ART IN AMERICA

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 35, 11 January 1926, Page 10

ART IN AMERICA

MODERN TENDENCIES’ IMPRESSIONS OF NEW ZEALANDER. “You can go on talking with him if you like, but my view is that artists should bo interviewed through thoir wives. The adoring wife can say so much that modesty provents the husband saying.” That remark was made by Mrs W. E. Chapman when she saw a Lyttelton Times representative interviewing her husband. Although the suggestion was not completely followed, a duo interview was in progress for some time, and then the males were left to hold the floor alone.

Mr Chapman is a New Zealand artist who, having lived for many years in New York, lias fallen in with the artistic movement of that city. There ho has found the success he probably dreamed about when he was one of an enthusiastic band of young painters who worked together in Christchurch in the nineties. Among members of tho group were Mr Menzies Gibb and the late William Sprott. Mr Chapman was born in Lyttelton but his oarly days were spent at Okains Bay. When he was sixteen years old he wont to Christchurch, and ho did varied work until ho was about twenty, .when he went to the School of Art, being among tho first pupils entered there. Within a few months he was appointed to thestaff, that being in 1885. In 1901 he left New Zealand and went to Paris, where he studied for five years. He was engaged by a party of American tourists to teach them while they were travelling through Europe. With them ho returned to the United States, and, with the exception, of two trips to Europe, there ho remained. “I’m glad to be back in Christchurch again after all these years, and I’m immensely pleased with tho way in which it has grown,” ho said. “Buildings of great architectural beauty have been erected, and there is the same natural beauty in and around tho town. I have spent many pleasant days in Christchurch, but I often laugh when I think how seriously wo took life then. I have learnt now what a good thing it is to laugh and accept matters as they come. AMERICAN ART. “Beautiful landscape work 'is done in America,” said Mr Chapman, “but as most of the painters receive their training in Pans, the French traditions are followed mainly. It is by portrait painting, however, that the bulk of the artists make their living. If they paint a portrait of a wealthy person, and their work is recommended to others, then they do very well for themselves. The competition, however, is great, but an artist who can do good work constantly is assured of success. “Of course, among flic youngsters there is a favouring oi the jazz element in art, but tho tendency does not seem to bo as strong now as it was five years ago. That work would be right enough in its proper place, that is, in decorative schemes. But it has no place in pure art. There is no drawing and no hard work in it.” Mrs Chapman broke in. She had comment to make upon the work of the jazz painters. “I.saw it written somewliero that mediocrity never before had tho same opportunity to express itself as it has to-day,” she said. “There is too much ‘flim-fiam’ everywhere. These young men and women won’t do tho hard work, and without hard work they can accomplish nothing that is worth while.” PLEA FOR NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRY. “On tho boat that carried me from America to New Zealand there was a large shipment of Canadian apples, American onions and Oregon doors, ' said Mr Chapman. “That seemed to tell me that there must be something wrong inrNew Zealand, lheio is in the Dominion finer timber than m America, yet this country finds it necessary to import manufactured doors from America. New Zealand is a country that can grow apples. \\ n> should it be necessary to import apples from Canada in the off season. Can t they be stored in- this country f I suppose that onions are grown in New Zealand. Why should they have to be imported from America . i “As far as i can see, New Zealand is prepared to sit down on its wool and butter-fat and import automobiles and gasoline from America. . thing should surely be done in the way oi: encouraging secondary industry. In tho little gift shops in New York stock is gathered from all parts of the world, but apart from a giecnstone tiki New Zealand could send no distinctive stock to one. Prosperity must liavo mado the people of the country indolent*. . “Let us talcfc one native product, flax, for example. The Maoris with flax at Itotorua have done the finest artistic work that has ever been done in New Zealand. Surely some man of genius could build up a loom and work tho flax as the Maori lias done. Tapestries, particles, chair-backs, ail manner of things could be made if ingenuity were employed. “What New Zealand lacks at present is imagination and the artist’s mind. Without that progress will not be made. The young men with imagination should have all the encouragement that can be given to them. “Tho time may come when the interests of New Zealand and America are common interests, so it is well that one country should understand the other, but I do think that New Zealand should be exporting to America instead of importing from it tho whole time. “It will take money to start them, but those secondary industries should be encouraged.” From this it may be seen that Mr Chapman thinks about other tilings besides trt.