THE PUBLIC ART GALLERY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23810, 17 May 1939, Page 8

THE PUBLIC ART GALLERY

A certain note of disappointment was discernible as running through the discussion it the annual meeting of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society, finding its impulse apparently in a falling off of the society's membership and consequently of the subscriptions which partly constitute the measure of its usefulness as an aid to the gallery. The question of the attitude of the public towards the gallery was raised, and the opinion found expression that the public did not sufficiently realise that the gallery

was a valuable civic asset. The suggestion seems justifiable, but discovery of a remedy must appear rather difficult. The Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society's problem is not likely to be one peculiar to this community. We imagine that art gallery authorities in most parts of the Empire would agree that to maintain public interest in art institutions becomes increasingly difficult in these days. For their appreciation art collections demand a contemplative mind, but in our own times we see the contemplative mind driven —at least to outward appearances—more and more into the background. It is the old story of counter-attractions and distractions. People are too preoccupied with the latest amenities of existence to have leisure to display much interest in art galleries. If that is so an established tradition may seem to be somewhat endangered. It can only be hoped that any apprehension of the kind is based on what is merely a temporary symptom, and that the public interest in traditional pictorial representation is too deep-seated to be really impaired by fluctuations of mass sensibility to art. It should at least be an encouraging sign that the study of art shows no decline, and that as a field of instruction it appears more than ever to have desirable recognition as meeting a wide need. If the Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society feels that more interest might be manifested in its work it is the more important that the value of that work should be emphasised and brought under the notice of the citizens as a whole. The public is apt to take too much for granted, and estimate carelessly, the advantages which are offered it in the possession of an art gallery such as that in which this city should take pride.