Evening star., 1951-01-21

anything else. They are an end
in themselves.
James johnson Sweeney dubbed
Miro the Fra Angelica of the sub
conscious" How well this may fit
can be judged only by those who
understand the Spanish surreal-
lists paintings. not to mention the
subconscious. The idea is intri-
guing, and reminds us that con-
temporary art, in its innumerable
aspects, has elected volumes of
lyrical, inspired and often beauti-
full prose. The old Chinese prov
erb that "A picture is worth 10000
words has been turned around to
the extent that many a modern
picture actually gets 10000 words
of written explanation (often
badly needed, eulogy and some,
times diatribes.
At any rate, the Institute of
Contemporary Arts has brought
to Washington a show of 26 paint
ings by an internationally famous
contemporary artist, who has been
developing this personal express
sion for over 80 years. Those
who think it may be joke should
be reminded that any one who
keeps it up for three decades
must be dead-serious.
Contemporary Woodcuts
In accordance with it's custom
of alternating conservative ard
modern expressions the Division
of Graphic Arts. Smithsonian
Building, is showing this month
an exhibition by the Printmakers
(through January 28). in strong
contrast to the ingratiating two
artist show last month, of work
by Marguerite Kumm and Doro-
thy w. Hutton.
The current collection, lent by
the Jacques Seligmann Galleries,
New York City, is composed of
prints by a group of 13 young
graphic artists who work gener-
ally in personal modern idioms,
mainly ip the color woodcut me-
dium, although there are several
works in other graphic media
here.
Hildegarde Haas has two hand
some distractions, Mist and
Mountains" in blue and gray, and
another in autumnal colors. De-
sign is emphasized somewhat OBJ
viously in a number of prints,
among them Dorothy Morton's
Still Life ...
The most amusing in the group
(to me- is Daniels Vision" by
Aaron Kurzen, who has inter-
preted the first eight verses of
Daniel, Chapter 7. quite literally,
reading from right to left in the
woodcut. The four strange beasts
have the features and character
istics, and are behaving as Daniel
described them. Triangular shapes
predominant, with circles and
curves as subordinate motifs.
Trio at Alden
"Three Washington Artists" Is
the title of the exhibition at Bar
nett Alden Gallery through Janu-
ary. Each artist is represented
with six works, which should serve
to give some idea of his output.
Jack Perlmutter is the best
known. and deservedly so, it seems
to me. His mode of expression is
wholly contemporary. yet he re-
tains sufficient contact with real
ism to give his paintings meaning
| for the average person. Four OF
his works on view are new:
washington Monument, effec-
lively conveying the immensely of
the great obelisk, through contrast
with the antlike visitors at the
entrance; Houses in the Hills, y
above the clouds: House at
Night" unexpectedly romantic for
this artist, and Madonna" much
too modern to appeal to the great
body of churchgoerS, but obVl-
ously sincere.
| Sam Hermans six semiabstract
paintings have in most instances
color schemes so uninhibited as to
appear garish. thought his Cape
Cod Marine" the best of his group.
Richard Dempsey is showing
five distractions. and a portrait
of Jacob Lawrence, Negro artist
whose Migration" and John
Brown" series of paintings were
shown at the Phillips Gallery sew
eral years ago.
In place of customary appreci-
ations of the artists, the catalogue
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