ART EXHIBITION

Evening Star, Issue 23146, 21 December 1938, Page 9

ART EXHIBITION

CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN PAINTINGS PRODUCT OF MODERN SCHOOL Some strikingly modern and colourful art paintings, on loan from the National Art Gallery of Canada, are now on exhibition at the Dunedin Art Gallery at Logan Park. The collection now on tour has already been through South Africa and Australia, Dunedin being the last place of presentation in New Zealand. The exhibition of these Canadian contemporary paintings was made possible by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, which is sponsoring this exhibition as part of its programme to assist the arts and sciences in the British Empire. The most striking thing about the exhibition is the force, vitality, and colour in the individual exhibits. All are by Canadian artists of the younger school, and they present a striking departure from the usually accepted standards in landscape and portraiture work. Being essentially Canadian, quite a number of the exhibits are of snow scenes, but even in these presentations where one would imagine it impossible to introduce colour, this new school of artistic thought has achieved the seemingly impossible. There are several rather striking paintings of churches, one in Quebec especially, severe and straight of outline, which appeal because of their apparent simplicity. White, with sharply delineated black lines, they stand out as fine examples of tbie new art.

One of the most arresting works in the exhibition is entitled ‘ The Ice Harvest; Quebec,’ by Clarence A. Gagnon. R.C.A.. depicting a group of men, with horse sleighs cutting and loading ice, while in the background is the village, vari-hued, presenting a striking contrast in colour with the group in the foreground. In the far distance is a low set range of mountains, dark and barren, providing a further striking colour contrast. The picture is vividly alive.

A street scene in old Montreal in winter, by Marc A. Fontin, is another vivid 'presentation which appeals because of its forcefulness. There is stark barsenness, combined with true realism in the presentations, which takes the breath away. One feels this in such paintings as the ‘ Fish House, Coldwell, Lake Superior,’ hy Lawren S. Harris and the ‘ Black Tusk, Garibaldi Park, 8.C.,’ hy James W. 6. Macdonnld. The hold sweeping lines of these, las in other works of the different •artists, at first startle and then charm by their daring. Here, too, colour is the kevnote.

In the field of portraiture different Styles axe seen, some of the exhibits Showing a combination of the orthodox land the new. In this sphere a painting entitled ‘ Resting ’ and another, ' c Mother and Child,’ hy Lawren Hariris. jun., and Stella Evelyn Grier, [A.R.C.A., respectively, are outstanding in this collection of the expression of the new art. Here, too, as throughout the exhibition, colour impresses as well as force and vitality. _ The exhibition, which is now open Idaily for inspection upon payment of a Small sum, is definitely worth a visit, Constituting as it does such a fine example of modem Canadian art. It is to be hoped this exhibition will be the Forerunnir of -many others of its kind.