DUNEDIN SCHOOL OF ART CLUB'S EXHIBITION.

Evening Star, Issue 8614, 7 September 1891, Page 4

DUNEDIN SCHOOL OF ART CLUB'S EXHIBITION.

The Dunedin School of Art Club's exhibition in the Choral Hall was opened on Saturday night by Mr George Bell, there being a very fair attendance of the general publio on the occasion. Among those who occupied seats on the platform at the opening ceremony were Sir Robert Stout, Messrs Hodgkins, D. C. Hutton, C. R. Chapman, and Dr Colquhoun. Mr Hutton said before their excellent and esteemed friend Mr G. Bell, who had kindly consented to open the club's first exhibition, proceeded, he thought it would not be out of place if he referred shortly to a few details which led up to the formation and subsequent progress of the School of Art Club. As some of those present might remember, Mr J. Nairn, a young and enthuaiaatic artist from Glasgow, vho wason a tour through the colony last year, visited the Dunedin School of Art, and delivered an address to the stadents on * Art and the Brotherhood,' in which he strongly urged on them the importance and the many advantages to be derived from art clubs. The addreea was not in any way remarkable, but it fas pithy and to the point, and had the effect of stimulating the students to action. They took the matter up heartily, and as a preliminary step elected a committee from amongst themselves to make all necsssary arrangements, and to draw up rules for the future guidance of the club, which it was decided to call the Dunedin School of Art Club. The first regular meeting was highly satisfactory, a working committee being elected, with Mr A. Sligo as secretary. This gentleman was the leading spirit, and by his exertions the club was brought into existence. Mr Sligo'a resignation six months afterward*, previous to his departure for Sydney, was a severe loss, and was received with deep regret by every member of ths club. They were fortunate, however, in their choice of a successor in the person of Mr Hayward, their worthy and energetio secretary. The club had mot regulaily every iortnight since its formation, and the interest had been very well sustained. Four lectures have been delivered—one on painting from still life, two on tho theory of perspective, and one on tho anatomy of expression. It was purposed to continue these lectures an opportunity permitted. Every month subjeets were given out for borne study, members working cut the subject chosen according t j their own conception. With a few exceptions all the drawings and paintings on the walU were the result. Since the forrration of the club it hsd afforded him much pleasure in taking an active part in all that pertained to its advancement, and in assisting his young friends in their laudable desire to advance in knowledge and in the facility of using thtir pencil or brush. Now if it were considered that about eight tenths of the members of the club are engaged during tho daytime at their ordinary occupations, and that the works hung on the walls were the rtsult of uaseasing perseverance after the ordinary day's work was done, he thought that this result was highly satisfactory, and showed what could be accomplished by industry and earnest application, without which excellence in any of the arts cauld never be reached. He would now ask their good friend Mr Bell to declare open for their inspection tho club's year's work, the msrits of which might not come up to all expectations. The members industry, however, would, he trusted, merit a fair share oi the public's approbation.— (Applause.)

Mr Bell said he had to thank Mr Hutton for the flattering terms in which he had introduced him that evening. He felt it was an honor to preside over that meeting, as he considered the Art Club one of the most important results of Mr Hutton's teaohingainee the School of Arts was established. He thought they would agree with him that it waa a step in the right direction. He considered art studies a3 most important. They were important in every respect, for science owed something to drawiug and painting; and there were personal, social, and national advantages in the cultivation of art. With regard ta the students, it must be confessed that they had done great things. In that hall there were 200 pictures, and they were the result of only one year's study as members of the Art Club. The study of art necessarily had a great ii fhence upon the mind itself; it purified the mind, because a? a rule there was a constant looking after beautiful objects, and no man, no matter what he might be, could look after ideal beauty but it must reflect itself upon his mind, purifying it and ennobling it. They would find very few persons who were devoted to art given to degrading pleasures. No man, for instance, who valued himself would stoop to drunkenness. If he did he would destroy the very faculties which would enable him to rise ia art. Out of the glazed eyea he would never see the beauty of objects; the trembling band would never give any aid to the reproduction of the liner objects which were before him ; and altogether there was a social advantage and a moral one, which every person must admit was the result of art study and art work. Then as to the material advantages to society, there was the highest need to cultivate it; and in regard to national progress there could be nothing that tended more to enrich a country than well directed efforts in art and the production of art workß. We are surrounded by raw materials. These raw materials as they lie upon the ground are looked upon as purely rubbish; yet the artist can make some of these materials into things of beauty and usefulness. Now, if our population were trained in art and could turn these materials into things of beauty and usefulness, it would prevent the necessity of importing these things from abroad; or if we had no market here for them we could sell them in other markets, and in either case it would be an advantage to the country. He felt specially intereetad in this Art Club, because it was the outgrowth of our educational system. He recollected some twenty-eight years ago when it was scarcely possible to meet with a person who had been instructed in the elements of art, He recollected perfectly well, when there was a bazaar for the production of funds to build the Congregational Church close to that hall in which they were met, the minister had promised to give a lecture on Jerusalem, and in order that it might be the more interesting he wished to have an illustration. He suggested just a sketch in "black and white," but it was to be a large one, and he gave him (the speaker) a small drawing, and asked hitn if he would undertake the work. He did not profess to be an artist, but as there was a difficulty about getting it done he undertook it. He tried to get somebody to make him a stretcher, but could not, nor could ho procure prepared canvass, nor artist's colors in tubes; and the picture waa done merely from pigments that he got from color men. He just mentioned this circumstance to draw attention to the fact that since then the progress of art had been so great as at last to produce an association which was able to produce the pictures around the walls of the hall in which they were met. They would agree with him, he was quite sure, that as a local institution the club deserved their warmest support, and he had no doubt that they, with him, wished it every success. Who would have thought that the young men who constituted the club, the greater number of whom had to work during the day, could have produced 200 pictures during the year; each of which, though varying in merit, was an indication of earnest study on their part. Ought they not to be proud cf each an institution as that, then? Ought they not to desire its success so much as to endeavor to support it ? He trusted that the institution would prove that we were advancing, and not retrograding, in civilisation, in power, and in art. There was one thing they ought not to overlook. The club had determined to make that not only an exhibition of pioture3, bat also an art union. He did not know exactly the terms upon which the distribution was to be made, but he thought that there were not one present but who, if he gained a prize, would be proud of it as the product of local art. The exhibition that night was good evidence of theadvance< ment that had been made by the club under Mr Hutton's management, and he was sure that Mr Hutton, as well as himself, would bo glad to see the result of his labors. It was not a bad result, but it was merely the result of some forty members. The walls of the houses of many ia this City, however,

Would show what effect Mr Hutton'a teaching had had upon sooiety generally. Not only had he had the training of those forty young men who belonged to the Art Olub, but of hundreds besides—both young men and young ladies—who were now doing good work, although they were not exhibiting their work there that night. He had no more to say, exoept that he would be glad if those present would walk round the exhibition which he now declared open.— (Applause ) Mr Hodgkins, in moving a vote of thanks to Mr Bell for opening the exhibition* said he was very pleased to be able to do this, because it gave him the opportunity at the same time, as president of the Otago Art Society, to express his gratification, and the gratification of the members of the society, at seeing suoh a nice exhibition as that which had been opened. He had not had an opportunity of inspecting all the pictures yet, but from what he had seen he was quite satisfied that there existed in the club the germ of very considerable artistic talent—indeed, a very great deal more than he thought we had amongst us. He was quite satisfied that before another year tad passed the Otago Art Society would be augmented by students whose work was huDg upon the walls of the exhibition that night.—(Applause.) He considered that the direction in which the students of the olub had launched out was only the commencement of a long career of satisfactory progress ; and he was sure that art would prosper in this City, not as it had done in the past, in a slow manner, but by leaps and bounds,—(Applause.)

(For remainder of report see inside pages.)