ART EXHIBITION.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20332, 15 June 1934, Page 4

ART EXHIBITION.

British Loan Collection on View.

OPENING CEREMONY. Due mainly to the efforts of Mr P R. Sargood, of Dunedin, New Zealand is now in a position to see famous works of art for the first time, the first loan collection of contemporary British art now being on view at the old Art Gallery. The exhibition was opened last night by Dr James Right. Professor James Shelley, president of the Society of Arts, presided. The collection was organised bv the Empire Art Loan Collections Society, and is exhibited in Christchurch under the direction of the New Zealand Society of Arts.

Professor Shelley said it had been the ambition of many to bring closer the art of Britain and the Dominions.

Unfortunately for the people overseas there was a law in Britain prohibiting loans from the British Museum and the National Gallery. Protests had, however, been made and legislation introduced which was being held up b}-- the House of Lords in the meantime, because of an amendment deal; ing with the loan of pictures not older than a certain date. The man who had been mainly responsible for the collection coming to Christchurch was the secretary of the New Zealand Society of Artists, INIr W. Basil Honour. Dr Right said that the exhibition was full of educational and cultural possibilities. The society was arranging for the exhibition to be visited by the senior pupils from the schools and colleges and by the students from the university and the adult education groups of the city.