. Ewen drew attention to several special works of art which appeared on the walls. They had on loan two pictures forwarded by Mr. P. R. Sargood, of Dunedin, the Work of Quinquella Martin, of Argentina, who was formerly a coal lumper, and who reached his present position in art by sheer ability. J -is pictures were now on.exhibition in many of the chief centres of the world. It was obvious that he had been much influenced by the scenes amidst which lie grew up. Mr. Ewen suggested that those present should inspect these pictures when the hall was comparatively empty in order to see the works in their true perspective. They were wonderful pictures. The president appealed to all to assist the cause of art by purchasing as many pictures as possible. CIVIC SUPPORT. . The Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) said it was a remarkable tribute to the strength of the Academy and the enthusiasm of its members that "on such a tempestuous night the hall should be so full. ■ Personally, he did not feel that he deserved a cordial welcome, because the last time he was present he expressed a hope that the .civic authorities would be able to revive that measure of material support which the Academy required and deserved. He thought he could now say that there was a . real possibility, even an extreme probability, that the measure of assistance given in the past would be again available. (Applause.) There was something else, said Mr. Hislop, which today must be a great encouragement to those who had for mnny years supported the Academy, and that was "that at hist the erection of the National Art Gallery and Museum had been commenced on the Mount Cook site. In the course of three years that, building would.be completed. He understood that by that time the present buildin" | or. the Academy would be disposed ■of, and thus the. organisation would be freed frofii the menace of civic domination. Although the present exhibition was much smaller,than many previous ones, he was informed by those qualified to judge that it did not lack in quality as compared with the works shown in past years. The Mayor concluded by formally declaring the exhibition open.