DISPLAY OF PICTURES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 24, 29 January 1942, Page 8

DISPLAY OF PICTURES

FROM WAR THEATRES

Members of the public in the main centres of New Zealand would shortly be given an opportunity to view some of the scenes of destruction which scar the face of wartime Britain, as well as paintings depicting something of the life of New Zealand soldiers overseas, said the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr. Parry) today, when commenting on the exhibition of war pictures to be opened at the Do- i minion Art Gallery by his Excellency jthe Governor-General (Sir Cyril Newall) at 3 p.m. next Wednesday. At the same time an opportunity would be given to those viewing the exhibition to make voluntary contributions to the patriotic funds. The exhibition would consist of war pictures by the foremost artists of the British Commonwealth of Nations, said Mr. .Parry, and would fall into three sections. The first section consisted of 85 pictures loaned by the British Ministry of Information and sent to New Zealand through the British High Commissioner (Sir Harry Batterbee). The "second section was made up of seventeen pictures received by the Governor-General some months ago and held to be shown with the larger collection, and the third section contained ten pictures from the Middle East by the New Zealand artist Peter Mclntyre, twelve by Austin Deans, the young Canterbury artist who went overseas with the First Echelon and who was now a prisoner of war, and a portrait of "Cobber" Kain, painted by Mrs. Mary Prechner and presented by her to the Marton Borough Council. NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN, Apart from the pictures by war artists some were of direct interest to New Zealanders, as they were portraits of famous New Zealand airmen by some of Britain's foremost portrait painters. Probably the most interesting picture in the exhibition was one depicting the sinking of the gallant Jervis Bay.

As the time for the pictures would be available was limited, the Minister said, they would be shown in the four main centres only, but at the end of the tour of the main centres the other pictures would be sent around the provincial towns, and if the shipping of the main group to Australia, where they were to be exhibited, was delayed they might reach seme of the provincial cities.

As the primary object of the exhibition was educational, the Government had decided that there should be no charge for admission, but those visiting the exhibition would be giv»i an opportunity to make donations to the patriotic funds and the money would be handed to the fund in the district where the pictures were being shown. A handsome illustrated catalogue had been prepared, and any profits from the sale of this would also go to the patriotic funds.

"Here is an opportunity for the people of New Zealand not only to see an outstanding exhibition, but at the same time tl~» y can help the men depicted by giving freely for patriotic purposes," said the Minister.

The pictures will be on exhibition in Wellington from February 4 to 18, at Dunedin from March 5 to 19, at Christchurch from April 2 to 18, and at Auckland from May 5 to 19.