AUCKLAND ART GALLERY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21727, 16 February 1934, Page 14

AUCKLAND ART GALLERY

CRITICISM OF EXPERT STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR SPACE HANDICAP EMPHASISED Some comment, on the recent extract published from a report of Mr. S. F. Markham to the Museums' Association, was made by Mr. John Barr, director of the Auckland Art Gallery. The report in question suggested that the pictures in the Art Gallery were overcrowded and poorly arranged. " The extract that was sent to New Zealand," said Mr. Barr, " does not convey fully Mr. Markham's opinion witli regard to the Auckland Art Gallery. I had sent out to me the proof sheets of the report in question and in them Mr. Markham made favourable comment on the work that is being done by our gallery here. Ho mentioned," for instance, the informative catalogue tha't is issued by tho gallery. The system of loan exhibitions and lectures were also commented 011 as being valuable educative inlluences. " He also stressed tho fact that tho inadequate accommodation at tho Auckland Art Gallery was well known to the authorities, and that they were taking active steps to remedy this defect. Mr. Markham commended the idea of a fine arte block which it is hoped will be tho solution of the problem of lack of accommodation. The combination of a largo art gallery with the teaching aspect which the university would bring to it and with the facilities that the Society of Arts would contribute appealed to him greatly.

A number of other keen supporters of the Auckland Gallery stated yesterday that there was 110 doubt that there were undoubtedly far more pictures in the possession of the authorities than there was adequate space for. The great benefit that the city enjoys from the generosity of Mr. J. T. McKelvie, Sir George Grey and Mr. Henry Mason and many others had resulted in there being in Auckland probably the best collection of pictures in the Dominion. It remained for adequate provision to bo made for the hanging of the pictures, a state of affairs "which will undoubtedly bo rectified at some future date. Tho opinion was expressed that the value of the gallery as it is at present lay in tho fact that Auckland artists had access to a collection of the works of modern artists that was to some extent representative.