Evening star., 1938-12-18
Modern Sculpture Beautifully Displayed Museum Modern
Galley's Society Of

here by the Galley's Society Of
Friends of Art.
Mr.. Kameny was born in Poland,
but came to the United States in
1921; his education in art has been
wholly American. He studied at the
National Academy Of Design and
the Art Students League In New
York. Richard Lahey, now director
OF the Corcoran School of Art, was
one OF his instructors at the league,
along with Thomas Benton and
Kenneth Hayes Miller. The in
f1uence Of the last mentioned is
apparent in Mr.. Kameny's color,
but otherwise this artist seems to
have followed his own bent.
If there could be said to be a
Jewish school of painting" one
would consider Mr.. Kamenys work
as belonging to it. His elongation
Of heads, necks and other forms
and the primitive simplicity of his
statement, recall works by modern
Palestinian artists which have been
seen in this country occasionally
(those Of Rubin, for instance) and
OF Modigliani, undoubtedly the most
famous of modern Jewish painters.
The likeness between Mr.. Kameny's
work and Modigliani's Is slight, but
it is apparent. Perhaps it Is racial
rather than conscious. One recalls
statement in Uhdes book, "Picasso
and the French Tradition" to the
effect that THE Jewish people is the
condiment which gives to the ragout
OF races an almost homogeneous
flavor"
Since the Jews throughout the
world manage to retain certain
qualities and characteristics upon
which their many nationalities are
| superimposed, it does not seem far
fetched to imagine that some Jewish
artists, at least, might have a racial
way of painting. In the present
instance, the idea is strengthened
by Mr.. Kameny's subject matter,
largely Old Testament themes: "The
Feast of the Leviathan," Joseph
and Potiphar's Wife" 'Pharaoh's
Dream" etc. Preoccupied with
thoughts of God and man, the
ancient Hebrew, in writing the Old
Testament, spent little time describ-
ing their surroundings. Today, the
Jewish painter predominantly paints
his fellow man, rather than land
scapes and marines.
There is an engaging CLINT of
humor in Mr.. Kameny's Jonah
and the Whale" composition in
curves, in which the principles are
depicted with the simplicity of
child's belief in the story.
Pen and Ink Paintings Featured
At Modern Masters.
An exhibition entitled Oriental
Creations" by an English artist,
Winnie Robbins, is now to be seen
at the Gallery of Modern Matters,
at Dupont circle. 1t includes about
80 -and-ink and water-color
paintings on tinted paper mounted
on larger papers of contrasting COL
ors, gold and silver. The figures
depicted are decorative fantasies,
highly stylized interpretations, in
which such subjects as the Ma
donna. Budda, Marie Antoinette,
Salome with the head of John the
Baptist, become almost abstract
Their faces and figures seem as
impersonal as the swirling curves
Of their costumes, draperies, wings
and other accoutrements. It seems
unfair to compare newcomer with
some artist Of the past: yet to tell
those who are not acquainted with
Miss Robbins work that it calls to
mind Aubrey Beardsley, may convey
some idea Of its character. Miss
Robbins paintings are meticulously
rendered, colorful, dainty, feminine
To enjoy them on this basis would
seem to be adequate, but they also
involve intellectual symbolism. 1.-The
Puppet Ethiopia" for instance. was
inspired by the artists reaction to
the Italian conquest. Other paint
ings are illustrations to literary
and musical compositions-Anatole
France, Rimsky- -Korsakoff ballets,
children's stories. One may regard
them from the intellectual or es-
thetic standpoint, or both, until the
show closes on December "a.
B1tiked Pictures Are No1c
On Vie,U.
Jawne Aliens batiks and water
color paintings are now on view at
Leonard Dahl's, 1915 Connecticut
avenue. The former are not scarfs
or silk murals, but batiked pictures
which look somewhat like gouaches.
Most Of the subjects are Oriental
figures, Javanese dancers, etc., in
their multi-colored costumes; the
type Of subject which would seem
to be suggested by the medium.
Mr.. Aliens water colors deal
chiefly with landscapes, although
there is a good one of two polar
bears on an ice foe. This exhibi-
| tinn will remain Until Decernher 20