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gan to sketch in his mind the series
that he was to complete four years
later.
Although still only in his thirties,
Lax today is one of the most ver-
tatile artists alive. His first joust
with art was as a sculptor — a pro
fession at which he was not unsuc
cessful. Many of his figures and
works are exhibited at the more im
portant museums in the country.
From Sculpture, Lax made what
was for him a logical move to paints
and canvas. For seven years, the
young artist painted everything he
saw — from the Gaspe in northern
Canada to the backwoods of south
ern Florida. In between, there were
murals in Mexica, charcoal studies
in eastern Pennsylvania, pastels in
the Southwest, woodcuts and etch
ings in New England. Somehow in
his active art career. Lax managed
to gain a professional proficiency
in glass-carving, engraving, air
brush work and lithography.
Today, art critics in New York
City point to this young Jewish
painter as one of America’s most
promising talents. Oddly enough,
it was in a field that he once dis
dained that David Lax has gained
his greatest renown. Portrait paint
ing. he always felt, was a flimsy,
superficial art, and thus a thing to
be avoided. At the end of the War
— when he launched into his “De
nunciation’’ project and required
additional funds to keep it going —
Lax accepted some portrait com
missions. Always a careful, pains
taking craftsman, he produced
some superb results, and within
half-a-year was sought after by
some of New York’s most distin
guished names on the stage and
concert platform. The Grand Cen
tral Art Galleries and the Asso
ciated American Artist’s Gallery —
the two leading artistic establish
ments in the nation — represent the
young artist in New York City.
In assessing the significance of
the “Denunciation" series, critics
are unanimous in its praise, if not
in its dollars-and-cents values.
Some critics say that at the very
least the young artist has achieved
something that will leave a pro
found impression on the art of his
time. At the most, they agree, there
is the strong possibility that Lax
may be helping to found a new
American school of painting.
Although the Greenwich Village
artist as insured his “Denunciation”
group for $250,000, one of his ad
mirers, the distinguished critic
Reeves Lewenthal, doubts whether
they have any real commercial
value.
“They represent a major effort
in the art of this period,” Lewen
thal said, “a real accomplishment,
impressive, powerful and intelli
gent. But I can hardly imagine
anyone hanging them in his parlor.”
To David Lax, however, it is
i datively unimportant where they
hang — so long as they are seen by
people (“the more the merrier”)
and as long as those who view
them will absorb some of their les
sons. The artist has scheduled
showings of his series in the larger
cities of the United States during
the major part of 1950. When “De
nunciation” ends up its exhibition
at the Grand Central Art Galleries
around the beginning of next year,
it will move to Chicago and then
to Los Angeles. Both of these lat
ter shows will be under the spon
sorship of the Associated American
Artists, Inc.
The dynamic young artist can
envision no future projects for
himself, at least until the tour of
"Denunciation" ends its series of
exhibitions.
“These paintings have been wife
and child to me,” Lax said. “I’ve
nurtured them, petted them
spanked them, watched them take
on form and substance. I've poured
most of myself into these canvases.
I suppose you might call this series
a work of love — almost at first
sight.”
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