WAR PICTURES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24828, 30 January 1942, Page 8

WAR PICTURES

EXHIBITION IN DOMINION MIDDLE EAST SCENES (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 29. The public in the main centres will shortly be given an opportunity to view some of the scenes of destruction in Britain and also paintings depicting something of the life Qf the New Zealand soldiers overseas, said the Minister of Internal Affairs. Mr W. E. Parry, to-day, commenting on the exhibition of war pictures to be opened at the Dominion Art Gallery by the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, next Wednesday.

Mr Parry said the exhibition would consist first of the pictures by the foremost artists of the British Commonwealth of Nations. One section consisted of 85 pictures lent by the British Ministry of Information. The second section v/as made up of 17 pictures received by the Governor-Gene-ral some months ago and held to be shown with the larger collection. The third section consisted of 10 pictures by the New Zealand official war artist. Peter Mclntyre, dealing with the Middle East campaigns, and 12 by Austin Deans, a young Canterbury artist, who went overseas with the first echelon, and was now a prisoner of war'. In addition there was a portrait of " Cobber" Kain, painted by Mrs Mary Prechner and presented by her to the Marton Borough Council. The collection included portraits of famous New Zealand airmen by some of Britain's foremost portrait-painters. There was also a picture of the sinking of the Jervis Bay. As the pictures, lent by the Ministry of Information, can only remain in New Zealand for a short period, they can be shown only in the four main centres, but the other pictures will afterwards be sent round the provincial centres. If the main group is delayed in New Zealand after the appointed time for its despatch to Australia it, too, may reach some of the provincial centres. As the primary object of the exhibition is educational there will be no admission charges, but the public will have an opportunity of making voluntary donations to the patriotic funds. The pictures will be on exhibition at Wellington from February 4 to 18, Dunedin March 5 to 19, Christchurch April 2 to 18. and Auckland May 5 to 19. The intervals between will be taken up in transport and hanging.