From Te Hapua in the Far North

Te Ao Hou, March 1964, Page 25

From Te Hapua in the Far North But in Muru's home town, Te Hapua, in Auckland where he now lives, and in places where he has stayed as a school-teacher—Ruatahuna, Matakana Island, Urewera, Papatoetoe—most of his friends and acquaintances already knew of his talent and were not surprised by news of his success. Many of them had his paintings in their homes, given in return for the hospitality and friendship he found in the north. Selwyn Muru was born in Te Hapua, the third son of Mr and Mrs Henry Muru. He has three brothers and five sisters; the family is extremely musical and the son inherited both musical and artistic talents from both his Colour plays such an important part in his work that photographs can give only a suggestion of its nature. This vibrant owl was one of the most popular paintings at his first exhibition.

This painting of Mount Eden in Auckland is one of a series devoted to the subject. parents. His mother is partly Norwegian. Muru went to Northland College and got to know most of the young men who are now promising young painters in the Auckland district and further north (among them Para Matchitt, Ralph Hotere, Selwyn Wilson and Muru Walters). He went on to Ardmore Teachers' College at Papakura, and then for two years he taught in primary schools in the north, specialising in arts and crafts at Ruatahuna and Matakana Island. As a teacher, he began to find he had less and less time to paint; so he gave up teaching and for the past two years he has been doing part-time work in the evening (including private art tuition), and painting during the day. His first one-man exhibition was held a few months ago in the Ikon Gallery, Auckland. Landscapes featured prominently in this show, including views of the city—the tight-packed sea of houses as seen from Mt Eden, the mount itself with a crater made dark and fantastic—and an exploration of the Northland scenes in which his earlier years were spent. His paintings were praised for their ‘purity and precision, and the element of freshness and vigour they have brought to New Zealand art.’