Evening star., 1942-08-30
Pictorial Records of
War 4 cfivifies.

~ ar a cffOtfteS.
Documentary paintings and draw
ings have been made extensively
both by civilian and soldier artists,
and both classes have been encour-
aged by Government support.
The Office for Emergency Man
agement held last December "a
week after Pearl Harbor) a compe-
tition open to all artists, conducted
by the Section of Fine Arts, Public
Buildings Administration FWA. Sub
jects were unrestricted defense and
war activities Nearly 1900 artists
sent in more than $500 works, from
which the OEM purchased 109 and
recommended many more for exhi-
bition. Washingtonians will remem-
ber that in February, large exhi-
bition of this work was held at the
National Gallery of Art, as the
initial showing on a national tour,
and was extensively reviewed on
this page.
Also in December, the OEM ap-
pointed eight qualified artists upon
recommendation of the Section of
Fine Arts, to make pictorial rec
ord with permission of the Army
and Navy of war work in the re-
stricted classification. A Washing
ton artist, Mitchell Jameson, was
one of these eight. An exhibition
of work by these OEM appointed
artists began its countrywide tour
at the National Gallery in March.
Furthermore, the Section of Fine
Arts conducted for the American
Red Cross national open compe-
tition from mid-January to mid
March, for pictures and posters in
terpreting Red Cross activities.
More than 1900 artists throughout
the country submitted over 1000
works. The Red Cross purchased
II of these pictures, exhibited them
at the National Gallery last May
and they are now travelling around
the country. Norman H. Davis,
Chairman of the American Red
Cross. praised the artists for Gre
ating this lasting and stirring rec
ord, imaginative and truthful in
terpretations of labors, homely and
heroic, near and remote, those
worldwide labors to which the
workers of the Red Cross are dedi-
Gated"
Private organizations and insti-
tutionS have also contributed to the
future pictorial archives of this war.
by holding exhibitions and competi-
tions for artists in the services, with
their military or naval experiences
as themes. The outstanding instance
in this class, was the art competition
held last spring by Life magazine.
for men of all branches, resulting
in the large exhibition of Art of
the Armed Forces" shown last
month at the National Gallery and
undoubtedly fresh in every ones
memory. This exhibition is now
circulating under auspices of The
American Federation of Arts.
Our Life in the Service" was
the theme of an art contest spon-
sored last spring by the Hobby
Guild of America for all the serv-
ices. A selection of their best sub
missions is now on a 4O-week tour
of 40 cities, being shown in depart
ment stores and service clubs.
Maintenance of artists Status.
The problem of the young artist
enlisted or drafted has been widely
recognized In most instances he
was at the Threshold OF his career.
but not infrequently he had achieved
considerable recognition prior to
joining the armed forces. Private
efforts on behalf of these young
artists were started months before
the United States entry into the
war and have been extended since
last December. More than q year
ago Soldier-Artist Exhibition Gen.
ter was established in New York
City by Contemporary Arts to afford
an opportunity for American SOL
dier-artists to keep their work be-
fore the public. (Such work is not
necessarily on war activity themes
The American Federation of Arts,
with headquarters here, co-operated
by circulating travelling exhibi-
ton OF work from the first large
show at the center. CThis soldier
artist project was described in de-
tail on this page last September
The Museum OF Modern Art, New