THE ART OF WOMEN

Late last year we visited the very elegant Auckland Art Gallery during our visit to New Zealand.
Opened in 1888, it is wedding cake pretty, in French Renaissance style.

This room was beautiful...

with a gallery running around the upper level.

As is my habit, I sought out some interesting female artists and made their acquaintance.  On the right in the above photo, you can just see this painting:

'Characterisation in Colour' 1941 - May Smith [1906-1988].

I was immediately attracted to this portrait, by New Zealand artist May Smith.
It created controversy in conservative Auckland in 1941.
The sitter, Marie Conlan, wore trousers and a tight knit top, and was smoking as well!  But it became May Smith's best-known painting.

May Smith was born in India in 1906 under the British Raj.
Part of her childhood was spent being educated in England, then at the age of 15 came to New Zealand with her family.  Later she studied at the Royal College of Art in London, returning to New Zealand in 1939.  During the 30s she became involved in left-wing politics and was a member of the Communist party.

She told a story of how this portrait came about:

"We were driving back ... all singing the Internationale at the tops of our voices; I turned around in the car and saw those big eyes and bang - there it was.  The following weekend we went back .... to make the painting!"

Marie Conlan was a striking young woman.  She had already had an operation for cancer, which took her life two years later in 1943.
I think May Smith captured something of this in those big, haunting green eyes.

'Jubilation' 1948, Lois White [1903-1984]

New Zealand artist Lois White painted Jubilation as her response to festivities marking the end of World War II in August 1945.
I love the sense of joy and movement, like an uninhibited dance, in this work.
White was in her Auckland studio, and was disturbed by noise in the street outside.  She thought it was a street fight at first, then discovered that peace had been declared after six long years of war.

The collection and exhibitions of the Auckland City Gallery have become a matter of particular interest in Brisbane.  Their loss is our gain, as the new Director of the Queensland Art Gallery, commencing in April, is Mr Chris Saines, until recently director of the Auckland Gallery.
We look forward to an exciting future for our gallery.

Wishing you a very special week

xxx