Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Tuesday 21 April 1953, page 4


Outcry Over Art

For London

A meeting of fellows of the Royal Art Society of N.S.W. yesterday pro-tested against Australian paintings selected for ex-hibition in London.

The meeting decided to send an urgent telegram to the Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, asking him to dir-ect the Commonwealth Arts Advisory Board to reorganise the exhibition.

The exhibition, to be held during the Coronation, fol-lows a request from the Bri-tish Council.

The artists selected are: William Dobell, Russell Drys-dale, Lloyd Rees, Sidney Nolan, Donald Friend, Justin O'Brien, Jean Bellette, Con-stance Stokes, Arthur Boyd, Godfrey Millar, Frank Hin-der and Ralph Balsón.

The president of the R.A.S., Mr. Eric Langker, said last night that the 12 artists selected all exhibited with the

Contemporary Art Society or the Society of Artists.

Speakers at the Royal Art Society's meeting called the paintings "the worst ever gathered in one place," and a

"deification of horror."