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4 1698 ~ oocument* R oom THE WORKS * —Works For Release Tuesday, * PROGRAM * Progress *.* * * Administration— to Newspapers June 14, 1938, after 3 m. p. WPA OFFICIAL CHALLENGES CRITICS OF FEDERAL ART PROJECT A art prominent critic of the Federal government's sponsorship its WPA Federal Art through Program challenged today "by Thomas C. Parker, was Assistant National Director of the project, Library Association in Kansas Citing director of the luxury to be in an address before the American City, recent statement in British newspapers Carnegie Institute in a supported by the of American Pittsburgh, "wealth of the who social by Homer Saint-Gaudens, said that order", painting is a "Italy's and that government supports the top fifteen artists; the American government is support- ing the lowest "It ranking artists", Mr, Parker declared; might startle Mr. Saint-Gaudens to know that his famous exhibitions have harbored American artists whom he so superciliously designates as 'the lowest ranking artists.' "It might surprise International, employed Mr. Saint-Gaudens to know that in his 1937 fifteen out of 107 American artists included have been Carnegie or are now WPA artists. as "It might three artists who even were cause at one Mr. time Saint-Gaudens or another on some WPA embarrassment to know that were awarded prizes or honorable mention by Carnegie International juries. "The porary art come Carnegie International,which for 40 years, will from the United States. this year It may has held annual exhibits of include 380 perhaps research in European countries that Mr. be due paintings, to Saint-Gaudens' the contem- of which 100 will necessity of extended viewpoint appears a 4-1698 -2- trifle old-fashioned and out of touch with present-day American life. "The WPA Federal Art Project has "based its work democracy all artists should have the ultimate that judgment It believes, however, in a country such have man a to the function in centers which have been these centers have Fifty centers and have had are a and artist has his place in the creative community and that genius and the crafts- culture." our community art sponsored by the WPA and the cultural benefits which brought now in permanent values may be left to posterity. Parker emphasized in his address the growth of the Mr. belief that to work and do theii* best opportunity the United States both the as definite that as an the on in the communities where they have been established. operation gross attendance of in various than more parts of the country, 3,400,000 since he said, the program began. Csmmunity contributions total approximately $250,000. "Of particular importance," he added, of this of large attendance is not to who are being given participate actively in the arts and make art Illustrative of the popular gave a their first vital part op- of support to be found for the establishment community art centers, he described the genesis of such There, Junior League girls Iowa. City, their of the install the fact that the majority lives." their of the composed of casual visitors to exhibitions, but culturally starved adults and children portunity "is services in not a center only contributed $1,000 in cash center In than was to $400 but making draperies, polishing floors, etc., while members local plumbers and steamfitters unions contributed their more in Sioux worth of plumbing in the services to reconditioned building which occupy. contrasting the conventional art museum with the WPA community art center, Mr. Parker declared that the former concentrates "almost entirely on a 4-1698 -3- the preservation of archeological fragments and many centuries. (has) participation It of art • . activate the failed to . Today, on the expression of the people; to broaden its as well assiduously as appreciation, ideas of what "It ideal of is "best and and will longer no It is my belief that people will isolated as painting the books full or piece they read, significance we are trying meaning through the to avoid of mass mass imposition people in the to make art participation of preconceived ... is my firm belief that living general contrary, an of artists dead upon the works of with in the life ultimately be merely cease to an of 0O0 an detached esthetic experience. will come understanding today." in America will become think of art but sculpture a art of merely to in terms of an regard its plastic it as intimately language and its
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