Evening star., 1939-06-04


a very extensive one set forth with
her usual taste and discretion; Great
Britain has in her handsome pavil-
lon-one of the most logical as we'll
as imposing erected by a great ma
tlon-a very we'll arranged and COM
prehenSlve exhibition of British art,
assembled by Sir Kenenth Clark, di-
rector of the National Gallery, Lon
don. There are many others, which,
considered collectively, may be said
to constitute an international dis
play, to be compared with that gath
cred each year by the Cargenie In
stitute in Pittsburgh. The only diff
ference is that in this instance the
nations are themselves endeavoring
to put their best foot forward. Curl
ously enough. the paintings shown
IN the Soviet Pavilion have been
found to be largely academic. Brit
ain is best in her showing of prints;
France in her furnishings COM
bined with her fine arts.
But to return to the art of the
Worlds Fair itself. Some of the
best Of our American sculptors have
been given commissions to execute
works to enhance decorative effect.
and have made valiant effort in this
direction. Among these mentioned
may be made of the group by
John Gregory, victories of Peace;
Chester Beach's Riders of the Ele-
ments", spirited works by Paul Man
ship and by Leo Friendlander, a
superb fountain base with figures
in relief by Malvina Hoffman, be-
sides many others and among them
work, half serious, half jocular, by
Carl Miles, the Swede who spends
part of each year in this country.
Outstanding for size and vigor is
the Spirit of Youth" an enormous
figure in steel, which over-tops the
Soviet Pavilion and may be seen
from every section of the grounds.
Clumsy. to besure, but rather splen-
did in directness and fortnight feel
lng-as In wav-perhaps a better
way-iS Crawford's statue of "Free-
DOM on the dome of our Capitol
and the figure of Liberty on Bedloe S
Island, New York. Not great works
of art, but significant because of
sincerity and that for which they
stand.
Nodded in Metal.
In interesting contrast to the So
Wet youth is the 1.-the, graceful fig
ure by Evelyn Longman typifying
Electricity" which surmounts the
American Telephone g. Telegraph
Building. This is not new work
but it embodies both vigor and
beauty and thus is of the old era
and the new. 1t, too. is in metal
and therefore has an advantage over
the works cast in plaster, which is
most unsympathetic medium for
even the greatest works of the
sculptor's art, 1t is in plaster that
We see the majority of the sculpture
made and designed especially for
the fair, and although this must
prejudice judgment to an extent,
it probably works to advantage in
the end. This sculpture was not
meant to last or be perpetuated, and
at least the sculptors have the as
surance that they will not have the
pain henceforth of gazing upon
such errors as they have committed
in imperishment material. OBJ
viously this is not true of all.
There is at present no available
list OF sculptors, painters or archi-
tects contributing to the great pic
ticure of the New York Worlds Fair
and such would be valuable to count
less visitors who are especially in
terested in art. 1t must be said,
however, that both sculpture and
murals are appropriately and con-
spicuously signed.
Black Spaces.
1t is a pity that we have not
learned yet the value of blank
spaces. For this reason, when we
have a fine, beautiful wall space,
just as when we have bit of white
paper at the bottom Of the page
OF a book we have to torment it
with sculpture and mural paint
ing, most often most inappropriate.
II the Worlds Fair OF New York
does nothing more than teach this
one lesson 1t will not have been In
vain. But what do we see-colos-
sal statues plastered against a great
wall as though fired at it that per-
chance they might stick-for exam
pie, the figures on the facade of our
Federal Building and the portrait
medallions on the facade of the
Soviet Building. Nor does 1t end
here. If apparently no sculpture is
available, mural painting is resort
ed to-and seldom with happy ef-
feet. AS Sir Kenneth Clark said in
an address here at the recent dinner
Of the American Federation of Arts,
murals were the peoples picture
books and meant to tell stories-or
they were used as decorations and