Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 44 No. 9. May 4 1981

Gallery Review — Dully Draped

Gallery Review

Dully Draped

The exhibition of Robert McLeod's paintings and drawings at the City Art Gallery in Victoria Street is one of the most disappointing displays of art I have seen in the last eight months.

Full of expectation after reading Neil Rowe's review in the Evening Post I eagerly rushed down town, only to be terribly disappointed. A week later I went to see McLeod's work again, blaming the bad reaction of the first viewing on the fact that I had expected and merely compared my preconceptions with McLeod's material. But it was no use, I could not help admitting to myself that the majority of McLeod's work is uninspired and uninteresting.

Robert McLeod came to New Zealand in 1972. He was born in Glasgow and studied at the Glasgow School of Art between 1965 and 1969. As a painter he believes that method is more important than result, and that it is stupid to try to use paint as a means of communication. In other words, he paints for himself not for others; he is not interested in trying to put forward experiences or feelings. They are not relevant to his work.

The first works I viewed closely were the 5 drawings from the Astarte series, these were done between 1977 and 1978. The first three consisted of thick green brush strokes, over which black crayon lines had been ridiculously scrawled. They appeared as a formless mess of colour which was despicable to the eye. The other two remaining works (one of grey, the other one silver) were equally bad. All showed the proficiency of a five year old left alone for an hour with a spray can and a set of crayons.

Looking up

Empty red Grid - 1977 was a distinct improvement. This was a work from McLeod's 'tartan' period of work, and shows more control. There is also an attempt at composition and the utilisation of space on the canvas. Colour application is such that the viewer can appreciate the oil paints' texture.

ART CRITIC

McGregor's Mistake - 1977 is probably one of the most vile pictures I have ever had the misfortune to view. It is a bloody mistake! Half completed grids and splats of paint torment the eye until it is compelled to turn away.

Coffeerun late '79 is a tall rectangular splatter work. Here paint has been built up in such a way that the eye and the imagination are allowed to work with it, rather than working against what the artist is presenting. It suggests not only spilt coffee but contour maps, mountain ranges and volcanic rock. It shows that the splatter medium, if used in a skilfull way, can produce worthwhile results.

Dully Draped '81, Wavy Green '81 and Rippled Blue '81 all have a certain charm and life to them. They have a rhythmical quality to them that cannot be ignored; an improvement. But this improvement, while commendable, is not in itself enough. The viewer is reduced to looking for any possible improvement because of the poor quality of the earlier works.

The collection of McLeod's 'splatter paintings' such as Rich, dark, and lovely - '78 have a limited appeal, but one is faced with the emotional vacuum the artist is suspended in. One feels: how boring it must be to produce works such as these. Why go on? Why not stop now and try something new? The artist's answer to this, New start: first break '79, shows a canvas divided in 'colour' from black splatter to white. It is a bleak future indeed for McLeod.

Harvey Molloy