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== History ==
== History ==
[[File:FoundersAAA.jpg|thumb|Les Dwyer (1937). Foundation members of the Australian Academy of Art, Canberra, 19 Jun 1937. Daphne Mayo Collection, University of Queensland]]
[[File:FoundersAAA.jpg|thumb|Les Dwyer (1937). Foundation members of the Australian Academy of Art, Canberra, 19 Jun 1937. Back row, left to right: McInnes, Heysen, Croll, Harold Herbert, Rowell. Front row, left to right: D. Mayo, Norman Carter, Ure Smith, Menzies, Hoff, Eldershaw. Daphne Mayo Collection, University of Queensland]]
Conservative Attorney-General [[Robert Menzies]]' formed the anti-modernist Australian Academy of Art in [[Canberra]] in 1937 and was its inaugural chair.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 June 1937 |title=Academy of Art Formed at Canberra. Royal Charter Sought |pages=10 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> He declared he could "find nothing but absurdity in much so-called "modern" art'<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ashcroft |first=Bill |date=2004-10-01 |title=Reading Carey Reading Malley |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.20314/als.d5ed90e35f |journal=Australian Literary Studies |doi=10.20314/als.d5ed90e35f |issn=0004-9697}}</ref> The organisation aspired to principles of the British Academy and to advise government on art admiinistration,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berryman |first=Caitlin Stone and Jim |title=Australian Academy of Art - Organisation - The Robert Menzies Collection: A Living Library |url=https://www.menziescollection.esrc.unimelb.edu.au/biogs/E000045b.htm |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=www.menziescollection.esrc.unimelb.edu.au |language=en-gb}}</ref> but it failed to obtain a royal charter when opposed by the [[Contemporary Art Society (Australia)|Contemporary Art Society]] and other modernist groups, so its last annual exhibition was in 1947.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McCulloch |first=Alan |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/80568976 |title=The new McCulloch's encyclopedia of Australian art |last2=McCulloch |first2=Susan |last3=McCulloch Childs |first3=Emily |date=2006 |isbn=0-522-85317-X |edition=Fourth |location=Fitzroy BC, Vic. |oclc=80568976}}</ref>
Conservative Attorney-General [[Robert Menzies]]' formed the anti-modernist Australian Academy of Art in [[Canberra]] in 1937 and was its inaugural chair.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 June 1937 |title=Academy of Art Formed at Canberra. Royal Charter Sought |pages=10 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> He declared he could "find nothing but absurdity in much so-called "modern" art'<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ashcroft |first=Bill |date=2004-10-01 |title=Reading Carey Reading Malley |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.20314/als.d5ed90e35f |journal=Australian Literary Studies |doi=10.20314/als.d5ed90e35f |issn=0004-9697}}</ref> The organisation aspired to principles of the British Academy and to advise government on art admiinistration,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Berryman |first=Caitlin Stone and Jim |title=Australian Academy of Art - Organisation - The Robert Menzies Collection: A Living Library |url=https://www.menziescollection.esrc.unimelb.edu.au/biogs/E000045b.htm |access-date=2022-11-01 |website=www.menziescollection.esrc.unimelb.edu.au |language=en-gb}}</ref> but it failed to obtain a royal charter when opposed by the [[Contemporary Art Society (Australia)|Contemporary Art Society]] and other modernist groups, so its last annual exhibition was in 1947.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McCulloch |first=Alan |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/80568976 |title=The new McCulloch's encyclopedia of Australian art |last2=McCulloch |first2=Susan |last3=McCulloch Childs |first3=Emily |date=2006 |isbn=0-522-85317-X |edition=Fourth |location=Fitzroy BC, Vic. |oclc=80568976}}</ref>


Revision as of 12:30, 1 November 2022

The Australian Academy of Art was a conservative Australian art organisation which operated for ten years and staged annual exhibitions between 1937 and 1946.

History

Les Dwyer (1937). Foundation members of the Australian Academy of Art, Canberra, 19 Jun 1937. Back row, left to right: McInnes, Heysen, Croll, Harold Herbert, Rowell. Front row, left to right: D. Mayo, Norman Carter, Ure Smith, Menzies, Hoff, Eldershaw. Daphne Mayo Collection, University of Queensland

Conservative Attorney-General Robert Menzies' formed the anti-modernist Australian Academy of Art in Canberra in 1937 and was its inaugural chair.[1] He declared he could "find nothing but absurdity in much so-called "modern" art'[2] The organisation aspired to principles of the British Academy and to advise government on art admiinistration,[3] but it failed to obtain a royal charter when opposed by the Contemporary Art Society and other modernist groups, so its last annual exhibition was in 1947.[4]

In addition to the foundation members, others who showed in the annual exhibitions hosted by the Academy were William Wallace Anderson (exhibited in the 1939 and 1943 shows), Archibald Bertram Webb (1938), Frank Charles Medworth (1939),[5] Joshua Smith (1938), Lyndon Raymond Dadswell (1938), Amalie Sara Colquhoun (1938), L. J. Harvey (1938), Isabel Mackenzie (1938) among others.

The opposition to the Academy was led by George Bell, a spokesman for 'modern art'. His argument with Menzies was very public, pursued through the newspapers. In July 1938 he issued a leaflet, To Art Lovers, which led to the formation of the Contemporary Art Society of which he became founding president,[6] with Adrian Lawler as secretary.[7] Others who decalred themselves against a conservative, outmoded 'Academy,' were Isabel May Tweddle and Norman Macgeorge, while Sydney Long and William Lister Lister publicly refused to join Menzies' creation..

Foundation members

Ordinary members included William Beckwith (Billy) McInnes,[10] and critic James Stuart (Jimmy) MacDonald who supported Menzies and reviled George Bell. Robert Henderson (Bob) Croll was the Academy's general secretary.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Academy of Art Formed at Canberra. Royal Charter Sought". Sydney Morning Herald. 21 June 1937. p. 10.
  2. ^ Ashcroft, Bill (2004-10-01). "Reading Carey Reading Malley". Australian Literary Studies. doi:10.20314/als.d5ed90e35f. ISSN 0004-9697.
  3. ^ Berryman, Caitlin Stone and Jim. "Australian Academy of Art - Organisation - The Robert Menzies Collection: A Living Library". www.menziescollection.esrc.unimelb.edu.au. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  4. ^ McCulloch, Alan; McCulloch, Susan; McCulloch Childs, Emily (2006). The new McCulloch's encyclopedia of Australian art (Fourth ed.). Fitzroy BC, Vic. ISBN 0-522-85317-X. OCLC 80568976.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. ^ Sparks, Cameron, "Medworth, Frank Charles (1892–1947)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2022-11-01
  6. ^ Williams, Fred, "Bell, George Frederick Henry (1878–1966)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2022-11-01
  7. ^ Fry, Gavin, "Lawlor, Adrian (1889–1969)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2022-11-01
  8. ^ McGrath, Joyce, "Buckmaster, Ernest (1897–1968)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2022-11-01
  9. ^ Lindsay, Frances, "Carter, Norman St Clair (1875–1963)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2022-11-01
  10. ^ Haese, Richard, "McInnes, William Beckwith (Billy) (1889–1939)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2022-11-01
  11. ^ Serle, Geoffrey, "Croll, Robert Henderson (Bob) (1869–1947)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 2022-11-01
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