Peter McIntyre

The most outstanding feature of the recent exhibition of paintings by Peter Mclntyre, was the masterful use he makes of light. I remember this quality, in his painting of a Dunedin square which won the Keiliher award, two years ago. The paintings in the present exhibition are mostly of Hong Kong: and it is interesting to see the light haziness associated with the Oriental landscape—a contrast with the clarity of his New Zealand and Antarctic studies. The certainty with which the atmosphere of the place is captured is impressive, particularly in the coastal scenes. Water was a main theme in these paintings: sea, beaches, harbours, rivers. The sea seems to be a main source of livelihood in Hong Kong; there is a congestion of sampans and junks in the harbours and rivers. I liked the line and wash paintings of these subjects better han the few in oils; the water-colour was used with a subtle effect which suited the subject matter.

There was a most decided sense of place about Rainy Day—Tolo Harbour, with fishing boats in the foreground and gaps of light in the clouds over two ranges of hills which were an extraordinary soft green and blue, that was reflected in the sea. Fishing Junks had an immediacy about it and a sense of excitement—perhaps piracy, or a storm brewing—in the sky and water shadows. There are scenes of net-drying and rocks, fisher folk at Tool harbour, folding nets and widows in sampans, where the pen is used very effectively to give them all this precise definition of place. Market Scene and Street Scene show the crowded Chinese in the city, colourful and busy. Here you can sense the heat of the place; the brilliant colours are emphasised by deep shadows.

In Junks at Anchor (oil), Hong Kong from the Peak and Cheoung Chow Island, the extraordinary-diversity of colours in the sea is apparent. In Hong Kong from the Peak, the sea is a brilliant deep green, with little hint of blue. Patches of bush on the hills are in startling contrast—their green is dark but contains yellow. More startling at first glance were the shadows cast from sampans in Cheoung Chow Island: bright green, reflected from the hills in the background, in a very pale transparent sea.

Some portraits of Oriental children are included in the exhibition; they are all, most sympathetic studies. I thought the oil, Small Girl had more general appeal than the others. I liked the circus scenes too; but the thing that most impressed me were the unusual seascapes and the decisive handling of atmosphere.

—K.N.B.