ART AND THE WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 105, 30 October 1942, Page 5

ART AND THE WAR

Commenting on the progressive convy mandeering of the National Art GaHj lery by the" Government for purposes, other than those for which it wasj designed, the annual- report of' the-: National Art Gallery and ■ Dominion^ Museum says that it has been necessai-jTj to make hurried rearrangements of ex-^ hibition and storage, while safeguard^ ing exhibits in the event of an emer-| j gency. It has been necessary, too« to discontinue exhibition of art col-4 lections from overseas. These adverse,' circumstances, the report continues,! have interfered seriously with the! normal activities of the gallery.- and! it has not been possible to make much. progress with educational work. "The! committee feels strongly that- it is] important that the work of the Art] Gallery should be continued during the] war period. The many thousands of j visitors to the Art Gallery during. the, year is an indication that the public. require the educational and re-| creational facilities offered by thej gallery. In these troubled times theyj afford necessary spiritual relief from! worry and stress and assist in maim taining public morale. In England. ex-| hibitions and other art activities have been continued throughout the war; even during the worst months of the 'blitz."