EXHIBITION OF ART AND HANDWORK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23669, 29 November 1938, Page 5

EXHIBITION OF ART AND HANDWORK

TO THE EDITOR Sir,— Owing to the rather misleading nature of some of the statements appearing in the criticism in your paper of the recent exhibition of art and handwork held at the Training College, and the false impression which they may create, it appears to be necessary to state briefly the reason for holding such an exhibition, which was in no way an art exhibition in the usual sense of the term, and ought not to be criticised as such. The exhibition was primarily one of exercises used to stimulate creative efTor'; in visual art. By means of the methods employed, art, in its widest sense, is approached through . children's creative powers, thus superseding " mechanised " art and " sergeant major" methods, in this way utilising the average child'." native ability, his personal experience, and his instinct for the fundamental elements in art. To use these methods, the students mus* first endeavour to overcome their own inhibitions, if any (how many adults are free from bias or inhibition in relation to art?), so that they, before becoming teachers, may experience the adventure of creative art, thus to understand more readily the child mind, they must also absorb such principles of art as will enable them to provide adequate assistance to children who have reached the age of realism. This is not easy. The students have responded bravely. The standard ; s high, and is not the work of "two or three," but of the majority of the

students. Several students have above the average skill jn drawing, which is not necessarily'art, but the writer of the criticism seems to be unable to distinguish creative art from technical skill. , In this way such criticism becomes dangerous when read by people who have little real knowledge of art, or are just beginning to glimpse the truth about art and its vital importance in the life of ordinary folk. One of the most obvious things about the exhibition was its demonstration that art is for every man, and that art and craft are very closely related.—l am, etc., D.T.C. [The notice of the exhibition stated that it covered " all the phases of the practical cultural training of the students," ana the writer considers of it that his incidental remark about the quality of the work was not out of place. Appreciation was also expressed of the value of the work done, in teaching children.—Ed. O.D.TJ i ~ :_ _