Page 50 - Studio International - October 1970

Sydney's

Power Institute

of Fine Arts

Berard Smith

In November 1961 the University of Sydney contemporary art, or was he saying that he provided for the general public since 1968.
learned that one of its graduates in medicine wished it to be so used only if a Faculty of Members of the present teaching staff in-
of 1904 had left a fortune, officially assessed Fine Arts already existed—which, in fact, did clude: David Saunders, a graduate of Mel-
at £A2,000,000 (approx.), to establish a not. The University, after seeking legal advice bourne with a special interest in nineteenth-
Faculty of Arts in the University. Dr Power and a report on the implementation of the and twentieth-century architecture; Donald
practised as surgeon, mainly in England, Bequest from Professor John White of the Brook, a graduate of Durham with a special
until the end of World War I, when he gave University of Manchester, decided that an interest in aesthetics and contemporary art,
up medicine for art, living most of the time in Institute of Fine Arts should be established particularly sculpture; and Anton Wilhelm,
London, Paris, or Brussells, and during the which should teach the whole of the subject a graduate of Vienna and Innsbruck, with a
last years of his life in Jersey—where he died as a liberal arts discipline, historically and special interest in seventeenth-century art and
during the German occupation, in 1943. In critically, but with a special interest in teach- architecture.
Paris, Power made contact with artists ing and research in recent contemporary art. The undergraduate courses are directed
associated with Cubism, Constructivism, and A process, however, was clearly envisaged largely towards the study of European and
de Stijl, and was closely associated with the both by Professor White and the Senate of the European-derived art, such as that of the
Abstraction—Creation group during the 1930s. University by means of which the University USA and Australia. This can be justified on
The interpretation of Dr Power's intentions would gradually accept the teaching of the the grounds that Australian undergraduate
presented a problem. The sole clause for the subject in fields other than contemporary art students should first come to grips with the
implementation of the Bequest read : 'I give as a charge upon its general funds and not main sources of origin of the contemporary
and bequeath the remainder of my shares in upon the Bequest. This process has already art which they see going on about them; and
the said Mutual Life and Citizens Assurance begun. that the study of art as an academic discipline
Company Limited whether on the London or The Power Institute of Fine Arts consists of —which is one of the Institute's principal
other Register of the said Company to my three components: the Power Department of concerns— is best taught in those fields from
Trustees upon Trust to pay the dividends and Fine Arts, the Power Gallery of Contempor- the study of which the discipline itself has
profits thereof to my wife during her life and ary Art, and the Power Research Library. The emerged.
after her death to transfer the same to the Department began teaching in 1968. A course But it is fully realized that the Power Institute
University of Sydney New South Wales to be in twentieth-century art and architecture is should not, as it develops, confine its studies
used by them for the foundation of a Faculty provided in the first year; an eighteenth- and to European art, a point emphasized by Pro-
of Fine Arts in such University or the further nineteenth-century course in the second; and fessor White in his Report on the implemen-
endowment of such Faculty if existing in the a seventeenth-century course in the third year. tation of the Bequest. Both the international
manner hereinafter mentioned that is to say A fourth (honours) year will be established in sources of contemporary art and the geo-
to make available to the people of Australia 1971. Although formal teaching is confined to graphical location of Australia would suggest
the latest ideas and theories in the plastic history, criticism and aesthetics, a workshop the need for increased attention to Asian
arts by means of lectures and teaching and by has been established for the study of materials and Oceanic art, as the Institute develops.
the purchase of the most recent contemporary and methods, and is available to students of But since the advanced studies of these fields
art of the world and by the creation of schools fine arts and architecture and, from time to that are most likely to recommend themselves
lecture halls Museums and other places for time, to the students of other faculties who to the Institute often call for linguistic and
the purpose of such lectures and teaching and possess an interest in special fields, such as anthropological knowledge, not necessarily
of suitably housing the works purchased so as electronic art, kinetics, systems art, etc. acquired in undergraduate courses specializ-
to bring the people of Australia in more direct Student response to the establishment of the ing in Fine Art, it is likely that Asian and
touch with the latest art developments in Department of Fine Arts has been heartening, Oceanic studies will be most profitably pur-
other countries'. undergraduate enrolment for 1970 being 220 sued in a post-graduate school. It is in the
One question was of the first importance. Was first year, 85 (24 hons) second year, 30 (10 post-graduate school too that the relation of
Dr Power saying that he wished his fortune hons) third year. These numbers make it contemporary art to modern technology and
to be used exclusively to make available the a middle-sized arts faculty department at modern society, and the evolution of new art
most recent ideas, theories, and examples of Sydney. Evening extension lectures have been forms, is likely to yield more fruitful results