WHAT IS ART?

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1939, Page 12

WHAT IS ART?

A WISE ARCHITECTS VIEW. In these days when many queer things are done in the name of art by various painters, etchers and sculptors, an average citizen has cause to be puzzled about definitions and interpretations of art. Some very interesting Quotations were given recently by Mr H. S. Goodhart-Bendel, president of the Royal institute of British Architects, from a book written many years ago by a famous English architect, Alfred Waterhouse “Art,” wrote Waterhouse, “is an instinct, the fulfilment of a spiritual need, which to make itself understood uses various means: but there is on

one Art as there is only one Reason, only one Wisdom,’’only one Desire. Art is one stream that divides into several channels; the orator, the poet, the musician, architect, sculptor or . painter but seek different ways of expressing one sentiment that dwells in the soul of every sensitive man. ! “To make a hut of rough branches is not art, it is the fulfilment of a material need; but to scoop a dwelling out of a cliff, to divide your cave Into rooms of sizes to suit the needs of their inhabitants and then to engrave on your walls and pillars signs j intended to preserve the memory of an event—the birth of a child, the death of a father or a wife, a victory over an enemv—that is already art... “From the philosophic point of view there is only one art, assuming dilyverse forms in its action upon the

'spirit of man; and when these forms I combine in the same place at the same time, with the same inspiration, each I speaking in its proper language, to ' influence the senses, they can then produce the most vivid ana lasting im- ] pression that a thinking being can re- { ceive. | In his whole-hearted approval of the philosophy of Waterhouse, Mr ' Goodhart-Rendel remarked: —“The experiences for which the various kinds of art form the channels are among . the most precious of human blessings. , The noblest among those experiences ' are things to live for and, if need be, ; t 0 die in order to defend. Those or , you that are born architects will know I this without any telling. Those of j you that are made architects will i know it also, even though no vivid ,' personal memories may be yours to

confirm its truth. Architecture beside being a valuable public service is a channel through which flow experiences necessary to civilised man, experiences without’ which his emotional life is incomplete. It is the duty of all of us to keep that channel unchoked by the deadly weeds of indifference and error. The blind men who sneer at aesthetics may have minds of a sort, but they are blind. Let there be no architects among them.” '