TY'
Published by the students of the National Art School, Sydney Technical College, for the students. Circulation 7,500.
* the arty April, 1962
*E
FUTURE OF OUR ART GALLERY
Why Any Wild Oar' Arty means "pretentiously artistic-. Being fully aware of this and conscious of the responsibility we carry, we intend to publish noarticle smacking of pseudo intellectualism. One sows one's wild only in that period between adolescence and 'outwits. We will n ot slab here specifically how, and where one SOWS Them, except to suggest that you arenow looking at a virgin Ifyld. Any material - art, short stories, poems, and articles of any kind — will he carefully considered by the editors.
brought to the surface after aprolonged submersion. He was inteniewed at his home by Martin Sharp.
What is the purpose of into small courts conve- bought.Healso has a limitapublic art gallery?The iently, and so the scales of cd sum at his disposal to purpose is threefold. the 4ifferent pictures clash spend atwill. The directorial badly. Amost lamentable assistants — Tony Tuckson One, to disseminate incample of this is the pm- and Daniel Thomas, um formation aboutpainting sent sculphirc court, where also, theoretically allowed and sculpture by shownumber of unrelated pieces to recommend works for ing the public painting arc stacked promiscuously purchase. andsculpture. like bones i charnel Theoretically? The hos-
9 ffSst,
Therefore we have the udicrous situation where the N.S.W. Gallery's collection and always has been de. ermined by one who have no claim toany competence as judges of art Why not appoint Billnubdi as presi-
house, and one cannot look tees always ignore their mat a Stephen Walker without commendations. the strings of a Barbara Are the toot., appointed Hepworth getting in the way. For life? Not quite. though
new, by showing itgood
BATA.? What Is else remedy? The them is nocompulsory re- dent of the only foreseeable remedy — tiring age. They can Le conBut surely the Pant tall I mesa remedy,not local sidered dismissed if they they can onlsact onthe
anaesthetic — demolition and construction of a new think — monthly meetings gallery. I oninformed that in a row. Or, if they die, Dots the N.S.W. Art Galit would cost 000,000 to are pronounced insane, axe lery do these jobs adeair condition theexisting dismissed by direct interquately? No. premises. Onecould build vention of leeGovernorHus R. ever done them a gallery for Ma. The Gov, General, or simply resign, adequately? No. eminent, however, puts or they may. under theterms Then the New South io a Vie's,. circle onthe of the N.S.W. Galleries Act, Wales Gallery has remained matter: 1300.000 is too be deemed to have vacated static slime Its inception? much tospend onaircon-their Net Net atall_ Ithas test red ditianing, hut. why build substrulialiy. Apastamlurly new gallery?We've got largeimprovement hastaken the old one place overthelast twelve Improvements have, of years. But ithas still not raised itself tothe standard course, been made, such as of, let us say, a medium- the mw srnall Loom, desired provincial art gallery signed by Hal Missingham• in thelaid-western States nf to house a recent bequest of America; or the municipal Chinese pottery figures. No galleries of Leeds or Birm-complete solution la WI sible. Thelighting is poor current oversew mactice generally favours artifinal light throughout, so that rinc's enjoyment of a Cars you Rise as somein' Tom Roberts doesn't depend stances? Yes. In the first onthe weather but it place, the gallery is physi- cost the Gallery recently cally inadequate. It is noth- 124,000 to illuminate one ing momthan asuccession court with colour-adjusted of large, dimly-lit barns strip lighting. Since the Gal-
Inadequate
director's recommeadadan imposes some sort of check on them? Itdoes. Butdon't overvalue it. Iam in favour.
generally, of committee deslalom, provided the committee Is no bigger than live
Vidtel Bunning, an ircht
The Finances What Is the effect of all this on the Gallery's collection? One canonlyqUOIC few examples. Did you know that a mention&reproduction of Annigonik portrait of the Queenwasacquired by the trustees in 1959? That is mica Thai-are worm than that. For in the trances refused to buy Marchand's Spring when it was urged them for 1000 a few Farsback: it changed handsin London ago.They foFf5.400 a ye yes,
and preferably three.and, at that, made up of experts who genuinely love and un- co ld has • .hair bet derstand Maur., of any number if Drysdales Thc obvious defect of the for around£150 each a few new systemMetter I agree, years back,andfinally, after than the old, where the much havering, bought one director couldn't buy atall several years later for 1400 and the trustees wcrc on — the same picture .. Do their own) is thatyou have you want this togo on? in incompetent committee No. stop. Bat what of he s im, acting on one man' which :an, Of course, le col- general patters of me coloured with prejudice. So or lection? Verypoor.except in terms of recent Australian arc still far from perfect. painting, and that'star from Despite their lack of era perfect. The Gallery pospolies. have the routers sesses not one major Cubist seemedgenuinely Interested or post-Impressionist pie In an? Put itthis way. If tare, and only one substanthe director of Terry Chines tial work of the ImpressionGallery toldyouthat at ist movement in France. a least three of themhad never been taside it evenwhen The German Expression• they were rostcrcd for buying duty, would you think in3 arc not represented at so? This actually happened. all. We have anKlee, n Mondrian codaoexampl e But aren't someof (hem of American abstract xprofessional arfisb? You pressionism. In fact, the gaps can put that in inverted would take more time to commas, if you don't mind. catalogue than the collet,
with lcry'sannual grant is t7o i • 7 -ro n' d "ener' 133,000, relighting throughous and illogical —Tare out would force then, to DOBELL is, for instance, nn direct pawn their Drysdale:. Head of B.M.A.? fink between the staff offices and the gallery stores, and Does this system seem blind you, there was atime the director to are the head perfect? No. Not atall. curator, must walk nearly during thewar when Will Why? In the first place, Ashton then director of the How IstheGallery con100 yards. Nor are the storage rooms either ade- stituted? heat Ls, who buys the trustees are not asked Gallery, refused to hang an quately large or air condo foe Itand makesthe admInt- Odom their appointment for exhibition of Picasso's, Modboned. The ventilation, strative decisions? You have any proof or evidence of iglianis and so forth there a director, assisted by a de- their competence as judges rcause, moreover, is insufficient. at he salt]. there Waiputy director, a curator, an of art. This would not mat- n% space. Twenty paintings Consequently. numerot -pictures are annually desbistant curator and so ter overseas, where it is not by histrustees ere w hanguncommon for a gallery to ords There are also aptroyed byfoxing,dampand ing there then . pointed, by the Minister for have up to 200 trustees. The mildew. Are there NO trustees, The gallery space itself a Education, a board of thir- difference is that there they not suited to advanced teen Trustees. Thedirector have no say in buying, they then, who know what they're methods of display, such as may recommend purchases only raise money; and here doing with modern art? Yes, irs. H. V. Evan, who is onc finds in overseas gaiter. to the trusters, who decide they raise not a penny, but sympathetic to it, and Mr. it cannot be divided finally on what is to be buy.
Trustees
on us again."
feet.
f
S
THE ART GALLERY, 1900, AS SEEN BY PHIL MAY...
We arc uninhibited by precedent. Unequivocally therefore, we can state that our aim is originality. At the some time we are providing aservice to you, which is at the moment Licking. (Scc our back Page.) Any
LeMl, don't look now. but I think
that artist is sir, ing
Two, to play an active role inthepublic's imagination. and toimprove its taste andimaginativeaware.
miss a number — six, I
11—C)F1 IA L. I
SEI.F EXPRESSION. One of the first necessities of self expression is a medium by which it can be communi• cated. To us this seems the means.
Robert Hughes, artist, critic and writer, last week criticised, in an outspoken interview, the New South Wales Art Gallery and its traditions.
painting and sculpture. Three, to collect the best possible representation of the best inits own country's art.
t
wild oat
On Sidney Nolan's "Leda and the Swan."
In this interview, which is a thoughtful insight into the Gallery by one of Sydney's leading artists, a very real and important issue is
tt'rlibit
Student in Indonesia
Our Art Gallery is a national disgrace—we fully concur with the facts presented by Mr.RobertHughes in our lead article inthisissue.
The author of this article, Lawrence Beck, is a youngsculpture student. Late last yearhe left Sydney on a mammoth"voyage of discovery". He had little money, and his aim was to work his way to London.
But alter the criticism, the fact remains: We are stuck with the present An Gallery, probably as long as we are stuck with the present Government.
Solution? We offer In this letter, written in an unprofessional but reircshmg style, be talks or has impressions seve.al., One obvious of Indonesia and Indonesians. Hefound the In- answer is the Opera donesians in Djakarta to be delightfully friendly, House Lottery. This is asourcc of considerable and questioned them on the Dukh-New revenue, and after the dispute among other things. completion of the Opera A group of Chinese and SAW m Ibis is what I Djakarta on December ind°,a9slal9..ha wen. also House could be used to pay for a new Gallery. l "'Z'str' ht, '"yir:nod 'IlY he ship i' .?,en 31, 1961. siopped outside t h a combinationpidgm.and.sign
Of course the logical Ill tuctikwatel at 6 Wm. and language cunffirsation source of money for an Immediately =gistlittle them, [Ike thist'Indonesians and institution such as an Art US: native boats paddled out il Gallery should he aGovol the darkness andChinese here max well?" ,Vol MY bands and en- ernment gmnt, but with '
bought carious id
cis
a Government which teems to be utterly opposed to any advanceWhet,' (more ment of Australian culture, and with Governflood mental finances in their in,A1 Ares bun very present state, Mr. Rengaud bloke," tonnes an shaw (the Treasurer) oseedi. might not feel very lib-
arcites fromthecrewand
ltilff"c'L,.. ""fu
With an entirely male committee we are sadly lacking afeminine viewpoint. We with to encourag• Lein in ism, (in females at least!) We await to he swamped with female contribu. tions. We hope to publish a contemplative article on a serious subject in each issue. (See front page.) The arts in Australa will have an important place —interviews with the known and the yet undiscovered, as well as reviews on many aspects of culture. (See this rage.) We have presented what we feel tobe a well balanced, but embryonic, vehicle of expression.
(big arum
haggled tor about an hour, then made MI ha<saan again for theshore. No- 10.1. body seemed to mind ""r fhb hidepiece of smug- bi
with the puree suillga. A final scheme could follow in the footsteps of the National Heart Campaign but in a smaller way. Donations by private and public contrihulions, however, would be a slow and uncertain way to raise several hundred thousand pounds. Whatever the answer, the problem is with us now. Unless someaction is taken, both in the provision of respectable and serviceable quarters. and the drastic rc - vamping of selection of material for the Gallery, future ages will look hack to the legacies we have left them and snort with derision. oral
'Inc atop berthed at12 poop', ttko r,,a. a.m., and when we'd heel our spacial vino check.' him," I HEAL •-Lverybody love and our money &main r lion. I think if is perfectly went with twO other bioges aocaainu."(Vec were Omaghfair to say thatno parson aml bargained with a mob mg ace mad ay no what who wandered into it could rasa para. Matt ot any Indurrearan even begin to gauge what In front ofionatthe moment is a sheet of drIVerr for a rale to the Loch no g000t,e, has Men happening in paper —20 inches by ISinches. Thu-re see Lmicis ae city, which was eight Macs I IlLtsit Europe over the last eighty ,499mother copies, exactly the same, throughout awsy. geed.(stonesell round., Years. • nature we could Leave the tee, nuns ua foe about Sydney. What about Old Masters? who, arcs we were acazahul 20 mum., but weword On each sheet is print- very diverse, and not a Too cxpcnsivc. The Gallery lull lorcign 0200.1, We war, Ind no more trom Mealon ers' ink, laid out in the little critical, group who has only ill,000 a year to of wilowed to Ming =or) NeW tamined m Australia, buy with, after other exform of illustrations and form the committee. Other eurrcncy w, and not and when we were sour penses — running amts. W take any Incloneasati out. have May maistad c, pay. txpe For example: Discuscleaning, lavatory upkeep the road to 1.14aarra mg tor oar natal. Um of
!A Note from the Publisher
1
Cont. back page
But behind the ink, sion about the front page and what you are read- lead story raged on late ing, there lies much into the night. The &cis"blood, toil, tears and ion to use the illustraWe lea the tam m a Sort bad closed. liverybody shook sweat". Not much blood, lion by Martin Sharp 01 Markelplace andwand- hands cad welulL Imagine crud about I only sawtwo a Chmesc coming to Sydney plenty of Mil, some tears wan an agonising one, beggars that Eby, and no-.sad coons such arex:mama! and a few gallons of and a number of differNMI, raced out andgest:redImpossible: Ilic duce at us sweat that has dribbled ens illustrations were us to bus their goo& —care masonic with the over furrowed brows, con.sidered before the ve great contrast to Culombo .randimiss. had ner went into the organise. finalchoicewas made. be late this. them ocre k6Witsaasatoned to non, compilation, distilAfter selection, the ne wailed on affilasioss *Wet alall. lation and finally produc- typed out "copy" is alwhich We wont into a nay af. •VUP'' lion of the simple sheets located a place in the almost:Ind to .acre nail) wweliNsioh and code, that I particular shop bathtubs combtned.Moat Or of paper in your hands. paper and a crawl along, with a No profit has been layout and then sent to Luddi le, were two Cvery two yards, and rat the down in a nudger catewherc ', burr Cement mattered, with made by any of the mem- the printers where it is fruit meals were serves'. No- toed roots .Vicar ii(much hers of the committee— all set in the form of body spokeRolston, tter-ActsChins.— air the ears. indeed the reverse is true_ metal slugs ready for an or French, andoneof tat:lading Hoidens and Men- A great deal of organis. publishing. 1%1 se-. ing thought went into the the blokes with me who cedes Bent, bad 4 The committee, headspoke Dutch was willingtoStn. hccadatt• hid hen articles published (which eyj by the eyh tort, t num ditough wateresi paddy mem promised Wbuy tome hal& whichwareirrigated stamps and post two letters uy canals. .1bad, bacausc the peal 011iee
about outquarter he cost Bar 0.6„, uy it are mutelyby slafknt” examine the final proofs, language, we soon had seven There were a lot of Rusaian and their %leen& the "go" order is given plates full of 'even&Hemettrucks and canabout Also, every article had and the 7,500 compare had never heard fruits that I Continued hack page. to run the gauntlet of the printed. of before.