Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-11-21

tdnudil DuNey broke lance IOi
artistic freedom and individualsm
at the Santa Re museum supper
Thursday evening. in a defense of
modernism" in art and a plea for
tolerance and understanding that
impressed his hearers, who num-
bered more than three score, Gov
ers having been laid for ga. 1t was
the last supper at the Museum or
the season and possibly until after
Easter as the hostess at these af-
fairs, Mrs. Marjorie Brookes Smith,
who has been the caterer, is about
to leave Santa Fe for a new home
in Georgia. A warm tribute was
paid her on behalf of the Woman's
Museum board, under whose au-
spices the suppers have been given,
and the guests rose to drink a
toast to her after the secretary had
dwelt appreciatively upon her CON
tribution toward making the Mu-
scum suppers so delightful She
had served fourteen Suppers with
the number of guests ranging from
so to 200 at time and more than
a thousand visitors had enjoyed
her cuisine. supper on Thursday
evening was served in an especially
delightful manner. Tall tapers in
brass candlesticks threw mellow
light upon perfectly appointed ia
bles, decorated with russell straw
berry leaves, green clematis and
red berries. The menu was most
tempting.
What Is Modern Art?
Assistant Director Lansing Bloom
of the Museum presided and in
trOduCed Mr.. Davey as one of Am
erica's most promising artists and
one who had demonstrated his
faith in Santa Fe by building him
self beautiful villa at the en-
trance to the Santa Fe forest. Mr..
Davey, in his opening remarks, re-
ferred to recent newspaper attacks
on the modernists among artists
but declared that the artists would
probably survive. He insisted that
the real artist is his own severest
Cri.ic; that he realizes instinctiVely
and specifically how short he falls
of the ideal he has set for himself.
incidentally he pointed out that by
the time the artist has criticized
his own work there isn't much left
in outside criticism to hurt his
feelings. Nevertheless, he insisted
that it is not the multitude whose
acclaim gives standing to an artist,
but the chosen few who have in
tcligent art appreciation. He cited
example after example of artists
who were popular in their day,
were acclaimed by the crowds and
are now forgotten, while on the
other hand, artists who were any
thing but popular in their day are
now recognized as the greatest
among the great. That other ma
tons had keener art appreciation
than Americans he denied. The
French, he said, had as a rule fail
ed to give recognition to their
greatest artists while they applaud
ed inferior painters. Much contu-
sion arises in the popular mind ac-
cording to the speaker, over the
matter of SUFFICIENTLY. He explain
ed how the subject had nothing to
do with great art, 1t is line, form
and color and not the subject
which are determining factors, or
else it would be true that only
great subjects, such as wilson
Signing the Prohibition Amend
ment," or washington Crossing
the Delaware" that would lend
themselves to the painting of great
pictures.
Beautiful Subjects Unnecessary.
Nor need a subject necessarily be
beautiful for 1t is possible to paint
as great picture of dead cat as
it is of the most beautiful woman
In conclusion he asked that people
should approach pictures win un-
biased mind; that It Is not so much
a question whether one likes PIC
ture at first blush or not, hui
whether one is willing, after close
st udy, to accept II or is disposed to let
it alone. Every true artist is an IN
II was different among
the Indians where art was racial, but
in this day and age there can be
no communism in art. The Museum
of New Mexico was given great
praise by Mr.. Davey for recogniz-
ing this fact, for giving a free field
to the artist sincerely striving tol
express himself on canvass. In
fact, he said, that due to the genius
of the men who rounded II and
who manage it, the Museum Of
New Mexico is a rare exception
among the museums of America,
in that it is absolutely impartial
and believes in freedom OF artistic
expression. In most other institu-
tons, a clique, or political wire