Sir Basil Goulding puts the case for modern art ahead of an exhibition at the Hugh Lane Gallery.
The exhibition opened at the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art in Dublin. Irish art collector and Chairman of the Contemporary Irish Art Society Sir Basil Goulding, attended the opening of the exhibition and made some criticisms of the gallery. He said that the gallery of modern art had no modern art worth talking about until some enterprising art lovers bought modern paintings and presented them to the gallery.
He said it was a magnificent, magniloquent motor car without any engine under its bonnet.
His criticism centres around the fact that the gallery has no funds allocated to it to acquire works of art and is dependent on donations of works of art. For Sir Basil Goulding, the current exhibition aims to make people aware of modern art.
They must begin to like it before they understand it.
While the exhibition includes international art, Sir Basil is particularly interested in the work of Irish artists.
The exhibition was officially opened by distinguished art lover and expert Roland Penrose. Mr Penrose is a trustee of the Tate Gallery in London, the author of a number of works on Picasso and also a lifelong friend of Picasso. He refutes any claim that some modern art is a sham. He believes that the change going on in the art world is reflective of change in everyday life. The Tate Gallery receives around £60,000 a year from the government to acquire artworks. As Chairman of the British Contemporary Art Society, Mr Penrose believes that people need time to learn about contemporary art.
Contemporary art is rather a new language.
Mr Penrose praises the work of Irish artists on display in the exhibition alongside the work of international artists.
Sir Basil talks about the price of modern art and says a piece of work from the exhibition would cost no more than £300. He sets out the idea of "the collective patron", whereby a number of people buy a piece of work together. The Contemporary Irish Art Society has ambitious plans to recruit new members who will assist in funding their work.
This episode of 'Newsbeat' was broadcast on 5 July 1965. The presenter is John O'Donovan.
