ART GALLERY

Southland Times, Issue 19771, 20 February 1923, Page 5

ART GALLERY

THE HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING VISIT TO PREMISES With the object of gathering further laformation in connection with the suggestion to convert the building at present being used by the Education Department as a High School into a Museum and Art Gallery, a Times representative yesterday obtained permission to inspect the premises, and waa enabled to do this all the more thoroughly through the courtesy of the Rector, Mr T. D. Pearce, who allowed measurements to be taken, and in every way facilitated a thorough investigation. A casual observation at the ouset convinced the adaptability of the building for the Dpurposes suggested. In the first instance, the bght is good, the first essential in a building to be used as an art gallery, and the favourable point is that the situation, being a corner one, prohibits the possibility of the light being interfered with through the erection in future of adjoining buildings. Furthermore, the locality is a good one, central, and in close proximity to all the principal educational institutions of Invercargill. Regarding the building itself, it is of solid brick, and is 120 ft by 75ft. overall, with a floor area of approximately 9,000 square feet. There are, exclusive of small apartments, nine large rooms, three 20ft. x 24ft, and six varying from 20ft x 20ft up to 26ft x 36ft. The largest is now used as the Science Room, and is a fine spacious apartment. There is, too, what is termed the “long room,” which, at present, is divided by a wooden partition, but w’hich, by simply removing the division, would give an apartment 20ft - x 46ft, with a floor area of 920 square feet, wherein a really handsome display might be made. All the rooms are lofty and well ventilated, the wails being a uniform 17ft in height throughout the entire building. Then there are two spacious corridors, Bft wide by 75ft long, running right through both wings, which would appeal to be the least imaginative as ideal positions in which to hang paintings and to display other works of art. Viewed from Conon street, the whole building, surmounted by a handsome dome and heavy pediment built of solid brick cemented over, presents rather an imposing appearance, and it appeared to be ideal in every way.