Evening star., 1945-03-18
By Florence s. Bergman

by FIOrence y. ID beffpmdh
The Corcoran Gallery of Art
opened its 18th Biennial Exhibition
of Contemporary American Oil
Paintings with private view yes
terday afternoon. Although this
latest edition is the smallest in many
years, its importance is just the
reverse. BY holding the exhibition
despite all the difficulties inherent
in the present national emergency,
the gallery keeps faith with the
artists ito whom the biennial repre-
sents a substantial opportunity
continues unbroken the generous
purpose for which the late Senator
Clark and his wife established en-
dowment funds to provide the Clark
prizes and to meet the expenses of
the exhibition. and finally, realizes
its enduring objective of periodically
presenting to the public work by
living American artists which faith
fully reflects the trends of con-
temporary painting.
Since its beginning in 1907, the
biennial has been Washington's
major recurring art event. The
gallery's trustees and director had
to weigh carefully the potent reasons
for holding it, against the conditions
adverse to such an undertaking at
the present time. Transportation
difficulties and shortage of labor and
certain necessary materials which
were critical in l943, when the 18th
biennial was held, are more acute
today.
Local Artists
Consequently, the exhibition is
again restricted in scope, being made
up largely of invited work Gas was
the case two years ago. whereas
earlier biennials were open to all
living American artists. The trustees
hope to resume the former policy
as soon as conditions permit. Artists
Of Washington and nearby Virginia
and Maryland were permitted to
submit one painting each, as in
earlier years. Selections from these
submissions and invited works by
artists of this area, make total of
II paintings by local artists,
approximately IL per cent of the
show.
But with this exception, it is not
possible to estimate the national
representation by States or even by
regions of the country, for nearly 80
dealers and other artists representa-
tives, co-operated in the assembling
of the exhibition. Hence, a large
majority of the artists addresses are
given in the catalogue as New York,
in care of the respective representa-
tives Since among these New
Workers" are such well-knoWn paint
ers as Richard Lahey, director of
the Corcoran School of Art; Thomas
Benton, Missouris best-known living
artist, and Lamar Dodd of Georgia,
it will be seen that the biennial is
more national in scope than the
catalogue indicates.
Young Artists
The criticism usually aimed at an
invited exhibition is that it does not
afford opportunity for aspirants.
But this is not true of the 18th
biennial. Between 80 and 40 of the
exhibitors are young or compare
lively little known artists.
From the standpoint of the gall
Iery-going public, an exhibition as
sernbled largely by invitation, is
likely to comprise better work than
one chosen from several thousand
submissions. The latter would be
a more adventurous show, but in
vited work is inevitably more ex-
perienced 1t puts heavier response
bility on the committee of selection.
Kenneth Hayes Miller, Richard
Lahey and Raphael Soyer consti-
tuted this committee for the present
biennial. They were joined by
Lamar Dodd and Hobson Pittman
for the purpose of supervising the
installation and awarding the w. A.
Clark prizes. c. Powell Minnigerode,
the Corcoran Gallery's director,
=, served as eX-ofi1cio member of the
committee.
Covers Broad Scope
Several visits confirmed my first
impression that the 18th biennial
is lively, varied, interesting,
colorful exhibition. Certainly it
carries out the gallery's aim of
presenting a show which is rep