Evening star., 1939-06-04
RAINBOW Palette OF Color Supplied by Artists
Dazzling Beauty Art Also Makes Its Contribution When
to Und rDayist Condiio

about the architecture of the New
York Worlds Fair-but there is
evidence of progress. A good many
Of the buildings are severely plain,
but have apparent weightinesS-
stand four square to the winds of
heaven and command both the vista
and the elements. The Federal
Building has much to commend it
along these lines. closing the vista
Of the Court of Peace with firmness
and dignity. General Motors Build
ing, in which is the most popular
OF all the exhi5its-a glimpse of
what tomorrow will look hke-is par
tlcularly ugly, being in aggregate a
quantity of unlovely shapes brought
together helter skelter without evil
dent design or relation one to the
other. Perhaps the exterior was
sacrificed to the interior-but the
composition is, it would seem, need
lessly restless without even that
beauty which is achieved by skill
full fitting together of parts in
unison. The Ford Building is not
beautiful in itself. but the way the
ramp ascends recalls, as the many
colored motors speed upward, feats
achieved by engineers in the great
mountains of our West. Here is
something to give imagination lift
OF course this is best done by the
Perisphere and Trylon, which form
the theme center" of the fair. Two
getmetrlc forms set side by side-in
themselves purely objective
have been found and will be found
until the last gate closes, almost
breathleSsly impressive and signifi-
cant to the otherwise hurrying, care
less crowds. The Trylon. best de-
scrlbed as slender, three sided
splre, with clean-cut outlines, scars
to 700 feet and at times pierces the
clouds; the Perisphere, the largest
globe ever made by man, rests be-
SIDE it-and no one has to be told
that the one stands for aspiration
and the other for achievement-the
former pointing the way, the latter
assuring continuity. Both are white
and as the clouds play over them by
day and the colored lights by night
they take on unending variety in
appearance.
Washington Statue.
Near the theme center at the
head of one of the lagoons stands
the colossal statue of George WASH
ington modelled by James Earle Fra
ser, the sculptor. it will be remem-
bered of the statue of Alexander
Hamilton in this city. This statue
and the reproduction of Independ-
ence Hall, Philadelphia. which, al
most If not quite actual size, heads
the Court of States, are, it is said
the only two backward looking land
marks in the fair-but after all how
appropriate, inasmuch as the reason
for the fair is to celebrate the ami
versary of Washington taking the
oath of Office as first President of
the United States.
1t must be very difficult to model
a figure so titanic as is this and
retain in the modelling any life or
feeling-especially when the casting
was of necessity to meet union stric-
lures done by other and presumably
less friendly hands than those of
its creator. If, therefore, Mr.. Fraser
has failed-as he seemed to have
done sadly-to make of this huge
Washington living personality, one
must not wonder. The miracle per-
haps is that he has done so well.
At least he has given the great man
dignity.
1t was the intention of the build
ers of the New York Worlds Fair to
make it intrinsically a work of art
and thus demonstrate the place OF
art in life. So eager we're they at
first to keep strictly to this rule
that no provision was made for an
art building or buildings, and only
finally was the decision reversed in
connection Herewith at the urgent
request of the artists throughout
the country. Hence the brown low
building in many folds ornamented
by fiat murals in gold. which one
passes on the way to the Court OF
Nations, and looking within finds
filled with paintings, sculptures and
prints by living artists in all parts
Of the United States, collected regi-
onally by a committee with numer-
GUS subcommittee working under
Holger Cahill Of the w. P. A. as
chairman.
A second art building also is be-
ing added This, which Is within a
stones throw of the Administration
Building, will house, at the expense
of a group of public spirited art lov-
ers who prefer to be anonymous, a
great collection Of Masterpieces OF
Art" lent by art museums and pri-
vate collectors here and abroad with
characteristic generosity. Because
of difficulties in connection with
building operations, the opening of
this structure has been delayed some
weeks.
Besides these, Of course, there are
numerous national art displays In