ART EXHIBITION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23966, 16 May 1941, Page 14

ART EXHIBITION

THE OPENING CEREMONY FINE WORK BY SOCIETY Just as the artists of the past deserved honour, so did I hose of to-day merit credit and encouragement, said i Mr. Richard 0. Cross, president of the; Auckland Society of Arts, at the opening of the diamond jubilee exhibition of the society at the Art (lallery yesterday. Sixty years was a long period in the art life of any community, lie remarked, and in the course of that time much line work had been done in Auckland. .Mr. Cross mentioned the work which | had been done by Miss M. ,1. Walker, who, although not taking up painting until very late in life, had five paintings in the exhibition this year. He also stated that as a token of appreciation for the assistance they had given to the culture of art in Auckland the City Council had decided lo purchase a picture to be presented to; the American people. In declaring the exhibition open, (hci Minister of Education, the Hon. 11. C. I!. Mason, said it gave him par-, ticular pleasure to perform this ccre-i inony. as it \bowed that not onlv did the present system of education includ''j the M)-c;dled essentials ol learning, but.' also the higher forms of culture. He rejoiced to think ol the amount of good work which the society had done toward education in the past (j() years to help tin- citizens of Auckland in the a ppr< ciation of art. M.r. Mason mentioned the system which the society had inaugurated, known .is the "Country Kxhibition Scheme." by which people in outlying districts wen able to see paintings which il would ordinarily lie impossible lor t hem to view He also spoke of the steps which had been taken in schools to acquaint children will) all forms ol art expression. The Minister was thanked by Mr. W. H. Cocker, chairman of the advisory committee on adult education.