DOMINION ART

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23355, 25 May 1939, Page 14

DOMINION ART

AUCKLAND SOCIETY ANNUAL exhibition CAPABLE WORK SHOWN ; THE CITY GALLERY USED , Hung for the first time in the Auckland .Art Gallqry, whore three rooms have been set apart for it, this year's exhibition of the Auckland Society of Arts \\;ill be opened at a private view this afternoon hy the president of the society, Mr. R. 0. Gross. The size of the exhibition, which contains 330 works, is enough to show what numbers of New Zealanders are practising pa.inting as a hobby, if not as a vocation. Taken as a whole, it fails to suggest that anything approaching a New Zealand style in landscape is being evolved, but there is plenty of experimentation under various oversea influences, particularly English and Canadian. A dominant impression is that very few artists are afraid to make frco use of colour, and there is an obvious striving after bold decorative effect. Many Portraits Possibly some ground for criticism may bo given by the crowding of pictures on the walls, where most of them hand three deep. The society clearly has abandoned itfi former policy of restriction, and, while few works of the hesitant order have been admitted, rather many painters of average competence have been allowed to repeat themselves when a single picture would have sufficed.

There is an encouragingly wide range of work in the portrait field, showing that a number of promising new people are coming forward. The society is fortunate this year in having three pictures by the veteran Australian artist A. Dattilo Rubbo. One of these, "The Puff," is an excellent study in oils of a white-beardod man with a pipe. Another is a back view of a youth busily attacking a water melon, and the third, a charcoal drawing, is of an old man. In "The Exile," "Ingenue" and "The Corner Table," M. E. R. Tripe presents three charming feminine types in delicate colour with an obviously sentimental appeal. A self-portrait by A. B. Barns Graham is full of character, and this artist shows two of the accomplished heads in chalk for which he is well known. Several exhibitors have adopted a hard stylo with varying success. Probably the* best work in this class is "Portrait of a Young Man," by L. Bensemann. Two portraits bv Betto Aislabie will undoubte'dly give many visitors a shock, as will three by Frances D. Ellis. Puzzling Symbolism A. Lois Whito is represented by two of--her allegorical designs, "Weeping Women" and "Winter's Approach." "Street Mission" is treated more realistically, and this, with a woodcut. "Maoris Cooking," represents almost the only attempt at genre work in the exhibition. Two extraordinary oil paintings, "Mental Affinities" and "Elective Affinities," by Angelo G. Nigro, ■ show human figures emerging from mazes of triangles, cylinders and other geometric shapes, and the application of the titles is far from clear. "Other People's Business," a largo water-colour by W. A. Sutton, is a very accomplished subject-picture containing many figures, and "The Pedlar," by Joan Dukes, is of the same high quality. Amy B. Dawson shows ari excellent study in tempera of two small girls, entitled "Little Women." Canterbury Mountains

In landscape, John Weeks is represented bv "Winter" and "Afternoon on the Seine," with a still-life and two smaller pictures, all works of solidity and distinction and full of rich colour. What might be termed the Canterbury school, led by W. Basil Honour and Rata Lovoll-Smith, makes a good showing. A less-known artist from the same province, A. Deans, reveals an unusual gift for drawing the anatomy ot mountains in "Mount Wolseley xmd "Waimate Gorge," an oil and a watercolour respectively. "Late Snow, by Grace Butler, whose alpine subjects have long been familiar, strikes a rather new note in its treatment or mist. ... Lectures for Visitors

A small oil painting, "South Coast Farm; New South Wales," by Cedric Savage, is remarkable for its careful draughtsmanship and wealth of rich greens. The water-colours include "Cirque Sous Les Arbres" and Bathing Tent, St. Malo," by E. Heber Thompson, a Now Zealander l° n C resident in Europe. 0 Spencor Bower, Esther Hope and John Oakley are other notable contributors. The exhibition contains a wealth or flower-pieces and still-life studies, nearly all very creditable. In addition to works already mentioned, the small black-and-white section includes three bold chalk drawings. "Spanish Girl, "Iris Asleep" and "Bora-boreans. by George Woods. . No charge will be made for admission to the exhibition, which is to be open to the public from , to-morrow until June 7, Sundays included. Short lectures on art will be given on certain afternoons.