Evening star., 1922-09-17

the other critics of the show. These
others are the artists. In New Mex
leo there is something Ike two hun
dred American artists. A colony is.
established in Santa Fe, another in
Taes, and smaller colonies in the
Pueblos Of northern New Mexico and
Arizona. These artists are a sad
trial to the devotees OF the Main
street idea. The artists, painters,
poets, potterS, sculptors- singers.
story writer's. and sometimes gay
dabblers in various arts come saun-
tering into decent society-the wom--
ems clubs and sons civic organi-
cations in neglige clothes. Some
times these artists swear the tam
gallon hats and purple ties OF the
natives or the silver belts and buc-
kles Of the Indians or the gaudy
colors of the SpaniardS. The COM
mercial nobility feels that these ar
lists have no respect for money and
place and power. II is fearful
pest to be inflicted upon God-fear-
ing community TO have a lot OF care
free artists turned loose upon it.
Imagine what would happen in any
American town stepped in its own
respecta bility, if suddenly out OF the
sky. a cloud of light-hearted people
dropped who were more impressed
with the clear air. the blue dome
above the beautiful horizon and the
Joy Of color and form in the land
scape than with boosting the burg.
r !. K x
Well, this awful thing has hap
pened to a number OF towns in the
southwest, notably to Santa Fe. So
the artists criticise the fiesta as bit
terly as the Standpatters of Amerl-
canism.
The artists say that the fiesta is
commercializing the religion OF the
Indian.
In his religion he has symbolizsd
his contacts with nature: He has
found many things which he can
not understand, many forces which
battle him These forces he puts
in a job lot which is his god. His
god holds him in spite OF tbe
white mans religion. The Indian
of the Pueblo regards the Chris
tian religion as another medicine
as insurance which he can well al
ford to take. He has his Christian
name and his Indian name; his
Christian faith and his Pueblo
faith: his Indian spirit and his
Christian God. All very much
like certain public service corpo-
rations keep two sets of books,
one for the owners and one Tor a
watchful government. The art
lists know about the Indians re-
licion and respect it. The artists
know. how deeply the Indians feel
about their ceremonies and what
the artists object to in the fiesta
is that the white man is corrupt
ing the Indian by tempting him
with prize money to make show
of sacred things. Next year the
artists will offer prize for the
best Christian ceremonial to be
lztt In. %
Catholic produce mass, the Bap-
tist a baptism, the Methodist a
revival, the Episcopalian a COM
munion and the Presbyterian a
funeral. The artists feel that for
the denominations to make a pub
lie spectacle of their most sacred
rites will be exactly like making
various Indian tribes parade their
mysteries for money.
+ * = *
The simple people of Main street
say that the artists are sacri-
legious, and what the artists say
about the simple people of Main
street needs editing.
But the artists also have their
parties and schisms; one group
believes that these sacred Indian
dances should be preserved as art
forms, and that makes the heather
of the booster clubs rage worse
even than the critics who COM
plain at violating the Indian re-
ligion by concentrating II. Art
forms, indeed" cry the heather.
This bowling and hopping ups
and down--this garish awful paint
ing and the idiotic drum thump-
ing" do you call that art? Well.
then, what do you call breaking
home ties and 'Pharaoh's horses
and Washington crossing the Del
aware?' p
for me-" So the booster turns
away sadly puzzled by the whole
complicated business of art.