"ART IN NEW ZEALAND"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23004, 6 October 1936, Page 2

"ART IN NEW ZEALAND"

The September issue of the quarterly "Art in New Zealand is' largely devoted in its contents to the recently-opened National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum, now boldly acclaimed, at least in the capital, as "the cultural centre of the Dominion." The exhibitions staged to celebrate the occasion provide material for a good deal of the letterpress and many of the illustrations. An interesting general review of them is given by Roland Hipkins, who offers the reflection that " the Dominion-wide interest aroused by the establishment of a National Art Gallery demands a national policy for the education of the whole people in art appreciation." It would be highly interesting to see what form such a "national policy" might take. The coloured frontispiece to this number is a reproduction of Ida G. Eise's ' Mangaotaki River," which was awarded the Bledisloe Medal this year at Auckland. Among a good selection of plates in black and white may be mentioned Turner's "Yacht Racing on the Solent" and Constable's " Glebe Farm," from the Empire art loan collection; Laura Knight's "Self Portrait," from the Murray-Fuller collection; and Sydney Thompson's " Head in Sunlight" and Linley Richardson's " Old Maori Chieftainess," from the annual exhibition of the New Zealand Academy. The sculpture of W. H. Wright, A.R.C.A., who established himself at Auckland some 10 years ago, provides subject matter for an article and a number of very effective plates. " Poetry in Auckland " is the theme of a thoughtful contribution by Robin Hyde. "What is Proletarian Art? " is the inquiring title of an article by Leslie Greener, and it would appear that the answer, if it can be given at all, is not to be presented in a few words. Examples of meritorious verse and art notes reflecting activities in two or three of the centres—Dunedin not included—take their usual place as features of the magazine.