Evening star., 1932-12-04
CONTEMPORARYART.
EXHIBIT OPENED.
Showing at Corcoran One of
Most Democratic Ever
Assembled.
BY LEILA MECHLIN.

/
! ming. comprises 345 works by 281
artists, among whom are some of the
foremost in this country. A large pro-
| portion OF these paintings were espe-
| clally invited from other exhibitions
| and from the artists studios; the rest
were selected by jury consisting of
Clifford Beal, Wayman Adams, Ernest
| Lawson, Edward w. Redfield and j. H.
Gest all but the last painters, and
| painters of comparatively conservative
tendencies. Yet it may be said with
| out fear OF contradiction that rarely
| has SO democratic an exhibition of
| contemporary painting been assembled
These are difficult times for every
one, and perhaps most difficult for
| those of the artistic fraternity-difh-
| cult not only because of financial strin-
! gency but also on account of changing
ideals. The day that Gauguin set sail
| for the South Sea Islands declaring
| that art was dying of too much civili-
zation. the trouble began, although it
| did not reach us in this country for
some years-long after it had become
| an old story in France. Since the
| twentieth century came in we have had
succession of isms-Impressionism
st-Impressionism, Cubism, Express
| sionism and finally Modernism.
Today the gamut seems to have been
run, but confusion still reigns.
! Turn to Realism.
Strangely enough those who loudly
| declared, short time ago, that art
| should speak a new language dealing
with the abstract rather than reality,
| have suddenly become out and out
| realiStS, and SO eager are they for the
varieties of life that they seek them IN
| the obvious rather than the ideal.
| There is an uncommon amount OF Main
Street in art today, but 1t is undoubt-
edly a passing phase, and one which
has comparatively little encouragement
from the public. If selling is trust
worthy indication of appreciation the
fact that the works of artists like Ben
son. Laura Hills, Theme, Hovsep Push
man and John Whorf, all of which
possess real beauty, are selling, even in
these bad times and almost as fast as
the artists produce them, would give
reason to believe that the public still
Graves that which is fine.
Obviously a distinction must be made
between subjective beauty and beauty
of execution Almost any subject can
be so rendered that it becomes of In
terest. Primarily, and undoubtedly
rightly, the concern of artists and art
juries is to emphasize technical merit
to demand of painters good painting.
And here lies the fundamental differ
ence between the layman's and the
artists point of view. The layman is
concerned chiefly with result; the
artist with what goes to produce that
result-artistic skill and achievement.
Perhaps one of the best results Of the
modern movement has been the dis
cussion created A farm woman once
lamented to her parson that she ana
her husband had not seen an exhibition
of paintings shown in their neighbor-
hood. For If we had" she said, Pa
and me would have had something to
argue about" There is plenty in the
Corcoran Gallery's current biennial
exhibition for every one to argue about
works which will be greatly admired
and others which will be violently criti-
cized. And doubtless this is healthy
and enivening state.
Plenty Of Good Work.
Some years ago one of the leading
periodicals, discussing public situa-
ton, remarked that the saying was that
nothing could be done about this par
ticular matter because the public would
not support reform. But" questioned
the editor wisely, which public?" And
that is the question, likewise, in mat
tiers of art; the public which still de-
mands Of the painter interpretations
of beauty, even homely beauty, or the
public which simply seeks amusement,
sensation.
There are plenty of good, very good,
paintings in this biennial exhibition at
the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and If
those who visit the exhibition will seek
out that which is admirable they will
find real satisfaction and delight.
The prize awards in this, as in other
exhibitions, invariably focus attention.
The first prize this year went to a COM
paratively small painting of Woman
With Black Cat" by George Luks, an
award with which no one should want
to quarrel, SO beautifully is the work
ter of characterization. George LukS
also shows In this exhibition a land
scape, "Maflanoy City"
The second prize will be to many less
understandable. 1t is entitled Spring
Planting" and is the work Of John r.
Grabach. an illustrative theme verging
on caricature and representative of a
large group of contemporary production
"a work which would undoubtedly de-
light foreigners who believe America to
be the embodiment Of Main Street,
anu, IldflIlR DdSocQ UCyOlld tiAG Cl d W1lCI
Americanism meant Red men and cow
boys, are disappointed If we do not live
UP to their conception, conception
bred by a knowledge of American jazz
and American chewing gum.
Virginian's Portrait Wins.
The third prize went to full-length
portrait study, a painting OF Thornton
Nye of Wytheville, Va.," by David Sill
vette of Richmond, a work which
strangely enough, recalls the works of
some of the great Spaniards, and which
as Characterization and patterning of
black and white, is remarkable, from
painters standpoint real achieve
ment.
The fourth prize is peculiarly suitable
for a Bicentennial year. It is entitled,
In Dream Meet Gen. Washington"
and is the work of N. C. Wyeth, the
well known illustrator, q former pupil
of Howard Pyle-it is a kind of puzzle
ly a dream, with all dreams impos-
sibilities and quick shifting scenes
reproduced.
The public will have an opportunity,
before the close of the exhibition, to
confirm these awards or to make its
own through the popular prize, to be
given to the painting securing the
greatest number of votes by visitors.
OF course it must be understood that
many of the works shown in this ex-
| hibition were not in competition for
prizes. either because they did not
conform to the conditions or were pur-
posely withheld, and in this category
are some Of the finest things in the
show.
Many Visits Necessary.
To see over 300 paintings and to
| estimate their merit one must visit such
| an exhibition as this again and again.
In a single visit or in first review it
is impossible to do all justice. But no
| one will visit this exhibition. 1t is safe
| to say, without carrying away pleas
| ureable memory Of certain works; such.
| for example as the two landscapes by
Edward w. Redfield, or the two, in