12 JUNE 1982, Page 17

Sutherland's Churchill

Sir: The destruction of Graham Sutherland's picture by Lady Churchill, far from being an act of vandalism, set an ex- ample we should do well to follow (29 May). It was simply a damn bad painting, quite apart from the gross insult to the sub- ject and like the equally notorious and abominable tapestry, richly deserves to be cast into oblivion.

Why should it be thought that an artist of some abilitycan make no mistakes? Is art to be that which is produced by one who pro- tests he is an artist? Shall there be no objec- tivity in the judgment of an art? Or why is it that today we have more artists in every field than ever before — and more humbug -- but less art? Beverley J. Pyke 27 Middle Street, Shoreham Sussex