HOW LONDON IS CHANGING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 201, 15 July 1936, Page 13

HOW LONDON IS CHANGING.

VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS

ART AND MACHINES,

“In architecture and decoration I love the old and the very new, and cannot bear what comes in between, said Mrs D. G. Frankol, wife of Dr. Frankel, a New Zealand scientist, when she arrived in Sydney recently. Dr. and Mrs Frankcl have been touring abroad for twelve months, Dr. Frankel returning earlier. Mrs Frankel is a student of politics and art, and has made many observations on both subjects during her tour, says a Sydney paper. Though an Austrian by birth, she is a British subject, and has lived in New Zealand for the last seven years. On her return to England, Airs Frankel found that the appearance ot London had changed considerably duiing the last six years. “It has not become American as Sydney has, but has become Continental in a verv interesting way. Shops, particularly, have improved, and are fine examples of modern architecture, using steel and glass. Fortunately new buildings are replacing some ot the ugly ornate buildings. Ihe pompous architecture of Regent Street is hideous. . „ . Airs Frankel studied art in the Famous German school, Bauhatis (the building of which was entirely made ot steel and glass), under the noted Walter Gropius, who is a pacifist, and since the Nazi rule has lived in London. Owing to the influence of Gropius it was now impossible to buy an ugly old-fashioned wallpaper in Germany, said Airs Frankel. ART AND AIACHTNES. “His idea is that in this lnglilv advanced machine age, artists should not be employed creating a few beautiful things by band, but that their time should be spent evolving good ideas which could lie carried out in factories by machines. In this way only good designs would be produced, it would be impossible to buy ugly merchandise, and automatically public taste would be educated.” Airs Frankel returned to New Zealand by the Wanganella.