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CAMPUS MIRROR
7
Museum of Modern Art of
New York City to Show
“One-Man” Exhibit
of Negro Artist
A recent New York Times carried pic
tures and a one-column history of the
work of William Edmondson of Nash
ville, Tennessee. Mr. Edmondson’s works
will he shown in a one-man exhibit at
the Museum of Modem Art of New York
City on October 27, and will mark the
first time that such an exhibit of Negro
art has been displayed at the museum.
As a matter of fact the Times mentions
that it is “an honor which might be en
vied by some of the country’s leading
sculptors.” The remarkable fact is that
the artist is untrained and until about
four years ago was a handy man around
his native city.
“A New York photographer, Mrs.
Meyer Dahl-Wolfe, discovered the work
of Edmondson a year ago while visiting
in Nashville,” states the Times, and con
tinues, “She bought some of his sculp
ture and made many photographs both
of Edmondson and his work, and inter
ested the Museum of Modern Art in it.”
Mr. Alfred II. Barr, Jr., director of
the museum is quoted sis saying “Recog
nition of the achievements of naive or
self-taught artists is one of the discov
eries of contemporary taste. Usually the
naive artist works in the easier medium
of painting.
“Edmondson, however, has chosen to
work in limestone, which he attacks with
extraordinary courage and directness, to
carve out simple, emphatic forms. The
spirit of his work does not betray the
inspiration which he believes to be his
active guide.”
Mr. Edmondson has lived a very ordi
nary life, simple and uneventful and
gives his age as 50. lie works at his
home in the Negro section of Nashville
and carves his works out of pieces of
stone that he is able to get. Most of his
works are tombstones and he places
them on sale in his front yard for pas
sers-by to purchase. His sales are few,
and as a consequence, lie is not able to
purchase much material with which to
work.
About four years ago he was con
verted and says that he was called to
]>reach and sculpture and cut tombstones
at the command of God. All of his
works are from Biblical subjects, his
favorite subjects being “Mary and Mar
tha, the Lamb of God, doves and preach
ers.”
Mr. Edmondson enjoys doing his work
and is indifferent to public praise or
criticism.
The Times of October 9 carries a pic
ture of the sculpture of a preacher and
a carving of an angel, t nderneath these
Reception for Dr. and Mrs.
Clement
President Florence M. Read enter
tained for Dr. and Mrs. Rufus E. (’leni
ent with a reception in Morgan Hall
Dining room and adjoining rooms on
Friday evening, October 1, from 8 to 10
o’clock. The guests included members of
the faculties of all Negro colleges and
universities in the city of Atlanta and
friends of the institutions.
Morgan Hall proved well adapted to
the entertainment of so large a company.
The reception rooms were beautifully
decorated with palms, vines and garden
flowers; conspicuous in the color scheme
were large baskets of waxy dahlias of
varying shades of red nestled in rich
green foliage. At the west end of the
long room were four perfectly appointed
serving tables decorated with flowers
and candles so arranged that as guests
were escorted to these tables they had
in view the nine lovely panel murals,
scenes of Spelman campus, which Mr.
Hale Woodruff recently completed and
which were displayed for the guests.
The Fountain, Sister’s Chapel portico,
the sad stump of the once lovely Cork
Bark Elm in company with the quaint
old lamp post and other familiar nooks
or entrances made up this lovely row of
panels.
Guests entered by way of the Fire
place room where they met the hostess
and her guests. Dean Lyons assisted in
the receiving line. Many faculty and
staff members assisted in directing and
caring for the company. Miss Anne
Cooke was chairman of the committee
on general arrangements. Home Eco
nomics students under the direction of
Mrs. Towne helped with the serving. No
detail was overlooked, for Miss Brett’s
group of girls who attended to receiv
ing and returning the wraps of the
guests did prompt and perfect work.
After the guests had been received
and had refreshments, which consisted
of pistachio brick ice cream in green and
white, cake, coffee, nuts and mints, there
was ample time and space for them to
examine the new murals, and chat with
friends and make new acquaintances.
An atmosphere of glamor and color pre
vailed. The superb music of the string
quartet under the direction of Mr.
Kemper Harreld blended in to make the
occasion one not to be forgotten in the
long years of useful service which sure’y
lie ahead of Dr. and Mrs. Clement in
Atlanta University.
works is a picture of Mr. Edmondson
himself, shown working on some of his
art in his home at Nashville.
"Eavesdropping again?” asked Adam
as his wife fell out of a tree.
Exhibition of Living
American Art
Atlanta University has opened its Art
Exhibition Series for 1937-38 with a
varied group of about twenty color re
productions of paintings by foremost
American painters. The paintings,
which are the property of the Univer
sity, have been on view in the Exhibi
tion Gallery of the Atlanta University
Library since October 10. ,
These interesting works have been as
sembled and circulated by Living Amer
ican Art, Incorporated, of New York
City, and are as faithful reproductions
of Art as may be desired. The subject
matter covers a wide range including
landscapes, portraits, still life and
imaginary compositions.
Such painters as Eugene Speicher,
Henry McFee, Maurice Stern, and Reg
inald Marsh have contributed works for
this collection. Peter Blume is repre
sented by “The Boat,” an unusual treat
ment of a side-wheel river boat and raft
with figures. Alexander Brook shows a
portrait of his wife sympathetically
painted. “High Yaller” by Reginald
Marsh is one of the most talked of
works of the year. Mr. Marsh derives
his inspiration from Metropolitan New
York and portrays the tumultuous city
life around him. He is considered one
of the most important painters of the
day.
Other works included are “The Flower
Vendor” by Raphael Soyer, “Women
Drying Their Hair” by John Sloan, and
“Autumn Leaves” by Georgia O’Keefe.
Living American Art pictures have
been shown at many of the leading uni
versities and colleges in this country in
cluding Harvard, Columbia, Princeton,
Dartmouth, Mount Holyoko, Yale, Ober-
lin, Cornell, and Colgate.
The exhibition will be open to the pub
lic from 2:00 to 4:00 p. m. on Sundays,
and daily from 1:30 to 5:00 p. m. until
October 29.
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