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RIDUAN TOMKINS:AN INTRODUCTIONBy Ted BraceyEveryone in the art community is interested when a newappointment is made to head the Painting Department atCanterbury. This interest arises from the considerable influencethe position itself is capable of generating and, as well,from the artistic standing of those who have held that positionin the past. Recent past heads of painting such as RusselClark, Bill Sutton and Don Peebles, for example, have allexercised major influences on New Zealand painting indirectlythrough their teaching and, more directly, through theirown work.Given that the position has now gone to an outsider who,despite an impressive overseas reputation, we have notheard of before, there is almost certain to be more than usualinterest in the appointment and, given, too, our sometimesembarrassing displays of territorial aggression towards outsidersof any kind, there would seem to be a case for anintroduction of some sort.Since teaching is a fairly private affair between tutor andstudent it will be some time before the effects of RiduanTomkins's teaching will be felt outside the School but alreadypainting students speak with something like awe at hisknowledge of, and enthusiasm for, the business of painting.As for the man and his work (and so far we have seen a littleof the former and none of the latter) there may be a surpriseor two in store on both counts.For many of us the most surprising thing about RiduanTomkins will be that he has chosen to come here at all sincehis natural locus appears more European than antipodean.This shows, first of all, in a confident ease of artistic mannerwhich contrasts rather sharply with the post-colonial selfconsciousnessof many New Zealand painters and, as well,with the cultural arrogance of those who, in the not too distantpast, came all the way from somewhere else with the convictionthat we needed to be saved from ourselves. It alsoshows itself in a record of exhibiting which, in earlier times,sent New Zealand artists rushing lemming like to distantcultural capitals for the chance of achieving something like it.He has, for example, shown three times with Betty Parsonsin New York, with Sable-Castelli in Toronto, at the prestigiousWhitechaple Gallery in London and, more recently, hiswork was included in a New York Museum of Modern Artinternational survey exhibition. It is surprising, indeed, that apainter with such a record should choose to live so far fromwhere it was made.On first glance the surprise is deepened by the work itselfwhich must be among the most distinctive produced in thiscountry. It appears to be founded on modernist principles,has primarily to do with space and yet, paradoxically, thatspace is both self-contained and inhabited by references to asophisticated meta-world of conceptual and perceptual puzzles.Better acquaintance, however, with the work and theman, shows that there is nothing about either which is in theleast exclusive and matters of reputation, manners and locuseasily give way to the stuff of which all worthwhile experienceis made.There will, for all that, be a residual surprise in the whollyprofessional way in which Riduan Tomkins approaches theenterprise of painting, especially among those who paint inresponse to an occasional inspiration. When not teaching hisattention to painting is virtually continuous and the outcomeis a full programme of exhibitions in preparation. He has aone-person exhibition currently showing in Montreal which isto be followed by two further exhibitions in Canada, one atthe Beaverbrook Centre in Fredrickton and the other at theWaddington Shiell Gallery in Toronto. His first New Zealandshowing will be in Wellington (Jana Land) in March 1987 and"Pointers" 1968 oil on canvas 54" x 54".this will be followed by an exhibition in Auckland (Artis). Ourfirst encounter with Riduan Tomkins's work will be at theMcDougall Galleryin May/June next year, by which time theintroduction begun here will be complete.TWENTIETH CENTURYMASTERSFrom the Metropolitan Museum of Art,New YorkComment by Josie JayThis exhibition, shown first in the Australian National Gallery.Canberra, then the Queensland Art Gallery, 7 May-1 July, inthe impressively spacious new Art and Cultural Centre,Brisbane, consisted of previously little shown, though manywell known art works, which were selected from the Metropolitans20th Century collection by William S. Lieberman totour Australia.The exhibition included works by European and AmericanMasters from Andre Derain's painting of "Lucien Gilbert" in1905, to David Smith's sculpture "Tanktotem, No. 2", completed1953.Fortunately a week was at my disposal, and as familiaritywith the works increased it became apparent that I wasunexpectedly touched by some works, over others that Ipreviously would have predicted.Of the Picasso's, the Gertrude Stein had an immediate andperhaps more obvious impact, with its monumental
sculptural form and deep rich colours, but as time progressed,I was increasingly drawn to "La Coiffure", which demandedmore participation in the discovery of subtle innuendosin the positive and negative areas and colour relations,enjoyment of which replaced the narrative.Picasso was also represented by several superb drawings.Three line drawings of nudes draped on a beach had suchsurprising clarity of execution, incredible liberties in thecontours as to create statuesque forms of great beauty,reminiscent of classical composure. One couldn't help butfeel in the presence of a master.Five Bonnard paintings were exhibited, tantalising the viewerwith colour that glowed like jewels, particularly in "Morning inthe Garden", where I found I became involved with the moreabstract and painterly qualities than with the rather mysteriousscene. Rich, sensuous glowing colour harmoniestypified all the Bonnards.Three Nudes reclining on a beachby PicassoMatisse was represented by three paintings. "Nasturtiumsand the Dance" impressed partly due to scale, but its glowinglively colours and simplified forms, uncluttered space, suchease in the manipulation of paint, contributed to the sensationof elegance and honesty.Juan Gris" painted by Modigliani, though relatively a smallwork, became a living presence for me in the exhibition. Thesubdued but intense colours, the form and tilt of the head andneck, langorous eyes, the depth I hadn't expected fromseeing reproductions.Chaim Soutine's painting of "Madeleine Castaing" was unexpectedin the restraint of brushwork and paint application,though the beauty of the combination of the particular blue,black and red was marvellous, not nearly as "tormented" as Ibelieved it would be.There were several drawings and paintings by Paul Klee, fullof wit and mysticism, as in the drawings "Episode before anArab town", and "Ghost Chamber with tall door", but "OrientalGarden" and "Colourful architecture" were paintingstypically modest in size, that were real gems. No reproductionthat I have seen has done them justice! Paint appliedwith such delicacy and devotion, colours that sparkled.Stuart Davis's painting, "Edison Mazda" had a space andlight not apparent in the catalogue illustration, and by thecareful choice of a few simple objects, flattening shapes byoutlining them, and patterning, this painting displayed muchwit.Willem de Kooning was represented by one very vibrantlycoloured painting titled "Seated Woman" in which the brightcoloured areas dominated the forms, with a noticeableamount of drawing over and under the painted areas; andtwo paintings very much more subdued colourwise of "Twomen standing", and "The Glazier". With time, these becamea more dominating presence in the exhibition, their ratherweird, but fascinating forms, creating a curious ambiguity.A triptych titled "The beginning", by Max Beckman, initiatedmuch contemplation, packed with imagery, rather dauntingat first sight, one gradually sifts through the symbolism to aninterpretation identifiable with one's own life. Marvellouspassages of colour enriched the experience and added tothe mystical rather claustrophobic feeling due to the obviousrestraints impinged upon the characters in the crowdedspace, but it also suggested that by the exercising of theimagination and creative activities, freedom and escapefrom the bonds imposed by society was possible.Likewise, though in a different vein, James Ensor's painting"The banquet of the Starved", with rather repellant imageryof grotesque "Punch and Judy" like characters, held afascination in the discovery of contrasts between the sicklyimagery and the soft clear colours, the strange but beautifullypainted creatures on the meal table, the wit in the stances ofthe cavorting skeletons in the background, and the parallelbetween the characters around the table to forms of humanbehaviour that are all too familiar.Giorgio de Chirico's "Self portrait", an unusual profile viewdemanded contemplation, as did Jacque Villon's "The diningtable" with its lines connecting objects and spaces in anintriguing cubistic manner. "Table on a cafe terrace" byDiego Rivera, again with its cubistic devices and pointfilliststrokes, came to life seeing it first hand.Of the three sculptures in the exhibition, the one by IsamuNoguchi, a Japanese-American, titled "Kouros" from theGreek meaning simply, image of man, constructed in thinpink marble slabs with rounded contours, creating such adelicate and precise balance, that it invoked strong feelingsof the precariousness of life. A very beautiful sculptural form.Of the seventy-three works in this exhibition I have onlyKourosby Isamu Noguchidiscussed those works that I found most meaningful. Thereare other 20th century masters that confrontation with theoriginal works would have a profoundly beneficial effect, infact as a practising artist, is a necessary and extremelyenriching experience, as the most powerful feeling whichbecame increasingly apparent viewing this exhibition plussome of the work in the Sydney Biennale and other gallerieswas the love, devotion, innovation, commitment, sincerityand conviction, with which the works were executed. Sadlyonly one woman was included, Georgia O'Keefe.A general observation:Two surprising things in public and dealer galleries in Australia:(1) The number of women represented was very low;(2) There was a surprising ignorance of artists in NewZealand.
Page 1 and 2: NEWSThe journal of the Canterbury S
Page 3 and 4: OLIVIA SPENCER-BOWERFOUNDATIONArt A
Page 5: Views and ReviewsPETER BANNANAUSTRA
Page 9 and 10: ADRIENNE REWI12-28 SeptemberPhoto -
Page 11 and 12: EIATHAM L. CROSSANrint Roomtchings
Page 13 and 14: This brings us to the question—Wh
Page 15 and 16: It was an exciting period of my lif

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