Lecture on Thursday May 12th 1927 at Public School No 59 228 E 57th St.

Before the Art Teachers of The HIGH SCHOOLS of the CITY of NEW YORK

under the Direction of FOREST GRANT DIRECTOR of ART in HIGH SCHOOL

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Oscar Wilde, that brilliant English poet and writer, stated - that
Art preceded Nature. It was one of his daring, challenging remarks to
startle people into the realization that ART should be Prophetic. I pre-
sume few writers have done more tp make the English speaking public think
rightly along the lines of Art tha he - not barring Ruskin - for though
Ruskin was more erudite in his writings, Wilde's humor and daring in pre-
senting his points of view, which are fundamentally as sound as Ruskin's
were more challenging and they were more challenging because Ruskin turn-
ed to the past, whereas Wilde turned to the future.

In Nature all forms exist. But we are so busy and use our eyes so
little. that our attention is rarely called to any form or type, but the
one which fashion for the moment emphasizes - and since this is so in
our daily life, it is even more so with Art.

To have an understanding of Modern Art, or what it represents, one
must first come to a decision as to what Art per se means to the indi-
vidual. Is it simply personal taste, based on representative art, which
awakens pleasant memories or is it something more profound ? To the

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true artist, or lover, to whom Art is a stern task mistress, such an easy
going definition as the first is unbearable. To them Art is as pro-
found and deep as religion - a sign post to the road they should travel
a developer and refiner. As scorching and disturbing a process at times
as when the dross is burned away to reveal the gold.

All new forms may appear chaotic to the onlooker, because he does
not know the fundamental principles on which all Art is constructed, the
new as well as the old - the old as well as the new. Therefore to those
who never realized that Art is profound and should be prophetic, the
Modern Movement appears chaotic.

But whoever has made a study of the underlying principles upon
which all Art is based, realize that there are certain fundamentals which
cause all Art to spring from one root. They govern the Byzantine Art
the Art which followed as well as Modern Art - and EACH CLEAVAGE HAS SIM-
PLY ENLARGED THE VISION OF ART. It is foolish therefore, when men try to
set aside the old Art or do not revere it - just as it is equally foolish
when they refuse to recognize that we are living in a period when a dis-
tinct contribution has been made to Art which has not existed heretofore.

We are all talking about the Newer Generation and how different

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their point of view is to that of ours. But how many stop to consider
how much our physical life has changed in the last thirty years. Take
the element of Time. Consider how we have eliminated both Time and
Space or shortened it through the automobile - the aeroplane - the
wireless - and the telephone. Formerly when we wanted to communicate
with a friend, we had to write - the letter was then posted or carried
by messenger - the boy had to wait while the answer was written - then
carry it back. In all this transaction the element of Time came into
play. Now if we want to communicate with a friend, we go to the telephone
take down the receiver - dial our number - and through the unseen wire
come into personal contact. Time and Space have through this invention
been almost eliminated when one considers that one can talk to London.

Or take as another example the farmer in 1927 - a subject Professor
Barzun likes to speak on - for whom a chair has been created at the
Fordham University - to teach the new approach in all the Arts, and who
believes that a period of 75 years will have to pass before the critics
have evolved a language to adequately meet this expression in the Arts.
You can hardly distinguish the farmer of today from any other business
man. Through his telephone he is in constant touch with the market as to
the price of his commodity - he has his up-to-date banking system -

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his tractors. Would Millet's famous picture of the "Angelus" portray
to your mind an up-to-date farmer? When speaking of this example in
Buffalo I found to my amazement - for I had not been conscious of/far
removed we were in this country from the spirit of the angelus, ~~that~~
alone.
audience thought that I was referring to the different implements - the
difference between the scythe and the tractor - ~~But both~~ Professor Barzun
and I did not have that alone in ~~our~~ mind - but the whole spirit of the
~~which~~ beautiful
period the painting revealed. The/simplicity of those people for whom
the angelus stood as a symbol of faith and gratitude and who kept their
hard earned money hidden in the family chest. So the picture no longer
brings its full message to those to whom this point of view is unfamiliar.
~~towards~~ life

If life has changed so radically, is it strange if creative Art which
should be prophetic has changed also? Or is it strange that there are
creative artists who desire to express these changes in terms of Art? But
the trouble with the average person is that what in our everyday life we
call progress - keeping up with the times - in Art is rejected. We take
an entirely different attitude towards Art than we do towards Life. - an
attitude which would amaze us if applied to any other form of everyday
living. For, for some reason, we in America do not ~~Yet~~ believe that Art be-

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leive that Art belongs to the essentials of everyday living. Take the attitude in Europe - one can use a valuable painting as a security for a loan in a bank. Would any bank accept it here? What a different attitude such a position creates. The attitude of Europe creates a public who think along Art lines - for only those pictures will continue to increase in value which are based on the principles of art. It therefore develops what the French term Amateure, and we call collector. But the European Amateur has much more personal knowledge of art and its true value than have our collectors. This attitude of mind which I am sure will come with time.

We, who are interested in this new expression of Art - feel that it would not be an enlargement of art unless it were closely related to life. As the Byzantine revered above everything the awe and divinity of God, as the Italian Primitives created a point of view which raised humanity and its standard, so we feel that our contribution is a contribution in terms of Art - subjects of the mind and ear, which heretofore have not been rendered in painting and sculpture - LIVING IDEAS which add to or precede the thoughts that are now in existence and which as yet can only be revealed and accepted through the eye. We like to have our minds stimulated through the eyes, - not alone through reading - but through vision. We

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believe with Emerson that beauty is for the seeing-eye and that God brings
together beauty and the eye. We value also with Wordsworth the vision of

<u>the inner-eye.</u>

But to all to whom these words reveal nothing - find it hard to
understand our point of view or see our contribution. The amazing part
of life is its variety - the various powers which exist. So varied are
these powers that they constitutes worlds within worlds. And that is the
important point to remember - for it makes us humble and realize that there
are worlds outside of ours which are as real as ours though almost impossi-
ble for us to comprehend, and/gives us the necessary patient with which to
approach these other worlds <u>XX</u> to
<u>XX</u> to study their message.

<u>XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX</u>

It has been said that Americans on the whole are always peering out -
not looking in. It is therefore important not only to develope true ob-
servation but also to develope the other end of the pole - the contempla-
tion of what observation brings. That inner-eye - which recalls - digest -
and then through the artist gives out in forms of new expressions - new
experiences in terms of Art of that which has been observed - while to the
student of the appreciation of Art it opens the eye to a truer valuation
of the Art which should underliy all expressions whether realistic or not.

The last 20 years has brought about a great change in the apprecia-

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tion of Art and not alone its educational value but its importance to
the life of the Community. In consequence the Arts are being taught in
all our public schools which in time will develope a far more discriminat-
ing public. People are beginning to realize that the life of a nation
depends on its Art. Therefore there must be an understanding of the spiritual
contribution which art renders. How many realize that no civilization sur-
vives which did not develope its Art. Why has the civilization of Crete with
its marvelous sewerage system almost completely vanished while Egypt is still
a living influence. It makes us stop and think.

How many realize that one of our great diviculties in developing an
appreciation of Art in this country lies in the fact that having no national
Art, but instead an inheritance of the Art of all the nations of Europe -
there is not to the average American that inner responce to Art - which you
find in an Italian towards Italian Art - or in a Frenchman towards French
art and so forth. And this is one of the great difficulties which must be
overcome.

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of the ART from ALL the NATIONS of EUROPE, there is not to the average American that inner response to Art - which you find in an Italian towards Italian Art - or in a Frenchman towards French Art and so forth. And this is the change which you teachers are trying to bring about - an inner response towards Art. We must also remember that beautiful examples of the past have also only of very recent years drifted into this country to any extent. And even these are so scattered that it is hard to become saturated or an authority on any master unless one goes abroad to study. I am only mentioning these points to show how difficult it is for Americans at present to really keep the eye in training and how doubly essential it therefore is to develope the outer eye of observation and that inner eye which recalls - digest - and then developes a knowledge on which to build. I can readily therefore, see why to the average American mind - which is not saturated with the Art of the past, so that it is a part of its very existence it is difficult to understand why this Modern Art came into being. It came into existence not only because the creative artist had a new message - a new vision - which could not be rendered in realistic terms - but because the creative artist through his extreme sensitiveness is conscious of the coming era, for changes are taking place which are not caused by Time alone and these changing condition our group are expressing. And here I want

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to emphasize that no expression of so called Modern Art is of any value unless the subject cannot be expressed in realistic form. It is not the dress or form which is our contribution - but the thought which it embodies. If it were only the outward form it would merely belong to the eccentric in Art which has no permanent value.

Many of you may have seen Malevitches Scissor Grinder at the exhibition of Arts in Trade at Macy. I was asked by Cheney Bros if I would lend this picture and I have since been asked why Malevitch expressed it as he did instead of in realistic form. As many of you most likely saw it I want to draw your attention to the fact that this is the first picture that expressed in terms of Art the scissor grinder in action and the sensation of the onlooker as he watches the sparks flying. It was beautifully spaced on its wall and hanging as it did against a cork wall, increased the brilliant vibration of the picture, as increased.

I will now show you a few slides and explain the problems which these different pictures solve.

You will recall that Cubism came into existence in France and was led by a group headed by Picasso the Spaniard and Braque the Frenchmen.

This group whiched to synthesize concrete form and deliberately discarded the elegant lines of their day so that through the lines they chose they could build deeper.

(Continue on P.II of Lecture Given at the Cosmopolitan Club March 15)

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In Germany this same moment of spring into life was first felt in music, and was led by Kandinsky, the Russian, with Franz Marc, the German. But where the French-Spanish group was governed by one thought, the German-Russian group was governed by two - for Marc emphasized the psychology of color especially as related to the animal kingdom - and Kandinsky emphasized music in color. In other words, we should create in terms of Art subjects of the mind and ear which heretofore had not been rendered in that medium.

Prior to the time of Marc animals were painted realistically from the human standpoint alone. Marc, through his devotion to animals, knew the animal kingdom and gave us a glimpse of its psychology as no painter has ever done before or since. As far as I know, Delacroix was the first to try consciously the psychological value of color in his painting and we know that Goethe and his confrères studied the psychic influence of color on people - a subject that doctors are only now beginning to take up - almost a hundred years later.

Kandinsky took the thought pointed out by Goethe, that painting counted the relationship to music her main foundation. It is interesting to note that whereas Kandinsky devotes his energy to creating music in color for the eye - for to him color should eventually speak to the eye as music does

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to the ear - he never uses musical instruments to gain this effect, whereas the French and Spanish in the beginning constantly used forms of musical instruments, though they did not create musical sounds. The association of ideas had evidently nothing to do with this sensation.

It is well to remember that Kandinsky has just celebrated his 60th birthday. I have never met a more profound philosopher and even the loss of his fortune at the age of 55 with the responsibility of his family upon him, did not disturb his serenity or lessen the energy with which he started out to replace what had been swept away.

Another group of vital importance is the one led by Mondrian from Holland, who has reached a height of clarification which in the world of sculpture is akin to Brancusi. Both have discarded everything but the very essence and through this have reached a clarification of thought - a rarefied atmosphere - where few can follow. Most people do not understand simplification and the elimination of the unessentials. They believe when they see such an example that any child can do it. They cannot distinguish between a childish interpretation, where elimination is accidental and the simplification of the profound thought, of a master. They do not

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perceive the esoteric quality that underlies the expression of a profound
thought which has reached its highest perfection of simplification through
the elimination of all the unessentials. Christ's words "Thou shalt love
the Lord, they God, with all thy heart - and thy neighbor as thyself " -
are so simple that few can follow. If we lived accordingly, no laws would
be needed. Instead we have built up a most elaborate national and inter-
national system which in no way really protects us - because in the maze
of the unessentials we have lost the essentials.

Among the most interesting thoughts or ideas in the realm of sculpture
is the problem which Pevsner and his brother Gabo have introduced by taking
up the problem of depth in space as related to sculpture in the place of
circumference - thereby introducing a new and vivifying thought with
endless possibilities. Pevsner, the older, uses this new problem of
depth in space in relation to realistic form, whereas his brother Gabo
uses it entirely in relation to abstract form.

Another new thought which has entered the realm of painting is the
Metaphysical Thought on the unreality of appearances. In his pictures
called "Intérieurs Métaphysiques" De Chirico emphasizes the unreality of

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a painted landscape realistically represented, by painting it on an easel within a picture in juxtaposition with abstract forms, which he introduces in such a manner as to force to the front the metaphysical speculation on the unreality of appearances.

Molzahn, the German, takes this same problem from a totally different angle, as naturally a German would, from that of an Italian. His picture shown in New York this winter, entitled "The Family Group", brings out the different planes on which the parent and the children live, as well as the different angle towards life and each other and was very disturbing to many people. But, when you talk to these objectors, you find that they would never of their own accord pick up a book on metaphysics. Naturally, therefore, they would not want to be near a picture that forces them to think on this subject and which they could not control as a book can be controlled.

In contrast to these metaphysical thoughts are the philosophic thoughts on the mechanism of life which are occupying Léger and his group. Léger is very conscious of the mechanical pressure that exists in our generation, but he wishes to go to the root of the matter and instead of

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expressing the surface, he introduces the mechanical skeleton. In regard to one of his pictures shown here this winter, entitled "Abstraction 1925" Elizabeth Cary in her article in the Sunday Times of November 21st states: "No compromise with the demon sentiment has been introduced. The composition is clearer and more precise than the earlier ones, but one can trace quite as easily as in a representative picture the increased serenity and breadth of the emotion in control of the disciplined mind. No longer upon the way, but arrived".

Another group which is of extreme interest, because nothing shows more clearly the change that has taken place in the last 40 years, is the group out of Russia, called the Constructivists - those young revolutionists of the New Russia. Where the young revolutionists of the old Russia in the 80's and 90's were Nihilists, these young men confound us with this statement: "The new function of Art is not to beautify, but to transform and organize life. Chaos is bondage - Precision - Order - Organization - release life and bring the return of freedom". What a contrast to the revolutionists of the old régime.

And now we are coming to an entirely different group of people who

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have taken up a most interesting problem, called in German "Raum Konstruktion", and which I have translated as "Division of Color Space". Among the paintings shown this winter were two perspective drawings in color for a dining-room by Vantongerloo. This represented a dining-room decorated in red, grey and white - large flat surfaces. This variation of color permits of an enlargement of conception to enter the room - in other words different pictures look better on different backgrounds and treating a room as these rooms are treated, permits of a unity of diversified interests.

This division of color space Peri creates on the wall through his easel pictures and their irregular shapes. This variation of division of space brings us to a new form of decoration for a room or a building and differs from the former mural decoration in that a mural decoration must be part of a wall - whereas Raum Konstruktion, or the Division of Color Space breaks up a wall and introduces a new vibration - thereby introducing a new element.

The difficulty that assails the average American is that he finds it hard to differentiate between decorative art and picture painting as expressed in modern abstract forms. To many Abstract Modern Art is simply

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decorative art - but this is not the case. For a decoration, to be good, must be flat. A picture, to be good, must have depth. This new Division of Color Space breaks up the wall and introduces a vibration which has hitherto not been taken into consideration - hence it is a complete new problem. There are many painters who are taking up this problem - Gleizes, who formerly was connected with the Cubists, Baumeister, the German who is valued so highly in France, Peri, the Hungarian and Vantongerloo, the Belgian, whom I have already mentioned, as well as many others.

In closing I just want to state that for some reason I have found that many people do not feel that humor should enter the realm of Art, except as it might be expressed in caricature or in illustration. Why this seriousness, I cannot imagine, for there is nothing finer than spiritual gaiety, as expressed in the Fine Arts. You find it in the early Italian Primitives and you find it again in the New Primitives. Many people in seeing this expression laugh and think they should not, but nothing is more pathetic than when gaiety is not contagious. We welcome and rejoice when our pictures, in spite of the persons, react to the gaiety that lies before them.

To any artist who has been steeped in the legend that Art came to a

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close with the Renaissance, all these new living IDEAS are tremendously stimulating and invigorating. To live at a period when such richness of new vitality has entered the life of the art world, rouses the best efforts in each and all - whether they consciously see the new vision or not.