1

ISSUES AND COMMENTARY

Uninvited Guests: How
Washington Lost "The Dinner Party"
.I
., Intended for a new multicultural center at the University of the District. of Columbia,
Judy Chicago's rrift was scuttled by media sensationalism and congressional attack.
BY LUCY R. UPPARD
,
"111 the $IlIlUH!' of IISO, yet anotbft' baaJe i.ll
the 'II'U for freedom of sytIlbolk speec.b. was
- foulbr ill ~ ill the washln(torl, D.c.,
i mtdla and 011. c:olIeae C:&Illpas.. 1bt lin of Judy
i -.:JUca&o'. IIlWUlltDW felllinbllllSUJla1ioc. n,
DiJrMr Pattr. 10 the primarily Afric::an-ArDerian
1 L"lliYmitJ of the District of CoIWllbi& (UDC).
aIonJ with its SlIb5eqllalt withdl1.'nJ. under 1l.rt,
was OCl1r 4t1ll.Ur Cll'Yft'fd bl the MIioIl.al press;
but in D.c.. • toWn fuekd by poUtkaIlnrripe, it
was I Q,UH citibre. The art was lpited by the
tl\C'OUnter of thM lneendiar}' e!emtnts: the
I naLlonaJ. conservative attack on contemporary
eulture, racial politk:s In the capital and 17&1
• DiIlIM'T Pcr.t,itsdt. wbidl mul.ns. contelldous
otIject despite iu h1sUlrical Y&1ld.ltioll as. teml.o-
• 1St an. Lib other recent attKb apiast art on
-uwnJM pvctDds, n.. DbIJur h1'tf d'alr
tIuns into reIie! the Rladoasblp bttften pc~
lie an aDd tocaI. and lWiolW politics, senditI&
lIleUIIG &bout femillist Uld mwtieulalral "1ezt.
sithitT' UId orp.aiziac. &ad d'erill& rec IJlOtber
JCU'7 &UJDpIe IJl npt-'IIiq Itn.teIia to debm-
we the Flnl Am 1_,
~ DfaIr Prsrtr is • blIP tab:ed-medlu
irtsWladoa celI.lft'ed IIIl all ope Dianplar tabl:e,
~ feet to • silk, set with elaboraulJ aabnJi.
4tred lUlUlen, cobleu. eqtlay and plates on •
UOG-tile Boor of womea'. o.ama. and &eaXIlpa'
nied br tapeSQ'J baMm and hIstorical. 6ocumen.
lIlIon. The subject of • alm and t1ro boob. it hid
tnc:ountet'td Its shut of COlltr'OYUSJ _ben it was
fint exhibited at the San PtaJldsclI Museum of
)(odm. An [a um I_Au... Apr. '801 uxI was and ptaces Cbk:qo's BinA Proj«:t and sponson tltrs abo In the university colJeetiol\$-wm to
dttd as a.a eYi1 ua=pIe ill Coqres1; when the her cumflt "Ol't, 7k HoI«:tnut Proi«L The b«lorrtt the eort or what WIS pr'tSmud in earl!
CUI'TUIt waft 01 censorship bepn In the spriftI of Idea 0fiIiJwed ,nth UDC truster Paaida 1890 IS J lfO\Uld·brukit\laulticulturai an etn-
1t8l1. 1'be a 0'I'tfSiIe places, each ~titlJ a :lbthls, a Washi" ~ romla' ttr. a hopeful eoaIition btnloeta artists of oMor,
famous or fISUn'tiCted WOIIWI rn.a history, bar ushtanl xcmatY 01 the tr'tUUrJ Wlder Cutu", ftmlnim and othtf anisa ~ the stt\Igle
a.I:aracI: deIicns that JUIPIZ acb 1JOIUn'S W'e and bononry IIlIttaber or the TrF board. She for rl'ftdom and hUllWl equality.' Tbt rision.
IrI:I ac::a.p1id"'..... ucl CIA abo tit read as kZlt"<f ma)'lll':uno.. Bany tnlallbe art, da)'S 0( rtealb C1liaIo wistluUJ, ....as WODdftfui. poIIl·
ao.eru.
tqilW baateL A.cdallMd as a ttmbt- tbt ciriI riJhts ~t Uld had betfl asked by ~ flffill"HoolliJll.'": Yrt by oet. '!. IlIIQ, I1lft"
ist mhvdpiece by - . ad cDsm.... II)' ocll- IWllto torm a priyue tDlbaMDt tor lfDC. 7k u utraordlnuJ train of political rima: aalad-
tn u "'Dot art, jat -=ioklu: 7k ~ Prmr rn..tr ~. a coasisleDt ~ aJld aaullI in I studmt strikt, she had bem rorad to
"tII_
IIa.s SiDee appand ill siJ: coa.ntrie:s aDd 14
attrKtIII& bIoekbust.et crowds. blllltl8 It
.u minId to uorap because it QS btslAalftJ
lI'lOIWy-nW:tr ill tbt c:oane of Its nlnt-yar iIlur·
natioa.&l. tow', . . u aanetlyt prospect tor tht
stnzau... uniftflity.
wltbc1Rw her Jln.

on. CtllcalD
)lathis told
to sUftt (rca eanstult tn.\'eUlIJ, and Chkqo
lelt the t1nIt had come to Jln It a pmnanftIt
Al Uoc. 7k DUnwr Pflrtr .u to joUl u
expandlnl collection or •.lr.trican·AmtTic:an art.
E arly
cacr of D.c:s complex
about the deli·
rela·
politics and the
tionship of the university the aty budlfl &lid
to
h.... IncJudln1 a I.J.rIe IfOllP of paintlnp II)' the well· lO C'OnJ,rtUionaiapproprlallons: "Bte2use or the
In Ftbnw11i9Q. nqotlatioas on pertlWItnt known WashinlUlft abItnetiollilt Sam Ciilll&nl District"s home-rule swus and its dtptndt~ on
houstq tor "" iHlotw Ptmy optMd bttwetn and .orb by E1iWletb Cadtn. ~ Be:udtn. Congtss for appropriations,~ she wrott in a Feb-
tht boanb or the Uahenity ot tbt District ot .-\lma Thoaw. IIak WOOliruJI, Jacob La-msc:t ruary 1m nwno. '"the wUytnity is ttdutic:al1)- a
CoIlUDbia IJld Tluvu&b the FlowtT (lTF)-the and Lois )laI1ou Joaes. monl oc.bm.. These- ffdtral inslilutiol'L-
CallIomia-based nonproAl corporation tha1 ar· a10na ,..ith lIJOI'b by a JnlUp of kItaI _hilt Color The oriiPnaI idea was [0 pUI CMCI~-s pitt't
eulaud and <2ra for nt l>inMr I'orty, owns Fitld paialen and _ whlu roc faculty 1lIflft- and Ihe res! IIf d'le lIlultkultuni colltctiotl in the

181
 much pubUe lIIOlIe1 was beUl& spent to bur Money, along with Rep. Dana Rohrabac!'er
· 'OC's MaUlti' BWldina. alrudy utider mIOVa· $0
, 0lI for the art c!eparulleftt _bose head, YvClllM (and bouse) • wort of art was I\W&ftteed to misinfonnation about
called the work "weird
; &ner, supported the }deL' 8\lt spact proved raise hKkIes lalhe etoQOl!IIQII1 strapped dty, sexual art." Rep. Stan
money. was the most
iIbJ; Tk o..r ~ requires &.COO 1Qu&ft
· ~ The bat decisloa wa«o pIKt it ill the east not _daM4. !JI adrI_
slDCt :Aa.tb.Is', prinu IWIIdiac UZ'a1qiIII 1fWR
Barns', IoCDlIUIIt
lUde It apput that tile ~ . . , . was
visible issue in
ParriS said it wa.
"clearly ~ phiC.·!
'ittl of tbe ba. . . . . . . IUIcorica1 but detericnJ.. _Dm-Party
I :II CamePt Ubrv1. &bo • UDC"s Mowle Ver- btiq tUm Ina the .$dlllDI's t.dIy mtCdIed TlMIlr source probably
10ll Sqaan caapa trl W~'s OowfttoWll open..tiq tuIpt tuber dwI InIIll the capital conboversy,ahhough the WashinfltotJ Ti......
• ut cflsaict, Mar tbII Nadc!UJ MIIJeUIIl of WOlDf:Il; budftl. wllJcb b eotIrdJ Iep&rUe Uld c:auot be racisin and sexism
; II the AnI.. TIle li!ntJ's roof leaked IQd the IIItd lor operadn& txpeIII& which __ broke the story
i jilliaa paibWlp a1radJ !wlIln& ~ wm not The MXt 41." Barra's IeOXld atUdt was were festering just of senano's PI. . Christ.
properIJ and tor IDd rartJr visited. Since 11186, headllaecl "D.C. Colmdl's 'suit)" qlMStiooed u below the Surface.
'Il«WJ bad beerl &UotatecI b7 die D.C. cit}' council HW leams of'Dlnner Putr:" She reputed the
II :or l'ISlOnIiOa of the 1l1nt7. but the unI'1ftSity usertioa that th. $1.6 miUIoo was to -acquire
: lid lICK 111M!: it. La tJv spriq of 1-' lritb nt aDd uhIblt • draaatk: piIclI at suual JaI1p-
-Dian' 1'flnJ as a ~ Itl archItKaJraI ~ .. qUGtiq Rep. DaAa ~ (i-C&Uf.), .silIP doaGr had aIrudy pied&ed U25JXll before
Amt was caDed ill. UlIUb full, ckt&iIed daiIns an.Yid cealCl'Sl!JJI..mau wbo called ~ DIa· tht CI)lItnnaSJ bepA. • bequest tIw was told-
I UId ~ ud. tmtnl coon1ia.atDr for the .". Pan, -..in! xxaal In.'' aDd Rep. Stu. tiouI on UR ac:eept&I'lOe of n.. DiaIT 1'rarr
: 9ftIjea wu c:IxIM:A. Puns (R,VL), wbo said It was ..deuty poI'IlI> ud woWd haft bftn the 1arpsl slap ......
On Jaae Ii. the UDC trusteeS formaUy ~- 'Tbe HW bad pnlOabl, "1eamed or tha ill the coUep:'s hi5torJ. A nllDlber of .Uric:ut-
. ~ tile lift or 77u Diaan' Pmv by a s1t1lat1llll throuCb Ole W~ Tfaa. wtlk:h A1Mric:atl utists W'fte abo prepared to docwt
IJIlItIitllous fOCe; no 0Clt m the wUytrRty, the • year eariIu bad broktll tile storT 01 AJldres their wurt to the eolleetioa. 1TF hid tII1isIId
. eommuniQ' or tbe prill lllIde any COIIlrlltfll In
uri, July. Ole dty COlIDdl appmred a S1.2·
millIoft bond biD trolll the uniftrsity's capital
....
Sernno's Pta CANt to oar eonscicIldllus 1ep1a· Grea Edwards, • respected Afric:aa.Americ:u
pe!Jlter ftacn Callfomla, to IIOlIdt worb rr.
major bI&d: West Coast anists, hlthaul WIftIlfto
badIet Ul resawe tht.llbrv1 UId pfePU'" it for &1001 with mbiAfOl'1lWioa about .seated In me UDC eoIlertiom, for the . .

......Darizl& u. -m '"
I 111 IX-1'ftr9. It bUd like smooth sailirll M was 0CIe)'.
moDrJ',
or.wr 1'anJ
lhe . . . risible isAe Ia
(WQo,tiS" &1tboaP rtciIII UMI
nu mdow1DeDt prop'ID/lIlwticultun.I cmtRr.-
.ueonfiq: til Jkp. D)'aaDJ's Ionnla, """
J.... bowe'ter, NJIlOn suisa lestaWI bnadI the sar!IIcL MoDer . . dollar rUed by tbe IIAhtenit)' weald be mardirelI
bd beIIUI to c:in:tala1e GIl campti 01 III 1Illdet- &Iso the _ ~ . . . til IlCIidarI,
by fin: ' ' ' ' cIoUan. The dar the lIlaltladbnl
If1llU'Id sabotap ca.~ apinsl 7k DbfIwr and the pria18d lec:b 1ft sdIl _wrpd bl _ art cmter opalId. b:l the pubtic. the . .halit)'
1'fmr mounuG by . . membm of the taculty lusioe &Dd eon.tndietioL 'then an thNe ..;w mdoWflleDt WOIdd haft ac:cnaed DeItiJ IU 1IIiJ.
senate &Ad -1badowJ outlidm 1D the potrer polftU a1loln the c.pla: IlIDCIiq: sttUePes that lkIa.u Later, wbeD TM DfrDwr 1'srf1 had beea
YaCUWII Idl by the ft.riD& of uniftftit}' presidt'nt W'fte M¥er PublictJ' UDlIersUlod. First, UDC was withmwn, Jim Ford, 1dllUDistntin: usistam to
btu! Coruda It the eDd of May. Tbm! wtft !lOt bo)'iD& nu DiatIr Pmr. &1lhoqb It . . city COWICiI IDIIIlbet Hlkia ...... sUd, "Ttw
I1IaIe • lilt lbat • art by trb.ite artisU sboaId rapoasibll I.. . . . . it &OCIIIniDI b:l aakaID's IDtiftnitJ ud tile dty haft IDa: upwanb ot
lit il:lcIDdId Ia tile UDC coIkc:doGs; appueadJ ud TTF"s speciIeJ""'.- l1DC ........... a 120 .uu. by die _, dWIp baft . . a....
l!lt1 .... ....,.. tMc wIaltI: lit . . alradr JIflft1.-l at 12 . . . . s-d. eM...,. iNa
-~
tbtrt aDd hid bee r. ,.,., Tbeft was abo l tbe capital ~ bad . . . . . . . . (1IIlI CoetlIsiIlI . . . ICCIlQIIQ ~ t1Ie .......
IIl(ft slpfftnM "'IIP'F- Ul tile Barry- bt!ort nu DbIMr hrq appeu.t. (be_) Itf&IlIIP I ra JamlIllIdlaI nr DfaJwr 1'rJnI
appointed tnISIeeS (1DaaJ of _bolD. nrt ~. for capitalla&p:o. " . tbe ean.p: IJln. cau1lltJ CIXltribaCed 10 a ctiaWe 01 pu!lIk . . .
IllJ of the a.iI riptl _ _t), pankularlJ rr. tbe m.-r ~ ~ were tnISI.. ComtiIlCtiDa &cares "'" • ~
1I'ithht the ri&bt willi of lite faculty sawe. bead· not dlft'I'tiJIC ur 01 these fads. Tbtrd, tM UDC probIeawic ua. Colt estiIII.a.tes tor buk JbW"
ed by Dan Qwman (0IlCt reeommtnded u • mdow'meIlt plus for a lIIultiellJtun.l art C'eftttr tur&I repairs (root ud Dood d&tuct) &Ad interi-
lJl&yoral poaibWtJ bJ the W~ Tian, • depetlded 01'1 priYl1e, not pubUe aaone)'. or rtftO\'I.tIocls of the e.atMsie Ubrvy', east
local ri&ht·.tq ~ 0'I'ftltd br Reverend 1M widaprad bdiet, efttl &lllOCII tbase SJIII" \wtI'1I ( _ but not &ll of which Wti'I Dr-.r
So M)'UIII MOOD'S UniAcadoa Cbun:h), and Ole patbeQc to n.. Dfatr 1'onJ. that IIICIDI')' . . ~ ) weft CIllIISWIUy dwICiDI .-
dep:t w-ie contIapDt oa CLlDplll.1 petUeI:, needed lor bIIic edotatiolI:Ij ~ 0ftriappiD&. Janeua Barra told 1M tJaalslle . .
011 July 17, stUl 1lUWU't or buiI4iJl& opposi. ... br:iq IIRd Iastad to buy 1k lJiaIr I'onr ial'onMd by the Oty ~ of PIdIiIc
Iioa. QUc:ap Uld bel' hllSlud, ~ was M'ftf cbal""r" ia the ...tl& 1Dd . . the Worts Wl "Donul repain" woaJd haft beea
00ftaId WODdaaa, arrmd in D.C. tor the dofta· I&rpst uiI. la tile plQjecl's c:oe.. '1'0 thb day, ~ ud thal .. edditk-al 11.1
tioD CIftSIIlOaJ It tile ~ lift the 20th. 011 not • siqle tIIe8IllIr ~ dle WIllliJlltDo pre.1La lIlI1Im . . required to Pftl"ri* for the 11"1
Ja/y 18, tile W ~ 1'&us r&D • front-pap e9't!' Intft'riewed me aMt tkiI project." IQS Pat work:" Ia priat. bo+reftr. 1M said that t1Ie . .
beadline: -UDC's IU m1Woa '1XMer': Ftlaiftisl: MathIs. "Tbey'9t JOCteII aD their iaConaadoIl 06 is:Ae (whidl she IftiISW.t as $l.I IIII11Ic. I"IIbIr
amrork CUIa UDC iDdifesdoA... 'Mle ItOnll. had the sttftt, b, nIDIOI'. Ina ctIssldeat IRJUPI and than IlJ 1IilUaa) was aDocued aal1 tor ~
brvka, altboaP at tile time tnt suspected Its other Implar pc II ... 01 I mann!ne ud stair&, Instal!.... 01 III
fortlL: The iWIl of IID,tD) 1C11'·n. DfaJwr lartts ~elnaldr ud uppadilIa f1I tJle ....ti1adlla ma-:
III this ia.ltlaJ WCl~ 1'iMa
QIl."-ric:u ~ Jooeua Bole Banas
sror" Atri-

pIIOed io t1te nabuded NEA (whkb helped flzDd

tnIII'pOI'QdoII brochures, iaIaruce ad for
deuizII of tile eabroidend n:uers did tbIont·
Ica1lT ClDt fra UDC"s ~ 1lIIdIrt.
BuIilu. as II'"
. . qaote:l PIIhlit Worb JIIlOia..... Tara
this . . ..., .. _ _
beca.- die desip ~,'-t: I .,.,-
nc or.wr Panr IA the '701) and c:IahMd, iaa£. &lthouIh these tlDllb __ ~ be ~--. (Baailta . . . . . q..ced by tJle If'i t , :r=
euruelr, tbt nc m.-r P'a:rtJ Ud bteo diatdy fnln priT&tt -.rcIS Uld tbB. raau:hm POll ..rUe that iateriGr ~ ~ _
'"blaRed la tneral an pDeries uoo.ad: the CIlUll- ave to _ by pablk ruDds ~ b:l ~ a1loln $1.6111i1lion ud a DeW nf1I ...." lie ..
tlT becaase It depicts WOMft'S pnitl.lla 011 Doa intrOduced by Coql ")('"111 If. addItiouJ aso.m)"
pIares.- Sbe said, ImIfUdr, that the UDC was Dym&lI., (D-D.C.). W'ttil ru m.-r Pvtr ra· In fact, bowner. the D.c. eowc:iI's n.t·1IlIIl*
ladDl "'mwntin& ft.sc:al prob!mII.... Then sbt- sonUl, evalllIted It ea. S! aBlioft. pIaDs were bond Issue had Ionl beeft ~ to sarucaaraI
anZlOUllC:ed that the -Boant 01 Trustees will under WI' to ha" eacb of the • HttiDp sp0n- repairs UId iIlterior m-&tions: an JdltItirlIW
spmd IIUrlr 11.6 mU1lcm to acquin and utubit.
piec:e of COfttm'mial art." The impUeation tha.c
sored by dl!'erent 1ftIliIJ15 IIlll irldhidlI&b: (It
15.000 each. thai cuw to $195,CO)).la -xtition. a
$400.000 th&t ICalnUlIOdatinl 7'U /HaW 1"U7tr 183
~ 6em&lld was to be ~ !.be out

182 . ,
. /0 .•" itt •• ..,.,;1'8 .

"
ti'ddaut was c:ondueled With fOfte ud ..... In .lime 1990, rumors
riry priIaariIr by' bIact _ dlfeDdllll ~,. began to circulate of , fobCed ... thIa tJlaI tber dId:n't \l6dentud aI fa MFdate 011 Dot ~ hrtJ, lMt at: one In s.ptember, • small but
(a i$$IM crucial 1D O.c.', lIOG'fIOdn& residealI
&lid bIftlr _dOMd ill the IMdia eD'l"If'III tI
L!le DiaWr Pvtr di$plIlIt). ElpedaBr flftdld
"'" ItpI. . . DtDlaI (O-Cal1t.) ud .aa.
campaltpl
_
mou_
an underground sabotage
by
lain fac:ultr memtoer.
i 1lId cII4lI't wut. AltbGllP tbt7 ..,. ...t WSIo-
tapeS 011 die pia., tbIJ ~AaMd to vw. tMa.

c.W..,
QlkIIO......., ... 1IIftr . . . . dInct aCC111lO
I dill JOIIIII JII"OICMtom. ""011 III III eM
paiat III tlII abanslial ~ dler ..u.
IDId ud
W·
to dbImI It. 8)' OCt. !. the
,... nported tJlaI the ~ wen
............... rwddIlI 1M 111'11 ttt-
medl.sophistlcated group
of Afrocentric students
called KIamshaI,"Waka
r_(""_IlC._~"""" I smdtBts w...p till CI1IICM&,'" . . .,., "'aDd 11IIt day. 0dc8F ...... r'IICidd IIIr JIft, ia
aNI .-owy outsiders

--
It was dice Iep8bUcu BID Greea (I-N.T.}'" lUJ didI't dlW: It . . . JDOd *:L I ClllUklt't ID support Il sc:tIdeM . - , III • pNIJ upl" In Swahili) occupied
$WIllI btaDd)': -cc.er- ...... 't ~ ~
of an. ftr pea&liII: D.C. D~ I t ' I~
10 aa doq1IIlU me"- f. the an 're.
_allng In the pow..
vacuum left by the ftrIng
OM" dlieir - . . . U . . tWr i_Iuil_, IIlIt

1"II'O..w IftIr tM PvriI """"1 Md

rdeaI: _
.......,SO~
tile ~
........dan
Il
P'ip . .

tbIn: . . ---.i.&. _ _ tbI t:IIlIaJIIl of Dot

Mft
two cam_ buiIcIJngs and
_ _ a nst of 44
~ Pat WUliaas (D-Koat. ud IwM tl die of the, UDC president. belli ~ tbt pantOIraPh, I:$I1II . . sUD lJIow , . " ud till . . . _ 1ft lIaportaot cIemands, including the
cceaalRet to fWItborir,e the NtA) rtia&Id DI ...". IUC:b II 'rift. SOlII' 1ObI..,... ShIroa co tlIt $lIIdIDtL •• _ J.j . , ute.. 'IIIlIrt bas belli refusal of Chicago'S work.
DPavr l'o¥t(, lmprali¥t uhiblUoa hiscorJ, P'nIl DWIn tooII tbe pnlC8IIlIlI -.itDtI' side. 4IificaIId tD tbI self~tl all peoples.
flOliAI . . or ttl h!&h1r respeccable IpOIlIllft, "1J-.r" CDlIDIUIiII Mary MeG,.,. ..,.. tJlaI "" 'Il'iUldn.. till lift ill support 01 till studmts'
ud addel1. ..It doe$a't make • tinbr's daIu if I rilht 1D dItInIiDI tbtIr on deItiJI,."
Iikt it • II roa thiDk it's pomocrapbk. ••. DDC
caaId lilt dldr - r beaer,·buI: thats daeir
tllat 17U DirIIwr""
JOII dilbI't haft CD be J.... Hdaa to UDdenI&nd

~ ONi Edwuds. .ho Ybited

is obIceDt.- AJt~
n.c.oalr
"It hid bec:aDt dMt tbat "" hid DO ebok:e,"
Chicqo Slid later.
II _
~
_
• briIIiaIl deM dlal ..... b1't lImd*
UIdT1w
__ is _lyJIimI
slPIof'"1M1MWQ' """'"
k!1ft .....
- - . IIlIt . . . , •• 1 WCIGkiIl't Ilaft tM am- &t1a' 1M ..... &lair .a CMr. fOlllld thai: lID Ic.-._.~. . . . Pti: ~ hIft.. 1M - . 1M UIIif-.It UId b• ,b "c
pDCt 1D tdl tbt UIli'taSit7 01 tM IIIl:ricl 01
QIlIllllll6a ft'rf . . . . tD pealiR )'01& bel::alDt
_ at: till _iUIit) bwow .... bis W«t 011
bdWf 01 tM IUltIclItIunJ eetlIer. BllIt'fId IUs
...... _&._ .. 0..,"' ttlC_"t fIfIMMt. aN)1_• ....,. _ _ • 6IeriPIf.
....... lIIIiI:IIlIkft ...............'"
ClIfIIUIe '" CIriIC'" eM .... nw ~,." ..
JUU'rf IDillI to uIillit. p6ece of art I doa't Db.... CllUeapes ill Wah.... 10 speak GJl beca.at "\I ....." " rm.ilMd-.r-"'a 1M DiRriC'f$ '-* rl"... 1 "" ~ , &II

-
allacll. hIOIa err up;aioll COlIId • _ _ !left
TIlt Parris aaetl 'meftt ... solidJy ~ by' JVItr as MiD& attICUd bJ' tilt )loonies, bo'II' far i}'8W.lMI* M'rt~. . . . . .
.,.. II . . _ Ie • I'I'fIIIf'Id ud pnICKIId. .1dI _ tfeni'friy . . . 1M 8KI CIIliMIb U!C'
'IOk:I \'IIlI: tba!·w RapubIIcUIS c:aIlId 10 daeir btIWIcI c:oaJd . . ber Bat III abo SJ'1Iipathbad
DiIu'ict', ....... A d.uraaws JIftftdnn . . Mt bf
ron:es for • ttClIrded \"Olt. and Il pUled !Ii.
,"-
lett. DlXDft IwI said dwina: the debate: tbal -.
witIl tIM JUMIalt&. "'who Ihoa!d' han beal
bl"Oq!U illco tbI proctSI earUK":
TllI7 _ l J.cly, \IQI ,.,. It 'M. 1
_1lIdI . . lk '" . . . , . . . IlouIllrIIa tbI 11M

FfIt" aD till YalIaat dons or 7k ~ IW-

.....
..... ~ 1auc:inIIl!"IaP .. aniRIc: ~

lot tI oe.ocnu .ba .w SIiIpport die MEA - tj', IlIpplrUft, the .....". tduc:adoa anIIIIId QUeqt tItnelr sap she wouJd Dr9a' I"tCOftIid.

10-
IooIdsIC fflt" • war ID aa lor ~ 1Ilol "-!'I_ .. a prod i*Ia 1
tulta&jiOIUJ artia"'" UId Cl:ic:ap', bIJtal. trthe lift.. -U we Itt UfXba' oI"tr lrc-l anodlu
.. IMn . . _ ...." ~ IaIW " 1M ...
'OMI'.'" T1Us ill fact named Olrt tD be die c.L -..-.. ... I _ ..... caa:.lk . . . . . . . . _ .... ill ,.." T piIIl:ed till dClIMI of iaPllyl_: 1M adds ntdYilJ, -11I1lJ1'1. detee-
wet. bp.. BiD ~ (O..! UI.) adaIaed fa ~aa-pa
t
Wl-a __ ... dft.1ib. rilS _ bdOft . . PftS_1Iand
• m boatd mnabtt ill Saau Ft that eM ... lMa J-,
.....
a.-. IIUIIir
....". ;p . . - - •
iMeMs. ... if r....... 1Mdia~bd IDed aU die ........
rflt" the Parris ~ t was • lhrvWawar. • -r -.d r _1lodJ's - r . tllan·,. 011 au. s. Nlra t-a. ..... bad 01 tbI tmn1
ddI had bea saud: to 1ft ~ DUavr ,.", ID w... 1Ilol »-iaa . . . . T1lIl ""*- bad becirDt I!at KIIOadI' INJot wpr. re- ad tbI: studeIIl suikt Me IlapptDtd. ~
doWlI lbl drUlllld. sa'l'l the N&A.
... l1li
_IIW wWI
_I k-. alI ca.nJ..-- ---..I . . , . . . . Taa.
ad . . ,an. I
~ tNrd oIdlall ausceeJ awoiallld br H DiDIr Ionr/litlC par1JltrS1!Jlt probabl,.
8In7 10 depcl. l f t kaYiJIIIdl btfon tIlIlQI· WOIl1d hi.. sum'l'ed. The atudl ypllll DI Dflt-
....... die AIrtcM-~ tall, ItI Wult-
eslMdC froftt. tbI f<GIS" It_ dnt tUeo'I'Ir, 011 Oct. I, dlt II'" prause "'" I'wtJ CUIIId tbI: DOdoII of • IUkicuItllrtJ
O -r,the ratbIr
II

wtlD d&iIMd
tbao
1D be ddtndill& the ~
OIl""
T1Ile Ya6c:e of . .
lit.
apiIst
.NIMie....... .-.....
.... ,.., dlIl _ _ I I ~ , .
AM lilt c.-c ..w. """'1nIDa""'"
'nil te mu:p
ud apud die ..... U1d .. , . ......IUIIt'
oncer
_ _III __ II ..... ill . . - . too. 'nil wa: •
lni:aiIt ud '"1PattieIl.ItinI""
oIlsettdcy ..,. Ileatd load &ad deu'. 'nil r.ar
bDlh fa Cancrea &ad fa 0- IDtdia ~ •
lM briW&lItJr coIand abAnct Jower/bIGdJ I
. . lk WI rl-'-ill&.-

S. GUu-. ... was • be die otIIer sW of

tbe ilJ.f.aIed _teiCIahlnI CItlIII:r, f'I'CaUs tbal dilt
pur.d _
rnsu-wr,
.
~ till SIIIOno' JIIlOoeIId Idts

1M DiaWr , . " . . :a:.-:u.=e,:/=.-::,,:n..m:.c:::

aIara . , . - ..... ta.- lIIr .... -*t:iclII.
. . . . iaqes 011 1k DiaIr Am(' ..... cuIIete. tIM ...... UId till dtr eaaac:B had Tet tess dID sis Wer, 1k lHaIr . NrUsa II • I1IraleUlC • "}lOtitical CIiI'ftCt-
.Ud& 1ft details. If Iapon&lIt .... of die ...,. - . "'taIca .". JIITPrise'" by tbI . . . . COIItl'Oftr· Perrr was bid: ill till n... tIlis MSL.. ne pr,.,...t ceIIIU" at UDC CIlIdd ":It
all worL 10 rimial Its aueodOIl 011 die pille
imqe. Conir- ... &WIlJ of the a t or "...
ritDca IJNbiWd b1 DoDaId ~ or the
"... Iuld paid.., auedolllO till CIllI1ecdDII 01 AcciDIdbIC IO.-eta IamI. GIl War, 21) &lid 21,
hb Oft wart IIlradr IwtciDa ill the CanMcit 1.1, • "fKDltr JDIII'CI- 1UddeDl, cI&lmed dW
doll.
S'J bec:u&se tbI:y .... 10 lime , * t lit. N_ ol ti.e 110ft fldIr tspIIIIIla lis oppoDUla' . . . . . \ ialpinlllIlIt Oldy ullibiciclll UId art,..-Id ada·
abo ••udllltedld hIu.oricaI uaI)'Sis 01
tbt 6liillM' " , . benretIl f. . . . . IIId tbe d'riI
_UItriC:U FamUr ..sw:iedoll • • be atr...s Ubrary (&lid die UDC sn- . . ud till acqUtdIa of 1k lNaM 1vtIwa: aplIIllIldtr rilbu -.elIl. 011 .hidt it . . -*lid 10 tbe
\'ipeUeI troD thllatp pUatiI:p of Da'rid .oj- . .' .u.II pani:ItId III GsaDliJl& '" "Ira_ T1le UIlC r..acr isIIIId • 10L Tbeft art abo ~ paraBeb Ilcntt:a tile
IW'OWicz ud f'tIl"IIIUiId tbsI a ..cin ..ts D-. hIn, • • "paiatblt". fit" a ..... ~ .... ,..... ID ... till a:tilIC ., _'sart Wi IFI ill die 'illI UId die recta-
ill • lUiIiq JIDt 10 hudredl or tt I . . tI
,.... "" A.U.. DIe. . . Tbe tralItdIuI ...
dkwarbn ad ctaiaa psWm . . . CIliIalroraIId
ill UlI ...... of 7k DiaMr ,.", Uw:
CItrUdcj. ~ CbicIID CIS : leI'lIJ'"
aa..ciIe ID dIe...-=t ~ GiDa's W«t UId ItI . . . IlUI 1D .... nw..... 011 me CIntPt
!'Ok
_ _ will
r "Iltbe ........... UbnrJdaat.....
aniIl Loa. $IoqIJ a _ ud -
d"'dIe~
"" ...
cttr alIIIIdI • pnIIIiit mae rroa .... tile ...... or cUDnI specilcitr ill tbe 1DIud_
It is.ad faa that.,..., ~
-aIDI& ... tIilI ,..,.u fJI C'IlIlectiDIIIl . . . . . . . IahwJ;ity ..... Uw:
• dll~IIlII7"""""'u..J'IIUI""'" • • ardftd .. D.C.1a ~1lI1, GIIllaa did _ ~ KmiL ud till .... board . . . Ud . . .....,.. rabiIla 1M ~ fII...,
tIIIJ' WfIId III cnUI par1Mlp'IpIlI,. ..... dill ~ ......... at aD·- • IaiPa.SluIIr. o\JtIlIIIIP dliI can-. work: ud ~ dlit aaIDdII 1k Dfawr ,.,.
BIn. a ill all tM other ft'l:IIlt an/llbaMJ'
. . . . iroaIII Uld IlIllcbM ItaDdardI It
IId&Id 1IJ till IaIttk:IISbnl ~ ....... bII saar- -atnrr
tor ~ rr- 1M eoUL At die ,.... an wart:",
. . . . . tbII; 11. qotr:ldr • I . III ~el""".deari)'dbproft.., • - III ~
was pudca&artr iIa8k UW tbI eoaar-'I .... • D, " " l1IaIr ,.", radlIr t1Iu III ,. .nede I ' ',.n. UlIl aItMllP dill le.d Il.~ .
on. ..,.,. AfIIcg.QeIfclIII dt7. tor_ _
.......... an c::ridl:I . . . 61 pil:t .
.W ..a ,.. fJI auc." piIaE . , InInId
lriurIIe. UI aacinIt .,... tl feIuk ..... also
Otriws rn. die drad fIIlItal rePa '1t-.s.
. . . . dlr..ciq.lCllfpQnl roms aad OewtH
........, 1IIfUIr ....
an
......... " .... at UDC. lie
. . . . . . - iii tab 011 ~
_ Il it.,. . . . . . W
_bat..
Afticaa-A-aa lllllralltt Ie . . . ,
e+1::J'''_I_dlat... ~.... _WI aZCJ"
an.......
I""" '1' "MiDI -n..
tIIiI
iDIipind.
m

*-tr.flwDfalr _
.-lOll ........ IIPt
, 1"IflIt.

"'....... ptIIdIE.
at UIlC tUI is WI .
...... - . Tee tlIen WIn. sr--
.......
.... -rt.
"dlit~
'7hF • " ' " _
~ ad Dtdt er.t . . . . . ., die.
......
. . , " dt8t

sIIapes: cu be discaIed ill tems of tMiI".aIlet. ..... will • .ud CI&/tJnl bKtpoad fa , . . . . • . . . , . " dol 01 dlI ... ........... *f...-n" 7k DiaJwr
it. rulMr tIwt tlIetr pbaWc _pin. ., . .,. II'JIInet aIJ.tbe CDIIeetiol:II.- "tnkr .,. adft .... , . " • c:.aIl:l W . . . pnICrtSIift lUd: artS
CUI't open. mew-pholitl& tonu be lIDdInI8lId tut.n. I dInaP aU . , . c. ,.. n. InIIlMS appemtdy felt that
irl ter.s 01 their mll.lUlarend bu~ 0lic:sC0 tnISteI dtw fall He decriII tbt . . black JftIiMDc ... nmIlbaI;o hiP . . . . 1k
dtftIanOed at: ha' pnss 0DClf1'ftnCt, • poW tWlo- oflk DiaIr hrtJ, wed.. till diJp&raa lHUII' IWtr tIlal: sudI CDlItICCS -.Ad sIsapI,.
is10tJ it raa.t rub I)iDp wont UId be sen • ~ ..
185
.'
 dla'"
--
~)bduis _ ...... . . , . - - . . dIM lIM
Ii UCdI diu .,... .... U 1aidIIId. -..lIdlI sift ... _ _ . In the ' - of thl.
UIlC b qgi&a n. ~ w' ' ••••"" _ _ art-world

_
iI DO . . , ......... _tle --.. • .,dlI ..
s
- .... 'Ie
raptdId ~ tDdIa LdIeDI: support _...v.. m..........
.. Dt,..... 1adr: I I " " " I I . " " " , , , , , ,
hal 4& I ' rl duI: ai'.... The ,.-at mov nt I.
Dfan"""""""'"
" - ' - CIIllIecIIIl. . . . dlI ...,. .......
.
_-.01'_
wbeft trW CD ;;wk cbely wItIl lUI
witt and ........
'rwa- ClIlIIaIlan.-, lbt an fIhIca&or
..... n..
. . . . . . 1Iadr: uti _ I i.
II st!UllI:lllI._ILl ........... U . . .
dm..- .nd no long..
quick to mo_. Others
Bus. ftc DfaIr ,."" sam e:wuOOltisial, •
Imd UIlI '" , . . . . . ud 'W1fwaz1lS l1.
USft ....
'ri., CbIW
_to.void .......
.
aIikc, , . . . . ~LniI~_
"'Ie - ......... q hew ..

_._It
.-... CIIIIiINd ~ ......
"",- .r--. IiIIiI: II . . . . with MEA funcllnll debet...
eunI1l1 tk _ I I : _ ..... 1Oe.-1liAwy. tilt II..,... IaiItWtIW wtdI .-.sa 8ana. 3larcl
~ iI lMI.
...w llue
dIIl..,....._,.....__
me-
cMriIMll

aaa:t:"
tilt
dut Sf tMry
It. • ..,.".. Tf-. Jatyll.la
Ii.. ......".". 1W..
16.. s-.-tIM dim., Ipns _
It ~ J.,. It- Ilvnf it ......... ~ • • . '1' .... aU_CUIfIL
, . . aft , . . ••• n i I _
_ nt DUuwr,.", II dut";'Qu; . . Illat......-.
tilt IaICb
.ltudu 1111 .,. ~ ., PlilIIIe
_ Sctu.MIiI knIes: 'li'lt1lD .. _ M
'·1tD . . . !i. T'IIe1-.1 'nkiIuL .... MIl;'. . d1t_
*wckNad!4: s-.
0llI tI tilt _ ~...-u" ~ ~
rlll' _ penau.IIr . . tk facI lUll . . 111 UlIl u.lddko II': lIiUIM ItlUillS r.
-« e-rM . . , . _
-.t. As • .....,
I'I"'IftI • tlut cky Ina-
ff'"
S."" r n-.,.,
r.
U1duIII
M-*bI'. -'d .... t i _
bIadl ,.....
So 1_WIuIiu 3Ia1ar'"
tI !be KculIK:usc I'rDjIcL dill . ~ • IliAIric
_ _ . . . tIltsw. nInlIIl_ ia=-. ... AJICII
. Nfl jIIIl ' " " lined • ., tilt SWL
...,.ra, /Jh..,,.,,,... .-rwI\III a.. r.
I., .Itnd I... ._S..IIIlI
..,.. aaiII
~tIuIc lbc_.
.;u 1M . . . .
...

-= ._
.....)tart n-,.. ...ltf
I .. ... I~ --. ,.....,. ll'IIMla _I , • Dfan
Viti hiNhich'l,it . . iarciMfr. ~ f"M ~. ~ . . "'" 14 !wli.Ietee c.,....~

foolhanlJ co ba" illtnlduad 7k Dtmwr!'rlrl,.

or &II thtft&s. iIllO t1M: boIl1D& pat of WalilitltDn
politics at th&t pankuIar IDOaIellC ill tile dey',
. . . . . . tIIal fllalbiWlllt _ _ iD
"'-r."-"'--«"".~ ::to ...,. )kG,.,..
IO~ fill Su 'rudIco »-.,
~

~
...

Alt'. :lQ. " ' - IIlcerOrw

W...,.. raild.
fWt, (kL J.. 1.1.
wtca Grtt: Edwardt. '*-"1
hisIOrJ. althoulb DOOM could haft pndkUcI1I:It "'-' .... ~ " 7k"'- IMI.
1ItrlJ. aM -a ~ SI. ,... '-"iIw will s.. GaIiua."*-r ltIL
t'I'tIItI tIw easaed.. ~ tM...w.. ole ......... __
III dlt

m-,..,....... ..,....-. _"'1"

...,.~·httIJ·-~

lUtdaIlbnJ/,eiIdIt an c:aeer Qat . . ca.. A!dlalI$Il ..... ,.... -

_ . . _ _ ..,......... oW, .. 10..."..,
~
~".

iaco . . . . . . . . . all baportaat ... "f'ooUuar·

1tJ
drum.-
Of DOC,. saJS 0lic:aI0: ·Irs Uruporwlt to
0
- 's"* ............. ,......
_ _ aIIOo1a11ed .. TTF .. _ _ t · · '.tt ~"'..-..nkJ""""'.
tIuIf -W _ III OWid
CIIHnOIa. ..... a
.,. UlIl ~ IIld c.~ Dt_I'vrJ.

..............
1= IatI Jaly It _ ....,.wd u.u
"'" .....
'"

-
..

_. . .
I t W..,. I'nIcIItI.. J.". .. I'" lbGb

.........................................
lUdl CIIIIKdaIl
MIld""'""'" ltIt far:l
1M
..... til ........ r- n. Dt6taJIr ltIt -.b ..

-.
......,Wldll t II "-N .... ~

-
.. ~ '..... ,.. dut .......,.,. ..
iIocw.l dlIirs ,.. Idiria. --.. rI7 ...... , . . . ~ ~•
......... a,., Ulft_ ... ilal.ca.. .......- . _.. c:u- _
l All ~ rr-Clliap_I_ .............. _ " dlI 1ImtcrI.we. I • MIt
lilt IVlMr ia So-t.r 1110. ia Suu
t Lallr. Y _ c.an. d""lI: widI",
'to 1 II. ........,. ,.a1bilIc tk --*J r.........
u.n. ~ '-nI fII CNRIe c.IlIuId II I
wlliIt-.S WICk _ (_ ..-.
.,.;ea.. SIll . . ....., " aIalr IIWIId Ult wt ..n. ~ .... ptWIHId IlidI taalI ~ .... IIaII . . ~ 1'wnIaa Gall), tI•
Illd -*bIrc lemp· ,.. ... till roc
"-N aM ' dut LIdIa_J 1III'Wad; . . .
'.'I).
1 • ' ........ _:

~ -.:tuiucL . . . . . ,.. dis ..... n- _.-...a rr- c:iori ,... _ _ _

x..n IMI.
)1_" !Dr ,..,...,.... wiG Dr

_.lIla
f. S-..at
. . . . . ,........ " ..... 1IIirP*S&-.
OW-. dus AnI. _ ...... :: IluTW: )IIfdo 111( '0'·',.... ....
. tI
_-.
nw IN- , . . I.'
.,
IOI-U.~1I:t
lin'
e T1uII ..... ~ fI J-.
'oJ-.
~1Wr('=1F
III AIIiIN'w 1
Ai:iIa- _
_ III Air

iIod....
...... _ Qlaes ........... MIl 1iIe ~ ..) ......... O' _ck.,. ...
i. "... CllUM
_,.,dot ..
dI:la ...... _ • "'-' ~-...ra ck ...-::
--
. . iii _Iaan III Uac:MIa IIate:t
-..~_

~"'."""1Iv""''''''....
..
.......... .,.. r.....s
.......... 1 .,.-.........

..-.~
WI

a. __ • nw . . A Dt...,.rRn
(1IilI_ II dlt......, . . . . . " . _ . 1M
. .. . . . dIiI,....)
s.aaiaIJ(... ,.... _...c _ _
....... o-aw a.-.. .......
.t. """"'1IwT)II eo· D*atr""
,

-.
.".1WfJ-a ~ ...-...,. _HilW .. 8ft :wta dW_ _ ~\
IICl, ~ II dIs ...-. \1 i t1 ... ".,.,. '" C'.IIlIr- ,.. .-- ~ _ " d.. ftf.......,_.

r. _ ..
__ t_ ....
l A ""'"'" ""1Ift_ .. r..- ..,_ IuD
~ • • IaA _ _I' _ .

-
.... ,_ . . 1lltto...... _ Dt~

... _ ,...,.D.&.,.~

........
~'. _~iI_$llft

,.
dis UDC .. ' .....
i . ""' U __
..............- -.....-e- ........_ '.*...,),~a-
1s .,-...
,."............ ( GMa.
.,. ..,
3
( . _ . _

.. - - i ,..".,..".. JlI1l11l). ) (
. . . . . . . . . . . . _..,... ,_ 'he-W U. hrrIs ... IliI tN ........ 1& ~ ... ....,. l1li _
(_ ), . . 11.1 . . . _ dli .... IICdad
.."
......__ .....,..."e..e-
.,""*.._ .. I ....
5. ~ Carr............. liIIfdllllL
8Iwy
.,-~
...... ...., .. _
QIIoIII'J - ' ) " " - ~ •
a-. ..,
.a., ..,. I."
S "-'-'" " ~ ,.", , , Wi wbdlia dlI
-~
l lJDC
.tr.I
1iIIllt ill . . . . .
~_)IlIIIIit .......
~
_ willlialr _

~.Dt~.....".
....., 8 f t -•'

.. It_......,
II..
$l _ = h+ ...,. ~ J.., III"

•• .......,. '1: _. SIt . . dlt

....
. , II D.C.-iII Ww ..... Ill-* _ ~

1l$Iers'"
....,m:-d ....... rr-~Ai_. . .

I
l AD !IlaUIb......" . .
...... Pa.. J... S. I.L aM pb.-
n- all
~ . . cal XIIlliI . . . 1tW:1ftick
ill IiIaJs.
JiIct.
.
a-, ud
• t!lI Dl.-fanJ _ _ '1) "
Zi-.iL rr- die 51...... I
m;IIliII

186
....
...
snlaa·
-.-
......., LwJ
~
u",.,.,r~
s... .\It ill
. . "'"'" ......
• )llIIblii'wawai
)IbN
.'-rica,r..
 4

268 Donald lCiJ1pft

'"'.
:U. Quottd.,.. Ibkt., p. 71.
n. Quoted In Ibid.. p. n.llppard, In "O.d.1n Itrlln: Unfortvn'lely Stili Timely," (Oft
1M M..-.1 pp. 67-n, dclett~ thl, crhkal rKognItlon. Sht notes Ih.t 'M G1f.
mWi eft of the- tirM can btl dkt~ 'rom OIM!' (urop. .n Irt "by 1M"'"
of h, tNttltfMfl." tMn goes on to add tMt. IrOftk.Ity. "'trlm Dad••rt. tOt.1tI
disor'-nt.tlon, ~un mort hope""' .... podttve" (p. 72). 'ThIn lIpPlld lI\'Okkcon- 15
ddtflng how IM .... aryInf degrut of frustr.tlon thlt un.,l-r 1M art of Ihi tIrnI
m.., MYtfthtlm; hwt Imphd In uncon~ __,,,,n of thl Imponlbillty of fOCW
revolution In the c;.,mMIY of the day, IS well" In unconKlous recognition of the
nKeI1lty of profound pet"MW'iat ,.....,Ion "• pi'KondIllon tot 10(1.1 revotutlon.
.:'
Tilted Arc: Enemy of the People7
2.. Quotld In 1bkI.
25. B"na,d S. ~. J1N c;.,motn EItpnJJlonitIJ: A G~,.t/otlln 1I~1t (Ntw Yon: :j Robert Storr
fr.d"klt A. f""9fl. 196Cl. p. 227. . !
26. Mn Sdw,*' In hh ~ftSMrllMt'lf tN_ YOI'll.: 1M FfH "ft' of Gllncoe, Itl1). . ~
pp••5-«. dna.... iHMiiflllwnt as ". Wf~1ng of the mll"ld ...• laItInt j
mental .ttlt~. clUMCl by ,he "",-.tk rtpr"don of eft'l.", tmodOM Md If· .4: TItted Arc, a monumental sculpture by Richard Serra, was comml$Jloned
'.ct, whkh, .. tud'I••• I10fYMI con'4'OMnts of hurun nall.lf'. The" Il'pfl,,6on Ie• . ,1 In 1979 by the General Services Administration at S175,ooo for New
to the cCHlltant tendency to 1nduf9t' In c.rt,ln Itinch of ",Iue d,lUllonl tnd COfft- t.
~ ",Iue judgnwn«. The .motions and ,UKIi prlmllily conc-.Md . . . f to
York's Federal Plaza. '[he Kulpture's placement led Immediate hostili-
r.-..nvt, h'lm, fMtIc:.., erwy, the tmpuIH to detract, tnd spit•." NoM of ,heM 'A ty by those who had to experience It and to a public dlKoune that II·
'MIn9I, wrtt" Sdwter, '*"...ntr' Ie'" to rrllMtil'Mnt. tt drlelopl "onfy" tMn ;i Iumlnated the gulfs among artists, govemmMt patrons and the popular
OUUfI Mfthef, mor,hetf-conqun1 ... nonn act or lOfMother tdequ.t ~ audience. The situation, which Robert Storr presents from beginning
...... lion of .motion .. , lind If thk .-.nrllnt II (auI.d by. prCHIounctd _ - a of '1
CJ:) impot.nc•.. , , Through Its "!'Yorioln, nJJl'nffm.nl II thH.for. (hlef1yconftMd ~, to end at his writing In 1985, also testlfl.s that the convo/ut.d proceu
-..:I to lhoM who..rw and are domln,'t'd II the mom.nt, who ffuitlnlly ,nent 1M ~ of challenging a commlulon Is as difficult as commissioning and Instal-
Itlng of 1IU1tIority ••• the spWft,* venom 01 'tI~flrMrJf II pfr_1y coni...... ~1 IIng,a public sculpture. The controveny underlined, as twit, that site-
~~. I
11. Ttlll II the till .... of 5heIIlry'IA o.fMc. of PoetlY, 1111. For an I«ount of SheIey'J 1,
sp«lfIc Kulpture ;s by nature ne'W!r purely aesthetic but also always
political,
r'lfOlutlon.ry Int.rntl '" teenneth N"n (flm,ron, 11w Young SIMI/I"(: ~""" 01 ~ Serra's relationship to physical spiKe and the audience Is antitMrlcal
I "ubI (New York: Ct_n·(oIlle" (olll,r loob, 1962). 'J to that of many of th. artists in this book, His work, often public, still
21. Abrlhlfn H. MIsIow, ''NIuroIlIa, F..... 01 PerIonfIl Growtfi.:' J1w,~IIHdwt:~ stands .part from th. social world. Serra bel1eves, In flld, that "After
0' HurMn N.urt (NM York: r.nouln loob. 1976), p. )9. ~ I the piece Is created, the splICe will be und.ntood primarily .s a func-

29. TModor Adorno. Atltfletlc ThI'oIy(l.ondon: I'outlt6g.I lCtgWl "UI. 19141, p. J21} ~ tlon of the sculpture."
, . Storr writ.s: "In May of 7985 Dwight Ink, the chief administrator
.,
,;
~ of the General Ser....ices Administration In Washington, handed down
~. a decision recommending the r.location of Richard Serra's sculpture
) '( Tilted Arc, which now stands In front of the FHI.r.1 Comple. In
.' ~ downtown Manhattan, This decision follotwd a four-year debate over
~ th. 'appropriateness' of Serra's piece, ...nd the Importance its reten·

_. f.
g- tlon or remo.....' would ha....e forth. future'hoth of the GSA's Art In Ar-
chltecture program .nd of public art In" this countl)' In g.ner.I. What

I.. -';:;;~;;;;;;;-;;;;;;;;;j;;;;;;;;:;;;;;;;;;o.;;;;;;;;;;;-;;rn
t: ~II .rtlclt origln.lI\, .ppnrtd In Art In Amtriu IStpltmbtf "aSJ __. .
I .
,,.
 170 Robert Storr
Tilted Arc: Enemy of the People? 171
foflows is'a description of the circumstances leading up to that Judg·
ment and some thoughts on the relarion of the Serra controveny to stands In the traffic elrcle near the exit from New York's Holland Tun-
current discussions of the politics of art in the '980s." r nel, ab~ut a m!le from Tilted Arc, Its federalty subsidized coudn.
Tilted Arc was removed from Federal Plaza in March of '989, I But If Serra s sculptures are In Increasing proportion now designed
· for public spaces, the precarious antlmonumentality of his basic
" aesthetic continues to be Informed by the marginality and Imper-
In 1979, In accordance with the established procedures of the General ~' manence of the Industrial no·man's·lands and vacant lots In whl h h
Services Administration's Art In ArchltectOre program, Richard Serra was :... executed much of his early work. Even Rotary Arc stands apart ~ro~
chosen by an Independent panel of art professionals consisting of the social world. Occupying a site seen but rarely entered or traversed
Suzanne Delahanty, Robert PincUS-Witten, and Ira LIcht to offer a pro- by pedestrians, It slices across the axis wtthln which It Is located, render-
posal for a sculpture to be placed In the plaza In front of the Jacob Ing the surrounding whorl of buildIngs, driveways, crosswalks and
K. Javits Building on Foley Square.' Following extensive engineering grassy lozenge.s tangential to its spare sculptural sweep, while itself In-
studies and prolonged negotiations with the GSA's own design review sfstlng upon Its distance from and tangency to these given forms. But
panel. Serra's planned work, Tilted Arc, was finally approved by the whll~ Ro.tary Arc articulates a man-made but essentialty uninhabited
then head of the GSA, Roland G, Freeman, Given the relative bland- space, r,'ted Arc stands at the hurt of a heavily trafficked working
ness of much public sculpture and the Intransigent If not confront... environment dominated by an overbearing architectural monolith
Placed directly In the path of people largely Ignorant of and for th~
,,• tional nature of Serra's art, It was a remarkable, Indeed risky under·
taking for both the artist and his government patrons.
For Serra's part, It would appear that the prime attraction of this
~i.
"I'
:
most part alienated by modern art, TIlted Arc demands attention In
slstlng that Its presence Is not an adjunct or adornment of the spac;
commission was the very difficulty of the site offered him, Spuklna . It occupies but the subject of that space, If David Smith's sculpture was
to Douglas Crimp In 1980, 'Serra recalled: conceived In resistance to the tyranny of architects and the bland con-
ventIons of most of public art, THtN Al'('was meant to actlvety subvert
Tht f.r81 lufIdfnt shit dkfn't intltfltt:I me II ""I. rt', ...~dltt:tll ~t." in front them. It Is that physical polemk, aside from the arguable beauty of
of. public bulWlftg. ~', I lount"" on Ihit plul, normlny you woutd·.1IpItCt '; the p,lec, Itself, which Is the work's principal virtue.
• Ku!ptur. nut to thlt founl"" so Ihit .n,.mblit would IImHnhh lhe buIcInt. .
I'\/'t found. Wrt 10 dl~oClt. Of" lIt.r the M<or.tlY't IurKlloo 01 the puu IIld 1(• . ~ tt therefore came as no surprise that when finally Installed In 1981 Tilted
tlvely bring plOP" Inio tM KUlpt~'1 tonll.'. I plln 10 build I plitu thlt" 120 .,'
I"t long In I Ilml·drcullr pliU. It wfll (rou I,", .nll,. 19k., blocld"9 the . . ;,;' Arc was greeted with marked hoUlllty, prompting lellers to the
f,om Ihl m.11 to the courthou'l. Ind vke yltn•. It win b~. t_!VI I•• t hlth Iftd ~: newspapers and. petition, signed by sorue-1,300 employees of the
will tUt one '001 towlfd thlt ft~rll bulldlng Ind Itl. Counhoult. It wilt b•• WfY ~ Federal Complex, demanding the sculpture's removal from the site It
,low .n: th.t w1lleflComplll thl mopll who wllk on th. pllum II' yolume. , • , • SO categorically refused to "grace." Tilted Arc also garnered a mixed
Ah.r the pk<e h (rllt.d, the '9k. will b. und.ntood prlmlrlly If • fun«1on 01 :.
Ihi tculplUfI. f •
, t~spons~ from the art world.) Coming at a time when the dominant
, tlste was shifting toward new forms of figurative painting and
sculpture, It seemed to some to signal the final assimilation If not coo •
Though Serra had n....er before contended with a "pedestal" sft4
of this kind, he had of course already made se...eral major plecft fot·, titian of the Minimal aesthetk by Institutional culture But govemme~t
urban plnat. In 1977 he created Serlin Siock for Charlie Chaplin In, .ndor~ement of Serra's work has not lessened its' confrontational
Berlin and Termlna' In Bochum; the latter triggered a controversy thlt~ · ~er, Ind contrary to expectation the furor generated by It has not
spilled over Into the regional electlont. More recently Serra bullt.Tw,In, · e down. Rather, federal sponsorship ~C?mpounded the "offens "
'~d Tilted Arc became an anomalous ';dffitlal" provocation dlvldr~g
-, a wailed enclosurt fO( St. loult that took eight years of negotiations:'
La Palmera, a concrete arc for • worklng-cl.u nelghborhobd In ..,
Barcelon.: Cla,,·Clara, a site-specific sculpture for Paris that was suc- '.;
t
-t e rt community from the public at lii"ge and the art community
:,ga nst Itself as has no other work of recent memory.
cenfully moved from Its pl.nned location near the Beaubourg to I dlf-l. I k' C~early Intended to break this stalemate, GSA administrator Dwight
ferent site In the Tull,rles; and the privately funded Rot.ry Arc, whkH!. n s eelslon to move Tilted Arc nonetheless Involves conditions that
• · give his judgment a distinctly Solomonic cast. The process established

111 Robert Storr Tilted Arc: Enemy of the People? 273

by Ink for the relocation requires that local GSA officers find a suitable spokesmen for both sides extra time to complete their statements. But
alternative site subject to the approval of an NEA-appointed panel these parliamentary niceties were only camouflage for a fixed agenda.
working In consultation with the artist. It Is ciear from Serra's own Though claiming to have no personal grief against Serra and no
statements, however, that he will not cooperate In what he considers Intention of passing aesthetic Judgment on the work itself, Diamond
not the mere relocation of a slte·specific work but Its actual destruc- listened to the arguments of Serra's partisans wtth the ostentatlOU1lack'
tion. it Is probable, and certainly to be hoped, that without his par- . of enthusiasm of a bored schoolboy In French class, Then at the end
ticipation no museum or other reputabl.e instltuUon will be enlisted ~ .of the first day, In an interview with Cable Network News, he openly
in this scheme. Thus It appears that while Ink has made a gesture of declared .his determination to have the sculpture removed, A profes-
concession to those opposed to Tlfted Are, he has In fact specified termt sional politician using his oHlce to speak out for the "little man" against
for the resolution of the problem which dictate that the work Itself the abuses of the 91g Government of which he Is In fact Integrally a
will remain In place Indefinitely, ~~rt, D'amon~ followed the by-now-famlliar strategy of Spiro Agnew
The real climax of the Tilted Arc controversy, however, came In ~ (democratic voice for the "silent maJority"), and of boardroom
March 119851 In three days of hearings called by William Diamond, the 't "populist" H. Ross Perot. It was PerQt who exploited the anguish of
New York admInistrator of the GSA. And If Ink's decision belongs to ~ veterans tp Impose his own "patriotic" taste on the Vietnam War
the history of bureaucratic diplomacy, Diamond's hearings belong to " Memorlal-a work which, notlneldentally, owes Its sculptural syntax
the history of the piece Itself. .. to Serra and, like Tilted Arc, was thought obJectionable precisely
These hearings were not the first Instance of local opposition to . because It was open to a variety of readings,
a GSA-commissioned work being channeled through-even Instigated
by-the regional hlerarthy of the Federal government. In the mld·1970s .~: Taking theIr cue from Olam'ond, the "little men"_and women-said
a prolonged but ultlmatety unsuccesdul campaign was waged Igalnst : much that was predictably negative and narrow. Throughout the three
George Sugarm.n's sculpture Sa/tlmore Feder./by a U.S. district court : days of the hearings, office workers and overseers took time out from
Judge, .nd In m.ny Wlys the Tllt~d Arc controversy Is a replay of that _ their duties and trooped In to denounce the Kulpture as nihilistic and
affair. In New York It was Judge Edward D. Re, Chief Justice of the ' I rusted piece of Junk.· Coming to Serra's defense was a virtual roll
United States Court of lnternatlon.1 Trade, who lobbied to reopen the.; call of art-world penonalltles, an unexpected alliance which Included
Senalssue after three years of relative quiet, and It Is obvious that Ol"~ October critics and their erstwhile nemesis, William Rubin of the
mond's hearlngt were designed to orchestrate Ind amplify the angel" MUleum of Modern Art; Serra's peers of the 1960s such as Donald Judd
that Rt', eHorts ~.d brought back to the surface. Arrogating to hlmHff , and Frank Stella; and more recent "luminaries" such ~s Keith Haring
the prerogative of appointing Its members, Diamond created a panel' and Tony Shafrad, respectively the leading artist and leading dealer
consisting of three senior officers of the regional GSA" administration. : of the graffiti art whose authentic vernacular expression covered Tilted
and two outside members, Michael Findlay, vlce·presldent of Chrlstle't, . , Arc Itself and was cause for many of the complaints of those opposed
and Thomas levin, a lawyer and art collector. " .' to the Serra Walk. In all, t'-'is coalition of Interests gave Tifted Arc a
Significantly, Diamond appointed from the art community no onf. curiously Hans Haacke-like "proyenance," which, like those Haacke
whose specific concern was with public sculpture, and however slncert. , has traced for Impressionist works by Seurat and Manet. encompasses
the partlelp~tlon of the last two members, It Is clear that he had taken - the full range of the art world's social and Ideological extremes.
pains to assure himself a voting maJority. Meanwhile, no leg.1 basft', Testimony In Serra's favor reflected a correspondingly diverse, not
existed for such an ell post facto move to pressure for the abrogation : to say contradictory, series of perct:;ptlons and moUves, and some of
of a contract signed and exe<:uted between a citizen and the govtrnl. ; that testimony made for very enjoyable th!llter. Eliciting embarrassed
ment. Granted, Diamond presided over the ad hoc proceedings 'Nitif' ,'aughter from Diamond and his assOciates; tebn Golub slyly suggested
exemplary "fairness," extending the hearings to three days so th.t.n that they consider the apparently headless and decidedly bellicose
who had signed up could be heard, allocating the same three minuteS __ bronze eagle which hung over the courtroom before any attempt was
to each speaker, and bending the rules evenhandedly to allow k' ; made to remove Serra's supposedly mindless and aggressive sculpture.
'i}_
,.
'.
.>
 274 Robert Storr Tilted Arc: Enemy of the People? 275
Meanwhile, Holly Solomon, arriving In a voluminous white fur coat,
lectured the panelists on economics. "I try very hard to teach peopl.
1:'/ ~ut however' clear Serra's strict phenomenological e)(plicatlon
, te Arc, the fact of the matter Is that It has long since ceased to be
0;
about contemporary art," she eltplalned, "but the bottom line Is thk ~nd ";,a~never again be the purely abstract sculptural ellperience Serra
has financial value and you really have to understand that you have nten e , For both Its opponents and Its supporters Tifted Arc has
responsibility to the financial community. You cannot destroy proper· b~come a social symbol and the rhetoric which now attaches Itself to
ty." This spirited but "businesslike" Intervention seemed an odd com- t e work has a telling, sometimes grimly comic symmetry
plement to the Marxism of other Serra supporters, but It did not ap- If to many opposed to It Tilted Arc represented an "iro~ curtain"
pear to assuage the anger of those who saw Tlfted Arc as nothing m~ :"
than a $17S,OOO boondoggle.
More to the point on this score was the testimony of Serra and other :
,~.
.
or Berlin Wall" for Serra advocate Douglas Crimp It was no less an
emblem of Incipient totalitarianism' .
GSA-commissioned artists who said that they had not only not made
money on their work but had In some cases lost it-a fact confirmed
by Donald Thalacker, Art In Architecture's director, In his 19BO book '1:
surveying the project's accomplishments,' For Serra as for Nancy Holt .
and others, the attraction of the program was not financial, but rather :.
the opportunity to undertake a major work whose permanence would :;
be guaranteed by Its patrons. For these artists as well as for many of· .
the Institutional representatives who made statements on Serra's
behalf-Kitty Carlisle Hart, Bess Myerson and Senator Javfts among -"
them-the Issue was the trust that must be preserved between artists ;,
and the government If such programs are to succeed, and the chilling ;'.. : ~rl~p's fantasy of Big Brotherdom Is not a purely literary conceit As
effect that censorship would have upon creative freedom In the coun·' ' ar etched as It may at first seem, the siege mentalJty Crimp fo~nd
try generally, As was several times pointed out, the "public" for the ~ , manifested In Judge Re's remarks Is all too real. The surreal charge that
work created under Art In Architecture's aegis was n.tlon.I, not merely ::. :' modern sculpture was a potential tool of terrorists had previously been
local, .nd the repercussion of any move to back away from GSA's co",",\ " , mad~ against Sugarman's Bait/more Federal and was reiterated In this
mltmant to the artists Involved could be ellpected to be similarly wide·:', ~as~ y the Federal Comple)('s GSA security specialist who testified that
reaching. This Is not an Idle fear. Though George Sugarman was SUC~"··4 ar rom serving as the Ideal acoustic baffle for concerts as was later
cessfulln defending his Baltimore work, Robert Murny. another Serra.; temo~~trat~t by composer Alvl(llucler, Tifted Arc provided a screen
supporter, recently lost his fight to preserve his NEA-commlssloned work:·
In Alaska. .
.

Meanwhile the aesthetic case for Tilted Arc was made by numerous;!
'.J .
.,. ,
,
: or un ent ed miscreants and drug pushers and might someda be
;USed as a blast wall for bombers lurking on Foley Square
The crUll of the Issue h i '
·than th I
.
" owever, was ess thiS reciprocal paranoia
e way n which Ttlted Arc ,had been used to exacerbate the
y ,

curators and crltla, but most persuasively by Serra himself: tf., · ~I~eady acute tensions between the publk and the art community Here
i :r ~ r mp was not only essentially right but eloquent, .
TiIt.d,lt" WII conllruct.d 10 .nglg. Ihf public In dillogo. thlt loIrfOuld .nhlnc., :,
both p~r(,pto.11y and COrKtptullly, lu rflltlon to the ~ntlrt pllu, Th. KUlptlolri~~
Involwd th. vI~r ratlon'lIy and .motlO"'llly, A multitude 01 rudlnol k pOl:i
Ilbl., . , , Th. wOfk through Its loc.tlon. h.lght, Ifngth. horizont.llty'Met luri:\
groundl on. 1"10 th. ph)'!l"l condltlon of Ih. pIK'. Thf vI.w.r bt<ornfl ",.,1.
of hlml'lf Ind of hk mowm.nt through th, plili. AI h. movtl. the Uulptlolrt l,;
(hlng", ContrlCt\cln JNt IllpIMlon of thl Kulptur. r"u1tl from tN vllwtr'l rnowtI(
m.nt, Stllp by 1IIIp, ~r(.pUon of nOI only Ih. Kulptur. but thf ,nllT••nvlron-/
m.nt et.Iln9",

~"--------------~

Tilted Arc: Enemy or the Peop,e7 UI

176 Robert Storr
the transformatlorl'of such private "preJudice Into public Judgment or
,idf of KulplUf. agalmt tnos. who.,. on thf Ildf 01 CCIflCfrU ()l" maybf picnic tabltl.
political action" was Inherently reactionary. But while It Is clear that
Sut 01 (()II'" ,II th". thlngl h.... 'oel,llundloni. , . , 111'1 m,IIUr. ollht mtlgfl" .
n,turf of our poblk ,ocl.l Hf. th.t th. public II I,ked to flghl out. tnverty of. ': such grievances or misunderstandings can be and In this case were
Ihf dfmocrltlc proc.duft owr the crumbl of IOCIII f_pfrlfn<t. " : coopted by reactionary forces, Buchloh's line of argument begs the
question of what If any are the appropriate forms such collective
Though Crimp's conclusions are accurate, his assertion that Serra's' dissatisfaction ihould take. Are there no terms. other than outright cen·
patrons were "utterly uninterested In building public understanding, sorshlp or private sufferance In which they can be expressed and
of the art It commissioned" Is simplistic and wrong, Nor was Serra cor~ . ;ejolned?
rect when he complained to People magazine, "I have the weight of ., More troubling stili, Buchloh predicated hIs defense of Serra on
government-not only their deception but their heel-on my head...• .' t a challenge to the competence of Diamond and his copanellsts, who
The "government" which was responsible for Serra's commission In the ,. ',. presumed to decide on a matter apparently beyond their ken. For
first place did not abandon him, though It might at some points hava :, Buchloh, this presumption placed them In "contempt" of accredited
wanted to. Indeed, Art In Architecture's director Thalacker adroitly opinion in the same sense that citizens seeking to overturn the verdict
argued for him, as did a host of other elected and appointed officials I of dUly appointed legal ellpetts could be found In "contempt of court,"
committed to the support of public art, ~ However clever as a polemical device, this analogy Is double-edged,
There was In fact nothing monolithic about the political forces at: (' for In describing art professionals as the physicians and' lawyers of
work, Commissioned by federal officials In Washington but seemingly , aesthetics, Buchloh iet up an unequal contest of clout, In effect nar-
without defenders among local GSA officials, Tilted Arc edsted In I . . rowing the Issue to a choice between the wisdom of the apparatchiki
bureaucratic power vacuum, which Diamond and his cohorts did not: .. and that of the doctoratchlkl, and in so doing seeming to confirm the
jooooIo fail to notice. In capitalizing on Its vulnerability, they were simply..; L Impression that Serra's work represented nothing more than the taste
CO followln~ the axiom of Tammany Hall boss George Washlngtort of an artistic oligarchy, Moreover, by asserting his own authority and
~ Plunkett who said slmplv enough, "I seen my opportunities and Itool!:; that of unnamed ellperts to declare Serra the most Important sculptor
'em. "If there Is blame to be laid at the door of Serra's patrons. It rtwlts ! of the postwar era, superior even to David Smith, Buchloh made claims

from their havIng created Diamond's opportunity by allowing resent l for himself and Serra that In the contellt of the current critique of
ment of the work to build up unanswered, and from the fact that when· t. "mastery" are hard to Ignore.

they finally did (ome to Serra's defense they permitted their opponents • Further, Buchloh and others denounced Diamond's hearing by
to dictate the terms and the circumstances In which TIlted Arc was td .I drawing historical parallels between it and the culture·bashlng tribunals
be discussed, .•. J , of Nazi Germany. To be sure, the Bltburg Incident and Patrick
Buchanan's ascendancy In the Reagan administratIon make such
The fault Is not theirs alone, however. It seems to have occurre~ tofelN parallels seem less and less remote; certainly also, any official attack
of Serra's most ardent allies that by falling even to speak to, much leS;t on art Is cause for alarm, and In a worst-case scenario may be seen as
listen to, the public that felt itself so at odds with rilted Are, they f.llea a harbinger of fascism, But Bu,hloh's broad analogies seemed not so
utterly to grasp the political reality of the situation, and so played dlrect-: ;. much a cautionary tale as the product of Intellectual refle)(, However
IV Into Diamond's hands, For If Crimp and Serra's attorney. Gusta"'. 1 odious Diamond's ellploltation of popular discontent, his actions were
Harrow, couched their remarks In terms both serious and conciliatory, ., not those of a budding commandant but'of an ambitious Babbitt and
much of what was said by Serra's partisans was obscure and hyperbolk., e)(perlenced bureaucratic infighter, Nor were the angry but often self-
serving only to confirm the worst suspicions of those on the other sldel ,; effacing civil servants and aged VFW spok~$"len who testified poten-
The testimony of Benjamin Buchloh. a scholarly and usually Jlcut., I tial stormtroopers, Indeed, a few of those Wi:lb e)(pressed their discom·

analyst. of art's social subtellts, was particularly problematic In ,thk ; fort with Tilted Arc and the process by which it had been chosen
regard. Skirting the Issue of the reasons for the alienation felt by Tllftd.. · nonetheless stopped short of demanding Its removal, aiking instead
-. \ Arc's adversaries while allowing that "everybody should have the right .to be given time and help to understand It.'
~ to detest contemporary art, especially art like that of Richard Serra that Meanwhile. if more mundane politics are to be taken into
addresses the condition of alienation," Buchloh seemed to suggest that
 278 Robert Storr

account-and to the degree that they reveal the fissures in the "govern- A sign which ~ould be ripped down when liberalism went out of
ment" Serra considered to be unified against him, they do matter- political flshlon, This sign Is being torn Into pieces right now," Never-
one speaker prefaced his complalnh about nlted Arc by pointing out theless, Weyergraf actively participated In marshaling the liberal If not
that as far as he was concerned Diamond and his GSA peers were apolitical forces which defended Tilted Arc, welcoming Its defenders
"management'; h. then explained to the members of the gallery, many to the podium just as Serra pumped the hind of each as they left.'
of whom, on Serra's side, had left the room upon his arrival at the Furthermore, It Is unclear how the patronage of European governments
lectern, that far from being a blind supporter of conservathm the union or dealers to whom she and Serra would turn If rebuffed by the GSA
he represented wItS currently under Indictment by the Republican .cJ. k essentially different or any less precarious than that of the American
ministration for having "Illegally" organized against Reagan during art establishment. '
the recent presidential elfctlons.'
As the hearings progressed, It would seem that what rankled the It Is perhaps unfair to tax Serra himself for the inconsistency of
naysayers was not so much the piece Itself as the implication that thost Weyergraf's statements or of those made by his other partlslns.ln fact,
mystified by an Intentionally disruptive presence In their midst we~e Weyergraf testified, "I had reservations about the Federal Plaza. Not
to blame for not embracing It, and the suggestion that as a resutt they Richard. Richard felt honored when the GSA approached him and of-
were culpable for Ideological crimes they had yet to commit, Con- fered him a site In New York." Moreover, It was his decision to accept
fronted by a real political Other, some of Serra's supporters could not the gamble of fighting for his work In the open but rigged forum
recognize it for what It WIS. Granted, a three-minute presentation does created by his adversaries. Nevertheless, given his declared Intent to
not permit a complex answer, but, given that limitation, It Is crucial "dislocate or alter the decorative function of the plaza," It Is hard to
to speak In ways that do not allow for misundentanding. In such a CDO-- accept his later claim that he "didn't understand what all the commo-
text It becomes .11 the more Important not to forget that "Ideology" tion was about," and even harder to reconcile hk desire In Tilted Arc
15 expressed not only In the sum of one's positions but In the tone of to "actively bring people Into the sculpture's context" or his accep-
voice and the cultural referents one chooses to describe the world. tt tlnce of such a commfsslon with his statement thlt "trying to attract
Is time perhaps that those who have learned their politics from Ben- a bigger audience has nothing to do with the mlklng of art:'M At the
jamin, lacan and Foucault read Saul Alinsky and other basic texts on roqt of these Inconsistencies lies the fundamental paradox of Serra's
political organization. thlnklng-a paradigm of the contradictions which continue to plague
But If the myopia and alarmism of some of Serra's partlsa.ns were. the critical debate over the relation between politics and art, the
lesser Irritants, the Inherent contradictions In the statements of others, . resldull "radicalism" of Minimalist and anti-form art, and tM supposed
and the palpable contempt they expressed for the opposition wer- .; "cooservatbm" of more recent painting and Kulpture. Here It Is
pointlessly antagonistic and self-Indulgent. Indeed, the speech by the worth quoting Serra at length from a 1916lnterv4ew with L1za Bear.
critic Clara Weyergraf, who Is Serra's wife and collaborator, was, fOf ,
all its ringing righteousness, stunningly wrongheaded, It was she who " I'm not conctnad with quott hum.nhtk ....IUtl on th.t IIrYtI. If you'rt going to
first announced that If nlted Arc was removed she and her husband gtt Involved, your tntrglft 'ft btllltrved tnttrlng Iht poJltk" ,rtnl Ind doing
would leave the country, though this "threat" was subnquently ; It In th,t tr,n,llory minner, Tht Inttrt~tlng thing ,bout ,bnrlet'lt II th" glvtn
tht b"k pOlitlon ont ,,,urn,, Ind the kind of uptrl,TIC. One nttds to hlVt, Iht
repeated by Serra himself In numerous Interviews. Given his Impending " work ftmllnl frte,ln th.t II dOfln't ItfVt ,ny ld4iologkll pr.mht, Whtn wa.k tnd,
retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art and his continuing ties to ;~' up In mU1tUmi or lI'tltd", It un't t\up. 'rom tht motility Implklt In ,hOlt In.
major New York VIllerles, this seemed a particularly petulant and 1m... ,tltullonl...• 11', not Ifldtptndtnt of thlt I"gtr c,p1t,U,tk WvctUft whkh nttd1
plausible ultimatum. In the country that Invented the "love It 9r leave , do" Ictulln~. Wtll, tVtf~ Il1ht I know, to:-, dtgr..-,nd It', to th" dtgrte Ih"
It" bumper sticker, a "love Me or l'Uleave Vou" response 15 a Just' we 1ft III mOft or leu gullty-h" 10 dul w~h)ht'.locon'lll,neltl,Thtrt', I rul
trtnd now to demun ,bllrlCl 111 " not Sting locl,lI~ rtltVlnl. Wh't you h,vt
Invitation to be told to "Get lost." \. k I relurn 01 I kind of ']01 ructlon.,y Yllu, ,ysttm-tht form mlnll"h IUtlt In
Stili hlrder to swallow was the contempt in which Weyergr.f; Ylrlou, guhtl; tnttrt,lnmtnl " 111. poUtk,1 writing " '", upll,llIm " M.r.ln
evidently held not only her adversaries but her allies. "I was alwIYS':, 111, documtnllUon " Irt, mtdla " '11-ln tlft<t I rtvlmptd 'oel,1 rntllm or ,11
against artists' accepting government commlnlom," she explained, '" , II e~ryIhlng Olhtr Ih,n whal I ftell' tntntl,' " '" optrlenct. "I" ntytr Itll
always thought that Irt was being used as a sign to advertise liberalism, "f 'nd I don'l 'ttl now. rhlt '" netm ,ny ju"lfk'llon outtldt 01 IUtll." '

2BfJ Rob~rt Storr Tilted Arc; Enemy of the People? 2S'

There 15 no reason to suppose that Serra has changed these views, of what one does:'lf one is determined not only to resist prior restraints
and In the present context It is a revelatory statement Indeed. For In but to win against the combined forces of conservatism and Ignorance,
his determination to liberate art from conventions of good taste Ind It h not enough simply to stand on principle and react to reaction. But
.-social utility Serra glosses over the question of what If any are thl for all hh sense of mission Serra has shown few signs that he is prepared
specific political obligations for which artists may be held accountable: ~ for the hurly-burly' of actual social struggle. Rather, with the excep-
On a purely theoretical level there would seem to be none, for he · tlon of his formal statement to the GSA hearings, he has been content
assigns himself the same privileges that were claimed for the Abstract · to bait his opponents, retreating from the role of "artist-hero" Into
Expressionists by 'heir liberal apologists: looking back on and down that of "artist-victim," while leaving the hard work of building bridges
at the Social Realism of the 193010 from an even greater distance than .:":. to his lawyer and more pragmatic partisans, This failure to deal
they, Serra describes the artist as a uniquely free Individual whose work :"' directly-much less, generously-with his least articulate but most im-
is by definition beyond Ideology. Yet this is the very contention which portant adversaries-that Is, those who on a dally basis must live with
Serge Gullbaut and others writing on the political content of the his work-k, as much as anytHing, what accounts for the sourness which
"apolitical" Amerkan abstraction in the 19505 have called Into ques- ~ hIS tinged this debate.
tion, and If that critique Is to have any meaning It must be applied not .- , The Intent here is not to "blame the victlm"-since the "victim"
only In hindsight but In the present, and not just with respect to those : Is not Serra but the Tilted Arc itself and, with It, the cause of public
artists who, like the Abstract Expressionists, make the quest for perJ ' Irt.\oI While It h begging the questfon to suggest, as some at the hear-
sonalldentlty the subject of their work. but also to those, such as serr.(· Ing did, that the solution to the problem was to tear down the building
who Irrogate to themselves a fictional freedom from historical im- , before which Tilted Arc stands rather than the work Itself, neither
peratives, with the result that they regard politks as an ancillary Ktlvfty; j, would a "prettier" or more compliant sculpture have mitigated the
...... In a glnulne political critique of culture what matters 15 not 111, singular ugliness of Federal Plaza. Though not a wholly successful work,
ca artist's good Intlntlons or hh background-on which score Serfals full1. Serra's piece Is nonetheless one of the most ambitious attempts by any
e",a as much a product of V.le and the University of California at Berkeley · GSA-sponsored artist to confront the premises of public sculpture, and,
as he Is of working-class San Francisco lind the steel plants In whkh · approached on Its own terms, it is a truly Impressive work. However,
he labored as a student-but rllther the way In which art actually enten T1Ited Arc shou!d remain where it 15 not only for these aesthetic reasons
the social world,lI Hans Halch, for one, has made the elucidation of or because removing It would set a disastrous precedent for programs
thllt process the subject of his work, and the effectiveness of hi' IUch as Art In Architecture, but because It exists as a constant reminder
documentary outrage derives In no small measure from the sense of, ~ thlt It Is not Just the public that has something to learn, but also all
proportion-and humor-with which he views the Ironies of his owrt those who presume to speak for, and make. art In the public Interest.
participation In the very system he accuses. Though Serra's vision holds .. Insofar as Tilted Arc has become a symbol of this tense and ongo-
true to the faith of the 19605, when, he says, it was understood thlt · Ing standoff between artists on the one hand and their governmental
"It was your lob as an artist to redefine society by the values you wert pltrons and popular audience on the other,lt .150 serves to mirror the
Introducing rather than the other way around,"u he has evidently: , Image that the art community, and In particular the art Left, presents
gaIned no such sense of proportion and sees no humor in the comple•.' to the world at large. In thai context, If the flap over Tilled Arc is in.
structure of trade·offs upon which his own success Is predicated. ':' · deed to be taken as a test case of the "coming struggle" between reac-
'tlon and progress, the rabble-rousers and the Intelligentsia, then the
FInally, for all his legitimate Insistence that the Integrity of TIlted Art prospects are not good. For what~ver the bureaucratic or legal resolu-
depends upon Its preservation In Its orlglnallo(ltlon, what he app.an ·tlon to the issue (Serra has suggested that he will sue for an Injunction
to have Ignored all along Is that the "site" for such site-specific art to prevent the removal of the work), the crUe:I~1 fact remains that Tilled
works 15 neither simply geographic nor purely aesthetic. It Is, from thl! ;Arc's advocates lost the battle for the attention and sympathy of the
outset, political, and politics Is not a matter of gestures but an on ~publlc.
lng, often tedious but sometimes Instructive process. To make publk ,However complex or all·encompassing ti,e radical theory of the
,-" art Inevitably Involves anticipating and appreciating the soclallmpaet ~ohtlcally minded art community has become. its praxis was revealed
<
 181 Robert Storr TIlted Arc: Enemy of the Peop'e? 283
in this case and In others-such as the divisive fights, In recent years,
over "artist houslng"-to be uncertain If not wholly ad hoc. To that .\
eldent, Tilted Arc stands as a monument to the convergence of for· '.
•. The "uhttles of "ru~I" Wfl one of the r«uuent nuklnc:, luUI1 whkh aopped
up In the htlflntp Ind In the pit" c_'91 cil the hlW. Onc. It"
It h hardly
~Ie 10 ~.flIrm thlt SfUI'I use 01 induItrill"HI k. 'Y'"bof ofhls soIidIrJ.
mallst art and "formalist" politics-a politics, that Is, of theory without . Iy wflh th, wofklng d.n when In fec:I lhe WOfhn thlmst!Yft 111m (on,htilltly
10 mhl Ihl pollJfllllCV of th.1 IlIlInl, Neverthelen. II Ih. l"llmony ml!le dur,
praxis-with the aspirations of the art falling prey to the manifest con· '( the tulllng of (or-Tm lteel h. ,,If·protfCllv, procen. 1101 _ of chtfnkll de9fI"ll1'"
tradlctlons of the politics. Moreover, It Is a reminder that when the In-·.: tlon. MorlOVlr, levtFlllpuktr, polnled 01,11 thll the green p.tln. whkh COvell
terest of artlsll and those of a largely uninformed and hostile commtJnl.: ~ IUCh bekwed pltlr. ICUlplurfl " Ihi Nllh.n Hlle It.tlle 11111" Chy H.n h IIOthln9
ty collide, however self·evldent the mbral, social and aesthetic ques- '. more or len Ihln'the t"ult of Ihll<lmUu o~lctllJon of brOllle. W'rt k nol fOl' Ihi
tions Involved may seem, In practical terms the burden of proof wItI :: 9111lhl Kil"l whkh mit thl rorbel of Tilred Ate, Its rich m-l»-own pltln. would
bt Iquilly bnullful.1Id In ttmt might COI'M 10 be 1AI'ldited by thoM who now
always fall upon art's defenders, as does the challenge to find not only :- find II ~ ob.ullonlble.
the reasons but the language to make them Intelligible to those for. '
5. Oon,ld W. Thllec:klr. rh, PI~e of Art 'In th, World of Arr:hltfftu,. (New Yorlr:
whom art k at best a decorative amenity and at worst an authoritarian·' ~ Chel". Hotlll. 19801.
Imposition. The positive outcome of the debate on Tilted Arc Is that·
that challenge and the cost of IgnOflng this lesson have been made In- '. ,. "A ftvny E)'ttOtI Of I Worlr. of Art: Sc:ulplor Itkh.,d s.t',. Offends Hit Contl"OYenlll
'Tltted Arc...• f'Hpk (1 April Itl5). P. 140. .
escapably plain. "!
1. In rKml yun Iffortl No..,. belli midi to ~n the "IKt!of\ procell 10 Ihe c0m-

The GSA Art In N(hlt«turt P'09'1Ml'l w~, flt.tllbhed ulld" the lCeMecty Idmlnhtr•.
tlon In 1961. 5kM::e Iii foundltlorll, hfl commlnloned over 200 worb. flnlndnst ..
,.... munity" for whkh I worlr h cOrtlmlnlontd. end foltowlng Ihi Storr. dlbltl th.1 pro-
(In Is bll!llIg fU'1her rUlllmlned.
•. Som. Ifllle of Ihe Ilrger polltkl.nd (til prlorltl.. of the ,llU.tlon mly be gInned
from Ihe followlnv: Over lhe p.,t _rill yean theft hwe betn numerOtII newIp~
Ihlm III r..don of'lZ of I pettmt of Ihi totll (omlruc:tlorl (mu 01 thf, bulhInI . Il"tldet concerning working conditions In GSA·manlgld buIIdIngt;. On 1unI' 29, IMS.
fOf whkh thl wort h plMlMd. 1M SfNlllfllr II by no mfltll thf, flnt tim. thIf I1lI " - YorA: Tim" tlportf'd Ihll Hnloroffldlh r..porulbll'or Ihe fldelll Com-
public outcry hIS t"utted from thft. (ommlnlom. '" 1966 Ihi progllm WII tuV p1e~'" Mlnhlnlll hid wllttel-.-.I months helon noUfyI:ng ~ lNl drint;.
pmchd fll tttuft of ,.IdJont .tI".d·by I mU1i1 pllllted by Rob.rt MottlltWtl •• InO wlter In thl (omplu had bun found 10 conliin UIIlnU.1Iy high I_Is of Iud;
for tn. f,d.,.1 lu"dlng kl Imlon, "fllor,d III 1912 during th, HI~on Idmlnlltt.·.
tloll and plec:.d umIIr thl dlrKtonhlp of OOlllld Th.lec:klr. who ulll OC(upIft ttlt .
Ihl Ifll rllulu h.dbun obt.lf'led In Ffbrolry lonowlng eomplltntl from war"',..
',ui Chrlslolllll, Inhllnt reglon.lldmlnl,trllor for publk bul1dlll;t of the GSA,
pmt, In. pr09'"_ embltbd upon • "rle, of "P' Ind down, of which thf, sen,·.. Wit Ihi ,poke,,"., who .ltlmpt.d 10 'lfJIl.ln Ih.t _IIY. He w...1Io I fflfmber
.If.tr h onty the 1,1m epJsoct.. tII"1' III,r.1 Sell.tor Wdllim 'ro~mlre _ardt4" of the Oltmond p_1 ton'tfnfd In MItCh lind Il"l OItemlbff reprllmllt/ve 01 thl
th, progr.m hh "Goktft\ ftHu AWMd," lo~ lhe frlCllon 01 OMS otdftt.l~ Inlffllb of feder" emploYl" In thf, Sfnl mJlttff. tt wovIcIlppllr ttl.1 ChfhtoUnl
bUfg·. '.tColumn. Ind th-t"1I" h, ~I """ cut 10 l/l-9f I perc:mt of ~~.
cmu. III 1977 III orIgfnll budgd WII tenorld. bll1 thll 'lml Y'II" • Ior'If
Ull"lIldtfed Ihi "dlllg,r" pOHd by In lK9'1I1 buslntn, wMr'". blWd on his
rtrTIIlt, to Ihl1Jmef, h would IfffI'I thll hf, f,lt lhe helhh dlt'lgl( pGII(I by PGltlbly
(onlrOYeny_ _ tullly Imklbly rllOlwd-fttulted from the eommlnlonlng of ..... : conlamlnlled w.ter WII nol.
dl SllVero', Moto Vlgt'f 1n GFilld "~Idl. In 1985, Plllld,nt ""g,"
glYl lhe Art':
9. NOI Ollly doll W~rllllf hold thl IIb,,,1 ,n.bU,hm'nl In (onlfmpl. though
In Archltt<ture progrlfTl on. of thlrtlfn FIIlI 'relldentl.' Aw.rd5 fOf DIdfrl1
he,IIIMe. . fl.. numtrotn reprt"nlltlY.. of II ('ml 10 Tilled Arc'1 defenle, she hll betn tqVlll)'
Komfulof th.1rt left wflh whom It'llt mlghl hive engaged In I polhM IIId cer.
2. Itkh.rd fntf'n'ltws Etc.. 1J7D-lNO, wriltln .nd compl~ in coUlborllloll'/
s.v,: 1.lnl)' I motl rtIpKtful dl.logue,
with ctlfl Wl)'frlJflf (Vonhn: HIldIOl\ "/ver Munum. 1980), p. 161. ,~
., 'n In Il"tkte Iltltd·"Holy Am.nel: Fernnl"" 11M! pOfMIIhm." publhhed In (klobt>r
In Ita1, Wtytrgllf dltmlued thl ''humanbm'' of crllk' Oon.1d Klnplt.nd llll:y
J. Tlll,d Arc'. Ilrudy volun'llnotn prtt' hblory 1Ill,cll thlt Imblvl!lIlC'. """.
Schleldlhl, writing In the V1r.l7f Volet. ,I.mmed the work whln It WI' flr,t Inltlltd.t. llPJIlrd, ec:cUl11l9 In.m of ec:quleKlnce 10 th, IfUhtlkl 01 II!ntertllnfflfnl Illld Ih,
• nd Cotrlnt VOKI (tille GIf)' Indl'"1 hal been no Ill. Ie.thlng. Mlehlfl.afemoft ; polllk. of relormhm. aUl Wlytrgllf'l (lrk.lUll of thllr vI'WI I, hlrdly .11 .de.
of thl TImtf. howt..,.r, CarM 10 THted Arc'l dlfenn, " did hi, eonll\JUI Grice qUlle buk for. critique of either populi,," ~femlnltm, nor 1,It enough 10 "V
Glulck. though her ¥OIl 'Of tlttndon WIS helYlly qu.UfM!d by qUfltlon1 ~ the I I ,he '"mid to do. thll I rldk.1 .rt b m.nu)e<t by h, refulil to "pielie" It;
GSA'.I.IKUon pt'ocm. MIIt1WhifI, cOVIrlge In the W.1I5trHf Joumlllncf . iudlence. ThI publk h nol I phantom nerntth to be Ignored In prlClke while bl'
New York d.m.. hll bun uniformly MlJIIIve. Nflwork TV trUlmenl hn Ing (ondf'lcmded 10. If nol d"Pktd. In lheOf)'. nor h JMbIk Irt Ilublldlud Ufl-
\
". chltldlrlnd by _kerr 01' that - ' of ,",""g btmUMI'M1I1 _hormm ,...,... 101.
"hurMrt ","",," ...... IbcM ftQfltrk """mon.. "
dwln prly.te vfnve. H~ OM mlY Judge llpp.,d', w"enl Iflte.lhe flCI If.
",,1m ''''I the hfl IlkllI lhe rkk of Illploring lhe .ponlbHltlet'Of teec:hlng out to,

284 Robert StO" Tilted Arc: Enemy of the People? 285

.nd II!'I\glgllllllht Imig/nillon.nd coneerll' of. tholf for whom (ontempot.ry Itt tlng It to drift In I 'l"lI, ."hIIKtut.1 no-mln'Hlnd ~ th'lll would (ome to b
would olht'rwkl be Ifltn Il"ld Ihtul'n!ng. leen II the CI\II1 for the pf.u', IIClr. of ammlllel Ind p,ogrenlve dlterloUllon~
MorlOYlr. Judy Chk., 1ft .ttln whom lIpplrd chimp'oo' Ind Weytl"II"f II,
tick,. It I\Ot the prlmlt")' and c,ttllnl)' 1101 lhe onty 'limple of .n .rtkt who hIS All OthefWlte unlnributed quot.tlon1 .re I.ken Irom tr'"Krlpll of the Ol.mond he.,.
ventulfd 11I10 thb tr,ec:hlrOln tft'lIln. Wh.lfI/ft' 01\1 m.y thlnlr. of hh mlrepreneuW ir'I9'I publhhed by the GSA.
.n.r(hl,m. Chrhto, for OM. hll long u,umed Ih, If,pon,lblllty of ,duc:.llng h.h
.udlence.lncorpollling 1I0t only Indun,l.1 m.tttl.1t Inlo hi, worlr., but the I.bor
.nd IIChol(l1 ,Ir.UII of hllllOn·.nhl (ol1lbollton II well. AI", worth eon,ldtt,""
Irl Ihl n\IIMfOUI ....d IOmlllmlt function. publk worb of 5en"1 peK Ind
childhood friend M.tt dl $oII'Iro. lhe "dlrm .dc:I"u" Ir1 of 8.mlll Kruget, the
,lIe'lpedfk ",""n.tlorl. of Jon'lhln lorohir.y Ind Ihe prOlJllm, of CrlltlYt Tlmt,
wholf "mporll)' projem for "Art Oil Ihilluch" mlghl btll be though~ of IS the
Mlk Thllter of Kvlplurl.
In Ihe conl..t of Ihtle Ind olh'f Ulmplu. Weyttg"f', dlllrlb, .g.llIIt
"populllf'l" h moll I IfnICtlon of ldeologlc.l,b,olut" Ih,n I (on,ld,ullon 0'
the ponlblltltt riMet by Irtllt. wortIng In IIIlntl1l«"'" IfI.llon wlttl IIMIr 1UdIencI. .
10. H.nlet Stnle. '"The "Ight Stuff." A1tlMwl {Mardl 19841. pp. 52.nd 55; lind NchIrd •
S.n.lnre""fWf. p. 141.
1 t. ftkhlfd h". Inl'rvfIwf. p. 'l.
12. Much I, m.dlill Slftl (lltkltm of hi, worlrlng-cl.u orlglll' .nd hll Vlf of IndUllrttl ~
..... mltttl.11 .1Id proc:."tt, 'tld In Ihe hlltlllg5 AAnllt' Mkhelwn argu,d. "Wh.11 ,
with to polnl oul ... h.tM (onltme:tlon In Slrr. of I rill concern fOf lhe tKIUo11
of hh _lr. II "fltld 10 Ih.1 of worlr.llIg ,.,..n '" ttlh cour'ltry. II lmotlnt from It :
.....d hh concl", thll people _lr.tIIg IIId living In thlllcJht of Iheft _lr. be c_
fronted with an Itt which chll1engfl Ih.t•... Ih.1 the offici worker bt pl'fIII\Ild
with Ih.t ••",..kllld of eh.II,"~ Ih.t Ihe mlddl, din .lId Upplt e1ln.rt pltrOlll •
hlVl loulld 10 11I1.,,,tI1l9." Though ,om,wh.t p.tronlzlngly ,t.ted by Mkhlhon,

k 1\001 .Iw.
Ihlt It I nobl. Imbltlon. bUl onc, .g.ln lhe pfoblem I, th.1 • b.ld "Chl"'"9'''
enough. !'\peel.11)' when It h dur th.1 wh.tner motlYlt" s.t',,1n ,
hI, Irt h iaJlct 1'01 bp.g (ommunk.ted In WIYl thlt m.h lell'le to hh OItenslbtt
IVdlencl."lIThe bwdln of th.t mbundentlndlng Is 'fill 10 rlttl onty Oil the pubk,
then protlltltlom of 1OCi.1 tldk'lkm~on Sfrrl', bec:lrglound Irllvtt IIIIIIlI
for llldifferenci.
U. Sellie. "Thl "Ighl Stuff," p. 55.
1•. At fir Il Ihe prec:tk.1 (onllquerKtI of Ippllrlng to "bl.m, thll! vlUlm" " ' con·...
c"lIed. I would Idd ttllt I hi"" w.lted tin now 10 pvbllth thll plec, '0 fl 10 b•.
• ble to lndudt 1II1r·. d1cblon aM h. IImUk.tlom. I emphltk.Uy do not with to
'ff TlftH Arc rlfTlO'ftd. fleglldlllg Ihe h,ue of thl uqlln,u of thf, Fldlrll I'Ild'
,lIe 11"lf. ,h," h Ivery Indk.tlon 'rom the Ilttllmonr glv," th.1 Ilttl, or nolhlrlt.
WII doni bython til chlrg, oftht cOrtlpl.. to Impr~ thf,loc.llon by.dd1ng "lb•
• rr,"gl"g (01\(.111 IIoulld the I(ulpture, or rebulldlllg the fOUllt.ln wllh whkh"
1I.,ld 10 connlcl. Nor did '"yOll' pfoperl)' polke the IIfl10 Ih.t Tilled Aft woutd
nol bUGmI thl III~I of Ihl gllllill whIch '0 offended fedftll employeflltld
mull urt.lllly h ..... \/plel Sfnl hlm"lt. Nor """ anplgnUk.nl ,!fott m.de toof·
fer Utftlture or organlll 9rGUP" to vklt the _ t '0 th.t h m19hl bl!'t1,r be
uMentood. If Ih.1 flUure Willtl overtlght on the p.11 of the Arlin A"hll«I......
progr.m, It WOlIld lum thll )oc,l OlfJell" respondble for TIIrll!d Arc', upkeep trMI
theIr ,mployees' wen·belllg Wl!'r' more th.n h'ppr to cui the work 10011, permit..
Richard Serra's "Tilted Arc":
Art and Non-Art Issues

By HQrTirt $rll;r

Dtheurin!
by
the nigbt of March 16. 1989.
Tifud Arc (Fig. I) was dismantled
General Services Administration
(GSA) and stored in a warebouse in
_Brooklyn. This same fedenl govern-
mCnl agency in 1979,"u part or its
percent-for-art program. had commiJ.
sioncd Richard Serra to buikl • sculp-
lure (01" Federal PIau in lower Manhat-
tan. According to established agency
procedure. the commissioning process
began. with recommendations by the
building architect 10 include sculpture in
the plaza. Selection of tbe artist was
made by a three-member pand of an
prnfessioftals appointed by the National
Endowment of the Aru (NEAl.· During
the two-year evaluatiOll period that fol·
lowed. Serra addressed GSA amcerns
over placement. maintenance., lighting.
and so forth, unlit the sculpture was
aCt."Cptcd by "agency dffi<:c:s in bolh
Washington and New York. The salient
points here are J) that Serra followed nr. 1 Richard Serra, Tilrrd Arc, installed 1981. Cor-Ten steel. New York City,
established procedures and fulfilled all Federal Piau. Photographed February 1987.
GSA requirements. and 2) that the
GSA could not have been, in any way, work of art. His public argument con; specific allematift location would be an
surprised by Ihe appearance of Tillrd centraled on the alleged destructive appropriate site. On December IS,
Arc.! . effccu of the sculpture on the social 1987, in the pourina rain, Richard Serra
Aflet its installation in 1981 the GSA function of the plaza. Yet he ordered stood in front or TiJud Arc and
received a few complaints. This initial placed in the lobbies 0( the tWO federal explained its site specificity to tbis NEA
fturry, not unusual fOt any new piece. buildings that frame the s.ite petitions panel. which was chaired ~ tbe labor
soon died down. Critical receplion of the -For Rclocation,- assertin8 that the sig- mediator Theodore Kbecl.' They voted
piece was mixed.) By 1983 local natories -find no artistic merit in the unanimously that the sculpture could
employees interviewed aI the site Serra art.....ork:· not be moved without destroyina its
seemed largely puzzled or disturbed by In March 1985 Diamond beld a pu~ anistic integrity and intenL Kheel con·
the 5CUlpture.. Some referred to Tilttd lie hearing over which he presided. He eluded that any rurtbcr attempt to fiod
Arc as ""the wind breaker,- in apprecia. chose tbe fouNnember pand--t.'O of an. appropriate alternative site would be
tion 0( this decidedly non-art function! whom were empio)'ed by GSA-and -3t best academic and at wont an ncr·
In 198. William Diamond _u tben evalll:lted the results of three days cise in rutility."
appointed GSA Regional Administra- of testimony by 180 witnc:sses.'The pan- Throulhout. this period, Serra persis-
tor, and subsequently, largely as a result el's recommendation, hardly a surprise tently soulht legal remedies to protec:t
of Diamond's maneuvers. the public after Diamond's previous statements the sculpture.1 In September 1987 a
controversy began. Initially, Diamond and actions.. was Ibat the sculpture be federal judIe ruled against a claim
tried unsua:cssfully to haft the sculp- relocated. This left the Deat step to by tbe anist that his first-amendment
ture removed by soliciting potential Dwight Ink. then actin, administrator rigbts had been violated. In March 1989
alternative sites in and around New of tbe GSA in WashinctOft. who sug- a Iast~itch effort to save Tillrd Arc
York City.' Throughout. Diamond in- gested that a professional panel be under the Berne Conw:ntion for the p~
sisted that his judgment was not aC5- appointed b)' the National Endo....·ment tection of literary and Anistic Work$

,..
thelic and that he was not censoring a

AN Inurna/
for the Arts to determine whether a

197
(recently signed by the United States)

\ ~, \
was abandoned on advice of counsel, ferendy. Such information is. as a mat- st:lndin" I have been arguing for some
Although Serra could find no legal pro- ter of course, provided for a museum time for the inclusion .:If an art-edua_
tection, a high-ranking and politically audience. It is all the more neccsury It don componenl in the public-an pro- art, which was perceived as commercial
appointed official, William Diamond, a public site, cess, An education is at present such :I commodity. Theoretically. a work was
was able to act. without c:e:nsure, in an Without it. only a narrowly circum- peripheral plIrt of our public-cducation created for a specific site and thereb)"
area where no official policy existed, scribed way of seeing is possible, In life system thai most audiences come to beame a pan of it. This approach gov-
over an issue that was then the focus (although not in art) '...e are usually public art without any b3ckground in erned both the land art of Robert Smith-
of considerable public debate and restricted to a -looks like- or metaphori- the visual:lra wh:luocver. u An edUCl- son (and othen working in remote
controveny.' cal means of identification, The need to tion program would at least present the regions of this country? and an. increas-
How was this permitted to happen'! identify and undentand what we see is ,eneral public with the kind of informa- ing number of gallery InstallatiOns con·
What'were Diamond's motives'! It was basic; it is a nCCC$S&ry way of making lion that is. as a m:llter of course. avail_ cerned witb the creation of an interior
suggested by KVeral persons closely the unknown familiar. Simply put, if we :lble to a museum audience-tbe COD- environment rather than the display of
involved that tbe conservative Diamond can't identify a moving ar as such, we text and voc:tbular)' (visual and verbal) independent art objects.
had long-standing political ambitions in are physically at risk.. If we can't place a with which to undentand a work of an, An unresolved pmbIem of site speci-
New York City and was USittl this issue work of art in an undentandable con- thoul!:h not necessarily to lik.e it.. ficity in' a publi~ space is that .the site
as a vehicle fot pe;nonal publicity and texL we are emotionally and intellec- iuclf may undergo change. possibly fre·
tually threatened, Much ofthe pervasive ublic cxpecta.lions for a site usually ,
political leverage. It Regional adminis-
traton are political appointees and unease evoked by new works of art in the P begin wilh public amenities. Unfor·
•
quently. Sometimes, too. a sculpture will
work very well in a site other than the
report directly to the director of GSA in public domain can only be undentood in tunately. these were neither addressed
•i " , one for whicb it was originally desi!ned,
Washington. The more important the
region (and New York is clearly one of
that COntexL
Tilud Aft' was compared to the Ber-
by the GSA nor included as pan of
Scm's commission, Federal empioyees , '!
~ This appeared to be the case with Ser-
ra's Clortz.C1Q'a., which. although not
lhe most imporunt), the more poten-
tially powerful the regional administr:a-
lin WaiL To some. Serra's sculpture.
more than most, was perceived as
expressed the desite for trees.. benc:hes,
and more open space-all at a premium
I ., . . . specifically intended for the, Centre
Pompidou, was to have been Installed
ton. What made Diamond's position
even more powerful was that througbout
most of these proceedings there was caly
threatening, In a museum or gallery
setting this quality was praised as pow-
erful,u In a public spaoc it was inter-
in crowded lower Manhattan. "Public
sculpture in an urban site is not 'Jrban
renewal. although it is often expected to
function that way, An independent or
,~.
. .~
• .-
• ~
there as part of the Scm. exhibition.
Because of load-bearing problems. how·
ever, it W2S temporarily.resited in the
an acting director of GSA in Washina:- preted by many as hostile. Others appre- Tuileries. when: it met with great criti-
ton-Richard Austin, who had previ- ciated it as heroic., an expression of the site-specific sculpture will not ob¥iate cal acclaim." Upon its purchase by the
ously been the rqional administl"ltOt in potential of sculpture 10 function as a the need for landscaping or street fumi- City of Paris, it was relocated in the
ChicalO aDd was therefore sympathetic dramatic visual and perceptual dement ture. These c1eatly should be considered Square de Cboisy. At Federal Plaza it
to the issue of 10caI control.. in an urban context-.nd. therefore. in at the time of building as part of the site was Scm's intention to "I) structure
life, desi,n. To varyinl degrees. they ma)' the piau and create directions. accen-
nvariably, the public an system oper- In any event. the comments elicited fall under the aegis of the anist Of tuating existin! pedestrian patterns. 2)
Isubject
ates in a political arena and is thus
to a variety of non-art issuC$ that
by Tilr~d Arc went beyond any implicit
-hostile- content in the piece. The
afl:hitect or the landscape archilect.
What emerged at the hearings and in
link the twO sites of the federal enclave
in that the sculpture should act as a
must be taken into acc:ounL Personal sculpture wu seen as beinS downright Di:lmon<l"s subsequent statements was a bridge. connecting and visually gather-
ambition and local politics are always danga'OUS. A physical-security special- vision of Federal Plaza without the ing the different fedenl arcbitectures.
operative and germane. These are tied to ist for tbe Fcdentl Proceetion and Safety s.culplure as an idyllic haven of open ::and 3) create a sculptun.1 space within
public opinion, which can, of c:ounc.. be Division of the GSA went so far u to spac:e: (Fir. 1).·' In reality. the fountain. the plaza which could be eaperienced by
manipulated, With Tilttd Arc. public state that tbe piec:e: presented ". blast 'A'hich predated the Serra sculpture, per- those crossing the.plaza on their way
opinion apinst the sculpture mounted wall effect~mparable to daices sistently ftooded one part of die plaza or into and out oftbe buildinp...•
as the events were reported, or mine- which are used to vent explosive forc:e:s, the other. depending on the direction of
ported, in the press, The role of the This one could vent an explosion both the wind, It remains today mostly in- ndeed, TiJud. A'~ real~zcdSerra's
media in irresponsibly fanning the fim
of public-art controveny requires fur-
upward and on an angle toward both
buildings.... u Althoulh this testimony
operative, Of course. no sculpture can
make up for inhuman architecture or
Istantly
aims, It provided a vanety of con·
ch'lDging views that intera~ed
ther documentataon, Why is it, for represented an extreme position, it did inh'ospitable urban design. Neverthe- directly with the street and the archtt~c.
example, that altboulh 120 of the 180 underline a recumna theme of a per- less_ public sculpture is frequently com- ture, From an initial approach. walking
witnesses at the March 1985 hearing ceived threat of physical -violence ass0- missioned with just thai unstated and north along Centre Street. il bore an
were in favor of keepina TI/ud A,~ at ciated with the sculpture, probably unrealized expectation, . uncanny resemblance to I view of !-t
Federal Piau, the public perc:e:ption was Following a similar line of thinkina. Had Tilt~d A,t the benefit of a dif- Corbusiers chapel at Ronchamp (F'r,
that the majority of people testifying George Sugarman's GSA sculpture. ferent commissioning procedure with J)_ From above. as it was secn from a
wanted the sculpture to go? The corre- BQltimon F~d~'Ql. of 1978, was seen as community input and a thoughtful edu· number of surrounding buildings, Tilud
spondence received by the GSA threatening because rapists could and cation program. I careful considel"ltton AN' formed a graoc.fulline. a;lmost lyri-
throughout was approximately 85 per- therefore presumably would hide behind of public amenities at the site, and the it will make existing pl'Olrams more cal in its nature,
art process, It is a lamentabl~ example
cut in favor of keepina TUtu AI't'.11 it. l • Although these and comments like ultimate right of due process, the conservative and thus seriously comp~ Yet this was not the an experience of
Had the Serra "bearinS" been held as of yet another burC?uc,ra~lc syst~m many, Quile literallY, many individuals
them are initially amusina. they I'CYCI.I results. in all likelihood. woukl bave
manipul::ated b)' a hostile Insider to ar- mise them,11
an open discussion at the time of the that serious i$$Qcs are at stake for those been differenL In the wake of Oil· To,ether with these is.sues of ~blic couldn't see beyond the size (12 by 120")
cumvent the workin, checks and bal- and the material of the s.culpture, The
commission, things miaht have IOGC dif- who utter them. Feelinp of helpk::ss:Dess mond's action. policy and pnx::edunl :lnees. The rcsulu of the removal of policy. 3 closer" look at the a~ lSSUCS
ferentlv. Had the public., like Khee.I's frequently rcudt in ea~ ofba5til- issues remain to be addressed. or these. Tilttd A,C' will continue to be felt for involved in the TiIt~d A,C' case IS man- sculpture did not block actual paths tha: t
pand, initially had the benefit of Serra 's ity, Over and O'm' apin, we sec the perhaps the most important are: Sbouki dated, Art issues have to do primarily people used to cross tbespaC7' Rather,lt
words instead of Diamond's, they might public rendered hdpkss and bo5tik by a removal procedure be an official part quite some time, Michael Faubion. temporarily blocked their View of whal
assistant dire<:tor for the Visual Aru with style and 3nistic intent and t~ir
have: been better able to appreciate an they don't or can't understand. With orthe public-art process? Ifse. what are appropriaten~ to a site. The, most Sll- was on the: other side of the sculplur;e, '
Tiltu Aft' and to resist Diamond's or without the necusary tools or YOc:abu- the justifUble. grounds? Should there bt Pl'Olt:lm for the NEA (and. as such. th.e This was perceived as thrutenin&. while
liaison with the GSA). feared that It nificant art ISSue about Tllttd A,C'
manipulative tactics, Had there been, lary to do so. the 'enetal public will try anv time constuints'! Who should
mip.ht jeopardize the existence of local seemed to be its site specificity, (It was the NSted surfac:e: of the: Cor-Ten steel
. ~ an .Insu Ie"
say, a video procram in tbc building to interpret the objects th:u continue to decide and how'! Ihis argument that convinced the was frequently perc:av~as
lobby continually explainina tbc sculp- The pnxcduresattendin, the remO\-:J1 percent-for-an programs.. -The mes- Furthermore. its placement was seer.
be put in their spac:e:s.
Slle.- he said. -of THud A'~ is that :ldvisory panel that the 5CUlplu~ cou.ld
ture.. its changing audience might have S«ing may be believing. but \l.. ith "f THfrd ,-1,<" .....ere dearh' a subve~ not be moved without destroysnl IU as an obstacle to public use of tbe spaoc.
seen and experienced the sculpture dif- contemporary an it is r:trel)' under- "f the denllXr.l.li.:: ;,IS ""di 3$ the publi.: neither le,al procedures nor a~ a~isfs Tilud AN' doesn't actually inhibit con·
"'ishes make a difference. ThIS sl,nal essence.) In the 19701 the conc:e:pt Qf
certs and performanc:cs. as was fre-
from the federal ,overnment can have site.specific art became i.mponant. as
quenlly stated. The composen Philir
198 vet)' SCrloU$ ramifications:'" Certainly artists sou,ht an 31ternallve to objCCt

'00 An jOllrnQl
199 lll'?
 u • uli at IIIe CoUc:se "n Auoc:iat;oa unul
Glass and Alvin Lucier offered to ~­ sioned under tbe auspices of the govern- _Iill' in HOIUt.. in 19" :lIll1esruioa -UIlCU)"
form tbeir works in the plan. Luaer menL officially became the enemy of the
even OCK'Iducted a study of tbe effect O! peoot<"
.......- ~ T.... GSA pn.;.,ct rmn:r..c. in clla',e of Tit".
.~"'. Juli:t 8'-.... 'CI::I11cd al the ...,bscq... c:nl
9 Al the lilllC oItllis "";Iinl t....re was lIill 1IO
oI'IicAl policy for lile ~I 01. GSA _Ipo
ddellden.. :u Ooes 1M clu:l~ 111 find IKIt fIII.I)
lhe fCUOfti bon lbe lan,u,c 10 lila"Illan
the sculpture on sound and found. It
The mandate of GSA's percent-for- I UII(onuuldy. tbm ..as • tapw: 01 - . tm hca"II' lllal s..cm. addreucd all the GSA Cll;.-. I... re. T1Ir coonpla. factorS i.~ ia ckvrlop- illtdlilible 10 I!law: for .. hom ." ia .1 ben •
art legislation was to pla~ .an in con- "ran brl..·r= Ihr tilnr 0I1be: _plc:1dl 0I1hr ~-r'M and lhal il ""all .....drntood lUI be ..·as inl aucII a policy .nt dixusecl ill k«rq L drmnlliYC amenil)' lad 'I ~1 aft .... Illoritu_
quite favor.ab1e. The perfonna.ncc arust build;II, ."d Ibr Kkctiol> of 11M. $C1ilpc~nt. fll<llias a flCnnlollCnl piCC'C (or lhat Spice. T1M: CtlI;Uhank and Pam Koru. Goi., 1"IIblic: A ian impoaitiOll..-
Joan Jonas remarked that the s.cuIptlU"e junaion with federal buildings.. What
~,""bda5. Jc.pb CoiL OK 01 tbr proJrCt CiSA .... iddina ill commiuiollin. nlu. A", Fitl. C;";., to Dro"~J i. An ill /'JJJk
created a "natural amphitbc:ater" that an is there in Federal Plaza now'! Is aU 16 Al Iftc hariflP. Chief Judie Rio 01 !he U.s•
• rellltceu. _as po-. Me",brn 01 Uor "'Olins ..·cte tllGl.r rsublishrd ill 1971 "" CiSA oI'l1ciab 'lIJ(fJ. Amhast. MA. I9IL pp.12S-).4.
GSA~missioned public an now at Coun of lllicrutional Trade obJrnoed thaI
would be an ideal sellina for her wort. p'nd .-.= $UPRC DdrhalllY. lba> di~ of and Briall O·Dahcn)·. II>c:II dir«lOr 01 tbe
Ironically, the noise factor in the ftcip- the mercy of GSA's politically a~ 11M: NeubrflU Maeum. Purchase. NY; In Vis.ual Aru Protnm fot the NEA. This proc:r-
10 AlIIOll' lhose ..-lao uprClScd tllis opillioll ill before ni".
A'C". ~he piau Krwd as, pku..
borhood is such tbat witbout TUrd Art' pointed regional administratorS'! In tbe Licl\l It- DitcaOr 01 lbe: L.--= Mu.Il:\Itn.. COflYCl'Mtion ";Ih lile lIutbor ....,IIM: laIC Don- ,nl and h... mne open spaer fo, fedenl
dun is outlined in Donald 'Thalacker. Tit,
the piau will actuallY' be less suitable future will GSA commisston permanent Uni~IY of MiaJni:.nd Robrn J'jIlQl$-W;I' I'I,,~ tJlArt ill II" WrNt.ol A'C"IIi1«I,,". N...
.Iel "Thalackn. bead 01 lbe: CiSA'1 Art·in· emplo)'ft$. cidttns 01 N,.. York•• nd Yisilon
for performances and concerts. public art '! Who will cboose it and 1m • N,.. Yori-burd an ailic .nd an York. 19&0. p. ~m. "tlhe lime 0I1b1: commis-
"rcllitCCl... rr prtl,n",. Olhcn illlilled 011 10 Ihis ,.cal cil)'.- Diamond imiSled that he
What became clear in the Tilted Arc how'! hist~n. Thlli oar trIrmbr'r or 11M: sdc:d.ion ,ion 01 Til" • .hr. Ihese procedutcs -erc .l\OIIym'ly. pun...ed n:~1 of tile K'Utpcun: bro.... it
compromise:lthr 1flIC& (or ..Ilicll il ""U _
controveny was that different crit~ p'nd ...s frorll N_ York.. ....t lhe ,nill lirady IIftC1rr ~CW'. " l'C\'iIecI pr'OCCdufC, II for IlIia 1&U and otlter IUtiatia., sec; DOlI
miuionetl. Fill&ll)', be &lid lhat ile ""U - _
were applied to' museum and public N«n chosen lived c:loM 10 Ibr sileo The)'. too, were ckvrltJpcd la'ld)" b)' Richard AndfC'lOi., !ben Ha"lhorne. MDocs the hblic WlIlIl Public
.,a1i6ed Wt _ will be .bIe Ul ret.", 111 tile
art. D Serra was severely criticized for ibr Ofiainal YCDioD 01 lJIis arUde was pntsatlrd mnnlxn oIlllo: leal community. dircctOf 01 11M: Visul Aru Prosram 01 11M: SculplDft~ Art Ii_I (May 1"1). pp. .56-61.
p'" inUl drca. It These disc:repl __ ,nt abo docamraIed in public tile IUC 01 11M: pIa.z:a WI it bu boa
doinl in a public place wbat he had bc:c;n NEA. 'QlI 5UblrqllCIIUy
daIied """'1.- s.: 0."'" W. o.lI1Ip.-Artist
ailed for InOfC _illlP pet" project .nd 11M:
doing previously with s~t s.uccess I!,
various art spaces. What 1$ different ~ opporlunily for commnil)" palticiplltion
RichaJd Serra. -Tiltrd A'l' DCltroyed.~ Art ill
A.-rioI(M,)' I9I9)pp.J4-C1.M)'a.e:e-nt0i ".nGoM Fisht Ul ~r UpRIOlin, of Plu:I
tiu'oul_l. This pI'OCCK lias bra> nuwlII 011. tile facu .~ M1bu.ntiaUy ,,;tb. Sc:rno'I, Sc.lplllrc..- Ii"" YOr''' """'. Mudl16,19I9.
the physical CQQtext in which the work 1$
seen and the public's expectations.. The
trial buis fot_yan.. but.t 11M: timcoltbis
..null' 1IU,.et 10 be f_Qy.PPfO"'C'd b)'!be
,lIbou.1I Illy iala"flRUlioII 01 I1Io:m dill"as
_ _ hal. I ICC [)glllOlld"s acUo. lea as •
0·'
1'"T1lcK comtlOC1ItI "'Cl"II: IIU4c in ~_
formet is more complex and must be GSA. iUllC'1Da1I of RcpabGa. policy (ahboq1Ilbry willi 11M: ,ulbor .. April or. 1"9.
considered in all iu ramificatioDS; the
darly rdIaa. Uor C1Irrao1 ~1ioa'1
laner may be addressed !-hroug~ initial ) Pet", Sclljdc!.lkl-AniWc COftttol.- TM VII-
emphasis 011 propcny ql_) d iii U &fbi.
11 Srr= Midlad Bt"CtiOll, "Tbr Mcuy Sap 01
mcetinp and consultauens With ~e btf't V(lin. October" 1...... 20. I9Il. pp. 100-101.
Inr)' IIWIifeaatioll ol pn-.I bitioII IUd
mud.hr b Fat rrom
eMf,- T7w Ii_ Yor"
community and by permanent public- pucnlrd ..hat 'OI'U the Il1O'1 ncptm:",",",01 Ti_s. April 2, ttl,. pp. ))...).4. ConYcnltiolls
lbe pircc. II dicited • si:tablc COIT~ wlf.illicrat.
education programs. . ..itll K'I'CfIl.n adminisua-. and ,rtisQ; indi-
Must the most powerful an apen- ..lIiell "'&I C'f'CIlly dmcMd ill iu opinion.. l1Sara'1 rrtroIpCCtin III T1IIc M _ of Mod- calC lhat, _-.....Iiam hu.badylallO
ences still be reserved for museum .. Comrnrnu __ elicited -.- , period 01 lime en An. in 1916. oonllined ,lupCGr-Talare dismi$lll tJf K¥Ua1 pcntlin, _ m ~ _
spaces and therefore pri~rily e;lite .. lIile I "as doin, rcsa.~11 for 'n anick Oft lhal bisected ,n aldnt pllrry and wu oIlC1l pcrcci-:l as 100 risky.
COlnp'tcd Ul Titlrd.hr. W!lnaI aitial opi....
audiences'! tr TUud Arc was lmposslble Riehard Scm... hiell Ippratcd as-rbc Ri,bt
at Federal Plaza, are we to conclude " ,- SI ... lf.- Art Nrwl (Ma~h 1914). pp. S<l-$9. iOII on Sara I i . . importanl K'UlpIfIf is .1lnoII
19 for ,n uerllenl di$cu.$.sion oIlbil piecc....:
Y~·Alain Boil. "Tbr Ma- in tJM: Ga.... ~
that there is no room for a pure an
upcrience in the public spaces of what
'-- '" $TlM:K illCludcd W...e Hill 1M CtJOPel'·He-itl
M-..o..nd sil.,. .dmiaislrn:d b)' Ibc cily',
IIl1l.f1i~y f.'#Ofabk,
A't" remain 1IIi.tcd.
iud'fnrllt. on Tit".
An til AltWricor (Sommer 1914), pp. 101-1).
20 Sern made tbis IUlCmalt lit Uor GSA
is still considered one of tbe maJOf an '- Paru.nd R~liofI Oqarunrnt. Il AtI,-,1l adllliui... WI aD litis _W lib
bomt. 01 _ _ ca,.aly. V"di O"tlooJP- adrisory pllldon o..:-brr U. Iftl,wbacil
centcn of the Western 1il'Of1d'! This wu abo .nibble ;. writ_ fonL
raises issues or urban plannias and 6 1lw: pud mcmbcts were Gu10Jd T IImsq RI1y,. p/Io)"siakcnrity qrccialitt. Cot tIlr Fed-
taC'lill' deporty rqioul admitlistnlOl') ud rnI ~ ,lid Saldy 0;... . ol GSA.. 21 Allbe Mudl191S~CtJIoIodGrilrIIIfIl
design. aad indeed many artists today
are addressin& tha5c coucems.. _:1 F" Palll Gin.liai I.elill' &llisUltt rqiorIal CIOtId..scd Ilcr ~y'l tile Ilea"",
'IritIl Uor lhe N... VOtk DiIuics Covt 01 EnP-s
Good art aDd cood public an are not
necessarily synonymous.D but the .same
£- admiaiwilClf fOf CiSA'1 hblie ....ildillp.nd
Ral P'ropcn).). btKll or ..born -.ted for [)g.
otIaocrnliofl t.ltal.t ""1atd} _ ,nt apeailll the
~ in thr fcdrnllClCSOl.-
fOIOad 1a._lpc.ntIO_-~ ~!Ilu,
rull' ....11 01 sbecl..lBCU.l- Ha-brrt St..,.
mord. lad Mielw:l Findlay (riat.pn::Utlrn1 01
stringent criteria need to be apphed to Fir, 4 Federal Plaza. New York City. GSA benches_ ClIIristir·s) aDd Thomas Uwi. (I IICntor put. I" $q.annan·s lpI'I_lin, and coIorflll ialtpt,rc..
rqiofIal diftel« oI'AcIioll. ",Jrrnd to it u
both. Any time art· con~ are I~ ,II_,II m1ically dilfarnt in i1yk frml tbe:
,his terrible I'lIIted stnICIvc..- Jud,e 8mwd
fIa" It 1M Ia.. finn Simpson. Tluilcha. Ban.
NC'l'fmlll fllWlCl it diftiC1lll lo mc:ntJo. or
than primary, we end up with somethlllS lal). For. IUmmar)' .ntl.IIII)'lis of 1M lCiti- Serra. dicited limila. raponsa lu:riq 111 do
dClr:ribr Ihia tlIftiq bllii ill d,'lIi6ed II.
that is not primarily art and then we rnony. 5CC the S... mmcT 1915 islueollbr !'ublit ..-itll '" implied IJI""'I 01 pbysial 'riok~ for
11IIac. Perha"" _ I Ull'ClllC .. u Jud"
shall all-the art, the public. and his~
M

Art FUM Nrwtlm" b)' lIoc author. II ..ell as r"'rlllrr disaassion 011 the S......nnall pica:. soc:
DiCllrlo·s ...,ppoIitiOll Mihal tltil tuSI.Cd iror.
ry-bc the poorer for it. COftICmpon" iu... cs of narl)' III the Irt· Thalacker (cited II. 2). pp.1-1). •
objCCl"'" U aflli'lrrTOI' bIIrric:adr. plnol OIU
prrit'lliab. 1$ "II ucdlelll illldyolthe pltcc.oI.n edUClltiofl cruh pI'OJralll 10 pNlCCl JO"'CnImentai bIIiId·
Epitaph: During the summer of 1989, 1 This poonel was appoillied bylhe NEA III &lli:Jt ill d'lr publie schools is .~i1a1llk ill &7OfIi/ inll apiMI lenvrDt acti'rilics..- In liPt·oI
after the destruction of Tiltrd Art'. tbe theCiS.\ in Iklennininllhe .pptOpriaWICII 01 Cnorli,.,: 1M !'Iorn lOt Art l,. A-nu'1 coonmellu liie tbil.. Sma'I 1I1Ol'111C)', Gcnk:
fountain was reactivated bricfty and alle",:I1;"" lila for IJIr 5CIIlplllnt. P.nel _ S,1IotJJJ. Mali'" 1"$. hldllded;' Elliot w. R_.... ~ wryI)'. -Nt!"" the .. 1lok tIliIIli
Federal Plua was furnished with a few brn _ tile .rtisl Robrn Rymafl, tile .rclli- Eiuln's compcUi.. CIoIIy-WlIIy An ia Ed_· lbollt nmlbowl, kiadol ptCjIIdicl<apiMt. tlrI
benches and planten ordered from a lCCU James 111(0 flftd ,toll JacquliJlr R~ lion and Wby An EdaatioL- PI'-......,. ant OIidalioa 0I11lCd.. ~ An>Mu Da.1A, ill-ltidIaK
staoc1ud federal purchasiftJ catalozue en-. I..... n blOl'i.. Suo HOIla-. Brc:ncla lile foilo-illJ abl"lllilll IUtiItia:;-"t
_allIY IdKloIlr'I'd t1Iq (iM: .ra)-...ad
tM- dr· Serra.. TU S,orU IIfr'w Art. NC'O' York. 1911.
M

p. 171. disawa tM- .... y ;. _1Iicll , . i>

(Tip. 4.u 5).lfladditi04. tocdcbrate Richanbool (depuly dirraor 01 tile Baltimon:
GSA's fortieth annivcnary. a summer Mlllftmol Art)••1Id Joel Wadis lLoI AItIdeJ alb.. 11lta: paalIt oltlle ~ I u- ~ as bc..Iil,1 ill, _ _ IUd oa'J it
c:ona:rt series was intrOduced.. AD these cily COII.IICiImaIlI. pet" wed. Al Ibr --.b" 1c'ICI.".....
i .....dy lhe out.. CIt'rit'onmnl.
additions.-ould have becfl pOlSibk with a,hly pualU oI,II.,h IdKloI alldnu cooro/t
2J s«; C,m. TomullL, "'Tlrlo: An Word; Till"
Tilud An- in place..
On July 6, 1989, there was a "special
- - '- I FOt • discuAoA oIliIe Icpl nmiliatioas ol
the csc.. KC Ba,ba... Hol'I"mall. 1ill.cd A~OII
ill no finc aru 00.","," dIIriq tile ro., ran
lhey In: i,. .1Icn4.1lC'c. Laa Ill.. Ibm: pa"CIalt
A",. - Tlot lirw y.ur IM,y 20. "IS). P
lrial.~ ""hilt- An_""htit C_1'O'I1rr7y. N... or aU",1looI diwicu rcq.int Mlldy i. _oIlhe '<Xl"
rededication of Federal Plaza." William VOI'k. 1911. FOI' a more lenenl discvuioll or fine ara as a COIldiliooi (or Indulion. l\r 21 DanlO(cila;la. 21). p. 90, obscfYCd IbatScrn'
Diamond. Regtonal Administrator, who the "'11 iuues. sec; Johll Hen,y Merrymall resull 01 att'I::U dcnird is a """111 01 edua· K'Ulpc"", -made ,,"id the INlh tllallOl'llC\l:lillj
was the host of the event, announced: .. 1t .nd Alben E. Elsen. lJIw. E/1IIrJ. tJNI 111,
~ m&ylllccced as a wori ol'rt but fail I f 1_1
lioIIl!latlru.,. mosl S1udrnu ...1OI111k to pa.nici-
will be a real pleasure to celebrate this Yil~." Am. Philadrlpllia. 1911. Mcrryma.1I p;l1C in the 'ru.... "nislie litrncy is a ra~ ol public an. ~
anniversary witb the opening of this .'.~ 1111«1 els.rwhe'c h.s Y;e'" Ihal the c:ase """r educalional commodily.- IU Robert SIOl'T con-
'concen series and the return of Federal Til,,. A", "'U I ~nt·amcndmcnl ;s...,c we: cludrl ill ~Ti"nI Arr:- Enemy oIli1e Peapk.-
Plaza to the local workers and people of Fig.5 Federal Plaza. Ne'<lI York City, GSA planter. M~'11rrl MOllrmall. -Are Encmies.~ An Art ill A"""';,. (Srpl:rmbcr 1915). Po t6.-!he Horrrirr Sr"ir;s C~uut £dito, of
this community." Thus an. commis- ,...,..., IMay IU5l. p. 1l bunkn 01 proof" .. ill ,1..a)'5 (,.II .poI .n·s this issur of Art Journal.
W;nlu/989
200 3D2 Art lottnrfll 201
IS5
 Conserving Siqueiros' Neglected Masterpiece

America Tropical
rtprinra/frtJm CONHRVATIPN. THE Gel NEWSLETTER

Volume: IX Number II Wrinm by J4frg Lnnn

At about an hour pa~1 miJni~ht ('rI an Ono!xr nij;h! in 19P. rounded hy 1':lln1$ ;md p:HrOr$. \\'ho:r~' rho: fruit \'oluotJlilr
Arthur Millier, art critic fm tilt: 1./11 AI/ttlt1 1illln. wanJ<'n;"l1 (lcI:lcl1('(1 if,,,df m r.,ll inu' tr.c n"'lllhs ,.f {I,,' h~rpr 1l11>rf:lr,,"
through Ol~'cu SHeeT in unwnlOwn I.cl~ Angclcs. The-re hl' 1-I(I\\'e,·('r. for mmr of du' \\'cd;s rh:u :->i(ll1eil(>$ :lnJ his r\,,:\nI
('IUl'ld Muil'an artist OJ"id AI(aro SiClltciros. sinin!;: nn :I .~caf­ of ;ts~i."t;tnfS bl>oreJ \'" ill\' I1Hlr:l!. til\' \\"tlrk'~ \·tmral im:l~c

fold. ·sweating in an undmhin ;nd Mpainting fo! J~r li~.M

w
remaineJ Unp;t;nted and the :lffiot'.' uhinl:llC il\lenr unc!ur.
Siquciros was sttu~ling 10 finish his largcH worlc ,tince: he Then. a.o Millicr rcroffS, rhe \lar Nolnrc rill;' $CllcJulcJ \1O\'o:il-
had uri"ed in Iht city arliC'r in rht ynr. It Wal :l 14,-h~'·S.48. in~. Si1lutiros senr e"errone I,onle and worked through rhe

meter (So.br-18-food mural. .liw:lrro on the ni{l.hr ro complele rill;' mUr3rS main ligme.
ouuidc: s«ond.nol')' walt of Okcr:I 5trttt's
...... ...... " ...... Set in fronl rtf:l l\b~":\,like pyr:lnlid. he
ltili..." Hall. \\";lJ an Inui:lo cnu:ilieJ on a double croo~

The mural had been commiuionc:d br wirh :In Amerian C:lgle :lNwe him. In Iht
pller}' owntl' F. K. F«ena of the: Pbu An uprc:r ligJu.hand cornel of [he nlUf:11. I\\"O
Center, who innructcd Ih:1t ilS theme: be f("\"Olurioll:lr~' solJiC'ls were Jepicled. onc
·lropial Amcrica,w Siqucilos _ a partici. poinring his rille.11 thc C'a!!k
pant in the Maion RC'\"OllHion and a so- The work "':1.' lln,'Cilcd Oclober 9. 19.1:·
soncd Comnmoul r.1rl~· o'1!~nizer who had \'(111:n rhe <offi,l,lin!! canle down, onlook·
8

juu spent a yeal in r..kxioo pri.<,on for his en psrcJ." lerouc:J I\lilliel in the ·Tim...'.
acti"idcs _ had no intention. he bref said. -No one hm thC' amllllr had I:>ccn :lhle III
of painling ~a (ontinent of h~pp~' men. sur. ,·isuali7.C rhc cl(>~c·knir powerful design ~(>
 you'Y(' got 10 do something 10 save it. ,,. jnining forcec with mh·
Th e ICC I ' en already working for Ih~ mural's preservation. sh~ sou~hl
InltlUC$ and lIIatl·rial., l·rtIl'lurnl in the neatiull of
:chnical assist3nce: :and resOutC~ to 5.lve wh~1 rcmained. Bm Th~ first pha~c of the: nllual'5 cnn$cn'alinn heg.an in 1990.
Amlr;c17
fi ~ver,'
Tmp;c171 Siqlleiro$ fir$1 Iried 0111 . • w-'-- I" "
HItJI ear ler In
despite a growing illt~r~1 in Ihe mural by [he city's Mellie:,"- Mexican cnn$ClI':\tnT:f; Agu$rin :lnd C l1:ili'l E<pino!t:l J,C:lded Ihe
a TescO cl:t:u ',e rallght :I.t Chouinard Art School. Ol'er a'tll'fl.
American communiI)'. linancial support for iu COllscn·.ltion ail.! nnL't(t\,:\riUII 1....~I1\. ;I<:<i~ll"" h.,' IWu ~Hltklll$ frum li't· "~lll p"illf.
we:ek perind, he and his $Uulerou r:linted ur(ln one of Ih
not materialiu-. 8eouse o( the lack of funds, no preserv;1tion inp conscn'atinn Ir;tinin~ pr''Fl'3m (If the ('.oun~uld Institute
school's walls an oOldoor munJ called StrUt }.fut;/Il. {Tni:
mca.surt'll were !:Iken Other dun cte'Cting rrotC'CtWe plywood of Alt in l.flndnn. (h'ct Ihe C",UI"$C (If Je\'Cr:l1 monlhs. th~ tnnl
mur;tl • too . ~ an 0 b'1«1 0 f contr(\'l:e~' :md ulrim;uel~' e(\'l'C!l'd :l

shed around th~ munl. rem('l\n!the rem:aining white (':lim f",nl ,he mural. c1C':1ned and
over.} In prep.aration for th~ mur.rl. a pneum.atie drill "":l$ ustd
In 1987 Ms. Poole met with Ihen-GellY Con~crvation coruoJid:lll:d tM p~intinE: I~yt'r. :md rC:llmhtd looscntd cemem
tnI'mughen the 11':111 $urf.1ce and ,il'e "crealer .~dh-',-"
,~ ..
1
I(lilt
Insr1tutt Director Luis Monre:al and Sf>C'Ci.l1 Proje:eu Dircctor plasler 10 thc brick wall. Trace$ of a.<rhalr running :along Ihe
\\' lite ce~e:nt on which the nlural W:l~ p:linred. Becauu the
_ now Institute DitcCtor - Miguel Angel Cono, to disc,w base of Ille painrin~ wetc: 31.'0 eliminalro.
cement dried rnridly. Siqlleiros ustd :In :rirbrush elH~n$i\'C"· In
AmfrUn Tropi(ll/. MT. Cono• .a natiy~ of Moico Cil)' who gmv In t.,·lay 1991 the: Institul~ in.nalled an e:n\'itonm~nlal moni-
long ~cd and concc:akd by thmc K'3ffiNds. - :rrplrin~ painr. •
I(lrint:- M;ttion x1ix'cnt m the 111111:11. rur t,\','r :I ~'t':1r ;ltItl a half.
A simil.lt :rppro:lch "':1$ utiliud in th~ nl:lkin" of ~ .. up seeing the murals of 5ique:iros. Rivera. ~nd Orozco. had
. For.2 number of Ihe city's ,mistS. induJin(: those who Iud Ti . ~ :- ,,111(7'C<1
"iewed Amm~. TlT)p;~a/for the first time: jUSt.a few mondu cu- the station mc:uurtd such f:K1olS a.' wind spttd .lnd direction.
a5StSr~ Stquciros with the mura,1 I hC WOn."" w:u trt'm(ndoll.~h' . f'tt/,u17l r:rom here: Siqueims l:lIC'r $;lid (If h,", "',-•..nlenl;t.
_....; ninfall, IC1TI!'Cr:lfl1re. humidin·. ;rnd Ihe ml'W('mtrll of .sunJichr
.
exciting. "It had gulS in il,- r~lkd ClnC over 40 }~~ bu:r. air 1T0n on the mural, ~alJ m~' methods chan~ed on the road 10 .a Iier. -I w::n tc:Illy app:llled Ihat nothin~ had hem d"ne Tn C(ln·
Kross th~ mur.lI·s surfacc_
"
'1l1C Jal~ foll«lal provided \':Jluabl~
made everything dsc 31 the rime look like a",'y uox
c orr moc.lern lechnoIO{:~· fflr wei:ll O1O<,I,.,n :III. ~ sem: it.~ he reaIJed. MThere $CCmed to be no KJUC' of respect
. I ll.~n·~.
infornl~tinn al>t'llll Cl1virOlltllenml cI,"llilil,n$ ~, tht nmral '0
for the wotk of art, which wa.. vcry 5:lddening.· Iket\l~ of the
lions. Many of the :Hlim ,~aid • 'My
•
Cond'
'.
Th,",• I.", won d cr r\I 1 ThC' ardn no doubt hopc:d thalth~ e~perimental melhodolo-
mural'S aesthetic a'nd symbolic l':alue, h~ felt snongl,. Ihat rhe win in the designill~ of:t ptotccti\'C sheh~r br AltOOn /!( Porrer.
vocabubf)" 'M ~. wlluld r""'~' II 111'3 hi·L I II d'-'
l'n•. ,lIll' ~·"""'IIlI'''r.'It~· l'C\'iC1\' (If
lnstinHe should get involved. a le:adin(!. Lns An~e1cs ~rcllitcctt1r;t1 Jiml wirh e~I'I("riel\c-e \\"OrkinE:
Such cnth:siU~ was ~Ol unil-erul. 'While acknowltdlting th~
•
mur.d
•
concluded Ih:rl ~r;tins will n--·, h" "
... ' " \':15 It on. nor sua
Lattr Ihat )·eu. David Scon and Michael Schilling of the on historic Structures.
~hc: mural u an Inlcremnlt uperimc:nt.- nne ~vit'U· uktd .1,m Its: dC'l:lils. for it i. eement!~
Institute's Scientific Program ruuk p:;Iint samples fmm the sile In the JPring. or 1994. the I,L"iltlle took ,m(lther RC'J' in iu
Why get hysu:rial about Mexican Ut~.... Why ",m", Dec "II an d Tim~ did nOI eonfirm Ihis apPr:lis:alln IhC' deodes thaI foI--
compreh~nsi\'e assessment of tht mural's condition. U.sin~ an
1OW«! 11$
" " .and prep:ared .lin .lnalrsis of Ihe p:rinl pigm~nu used in rh~
..dopt it in our own counlf)'. wh<>$e tl'ildiriolU <lire entireh- alien cratlon .and cOl'ering O\'"(t. the: mur.t1 disr'.al·ed the
HIrai. SubsequC'nt analysis of a sampl~ rcmo\'Cd from th~ sile in on·site di(!.il;ll imag.ing: syucm dNip:ne-d hy Etie Lange, a Fellow
10 il all?- The revi~r r1adcd In "keep rhC' Mellie:," m'tltif in dTeets of sun, rain,sm~. and (';1nhquakrs. The paind~g lal'n at the Innirutc, del3iletl. hip:h.r~.soIUlitln im;rges of tht emire
1971 indic.ated Ihat the p:aint'$ bindet ....·as plobabl~' cellulosc
thc: Mexia" quancr.- ~ne::llh the white painr began to detC'riorate :as the white p.l~nt mu.ral w~rC' e:tpturcd and $tortd on compule:r. LoII'Cr-resolution
niu.ale. The e:ltposure to direct sunlight and pollution of a
The negative rc:aclio n d'd nOI en dwith
" crmcl~m of the lIsdf slowl~' .e:roded. In rl:tces the mural fadC'd and pcel«l.
I
binder consisting of ce:J1ulos~ nitrate. ov~r a period of many ve:rsions of Ihese I~O indi"idua! ima~" were th~n ~moS.llice:d~
........ u . IU por'
mural's aesthetic ,u r-· J
ItlCa coruen[ prompll:d nUfr.agc Ponions of the pl:lSlct ST.alled delachin8 from the "':Ill. Due 10
)'C':IlS. 'vould significantly contribut~ to Ih~ d~tc:rioration of the logcth~r to prO>·jtle a sin!lc im.age: of th~ complele mU1ll1 in irs
from some of the city's civic; I~Jel"J. indudin~ tho.q- who had the high le\·d of rullution in the are:r. the: mural's surface
moral's painting I.lr~l. current Sl2te.
csu:blishtd Olver;t St rttt aJ ;1 IV
., olcan
" m.lrkelpl.lce two nars MC'am~ CD;lted in dirt.
In 1988 the Institute offici.ally joined with EI Po~blo Park From the bC'g:inning: of Ihe: rrntrvation prog:ram. public
urlier. Not lon.g .l(ler the mur.ll's compll':tion, Fl':Iena' was In Ihe orl)' 19iOJ.. art hinori3n Dr. Shifra Goldnun .lnd Los
and the Friends of Ihe Arts of MCllico Foundation to undenakc ;rCCC:SS 10 the mllr:ll has bC'c-n a rrim3ry ohjecti\·e. An estinmed
(orCl':d to COVl':r over thl': mon visible Ihird with white paint. Angelcs filmmaker jNUs 5.:r.h':\dot Tm'ilio spt;1rhc:rded rht fim
the mural's rescue:. Afl~r consuhuion with conscrvators and l.S million people come 1(1 Oh'eT:l Snecl :tnnll;rlly. ~1any would
Some )'l':2lS laler, the enlire mU1'.l1 was p.linl«l over. all~mpls to pres~tl'e rht mural. Srinlllbttd bv their ~rrorrs.
engin~rs, a comprehensive progr:lm for S2vingAmlri(17 Tropiml undoubledly Ol.ake th~ mural pUt of their "isit if access Wl':re
The COntroversy did liltle (or Siqueiros' political st;tndin~ in 5iqueiros himself mad~ pbns 10 paint a rtpli~ of the c~nlral
was developed. - provided. AI Iht same: time. b~nose ofiu artistic and historic
the United States. A renewal of his six-monlh "isa w~ rehL~, portion of the mural on.a se:ria of w-_.J,"
• "CQU p:;Ine:1s. wnlC
'" h lilt'
c_

and he was fom:d 10 10."C tht count!')·. But Iht epi~t bv no Intended to prescnt to Iht cir\'
_
of los An-t-.
f>''''~'
U ,- d _c_
nronun:tt )'. <no:
means brought a h.llr to 5iqueiroi arttr. His n:uure as an ~rrin uc;rore Ihe r:rnC'1s 1I'C'f( compkud.
artist died in j:lnll;\n'. '.-,4· u_
continutd 10 grflw, and toda)' he is known ::u one of Ihe tri- In 1977 )can BnlCe Pool~ jointd rhe: .mfT of EI Pucblo Park. I
umvirate of Mc:o:ian mur.rJisu. aJon~ wilh Diego Ri\'er:l and rhe city agencr that lodar :ldnlinisrers the: historic illock of
building~ on Oh'e1'3 5t ree:1. ru
"- t he p3r k"s $enlor
" cur:lIor. 1I.'is.
I!
jose Clemtntt Orolco, who Teawakentd the world to Ihe
dyn.lmic possibilities of mur.rl an. ,POOlc was $urpriJ.cd to learn of tht mural's ~:ltisttnce. ~I said, ,~
Look. ~"Ou\·t gOt a m~<reTpiece: hC're. Irs .In absolure out~
As fOl Amir;c" Tmp;cttl_ :lS Ihe nlUDI is now known _ it
"';IS fOrgonen for dee:tdes. Ie:ft ro bnguish in the nmn, So h
,,<
r_I'C_ UI CTn
,,-,"In;lmi:asun
. . Inlh e (':Ir1.} 19,05.
- Ih ' dfolu 10 pracrve Ihe:
e rrlSl
,i
now-fadIng ....D',n. b"
m.1.'le'Pi«e I.-- III II ~'n "I umil Ihe lale: 19805
.
Ihal, with the: .l$.~inance of rhe: Geuy Constr\'ation InnilUre,
'" ..... ... ,.. \ ......
:
""', .': "', :~ ..
.:., ',"',-
~I· , ':" .
Jubsranli.ll Stern wne raken to sa\'C tht only survi\'ing puhlic -"""~"".

mural by Si'lueir..~ in rhe Uni,~-d 5rnrCll.

I..~--:'" /,'.,••., •• ' " ... .,; . ....... " ... !. '. '." '" ''' ......: '"'' ,,;,"f ~,,:·:·i·
.....;..• "i '/.
 '._- J au:-=: "'1, 1 '1'7JL

ll"..d I'llhlic ">lIr:lI~. Ir.( 1,):;Jl.:~· ill pill-Ii,' ;Irl. ,k'l'il" il.' 11<';\1·
impornncc _ .lind it~ signifiancl.: Il'l Ihe ciry's brse Me,iC:In'
Amerion popubrion _ Aminr" T",pi(lfl h:L~ Ihe potend~1 to mc:nt. i~ c"n~iller2ble.
'11", l:".. n~·n.";Iti.." .. f Ilk" nllff.ll :lml ill 1'\'111," I.. pu"Iil:" \ i,...,·,
I~w new "WtO!ll ofiuown.
Mr. (;:11"',' 1>,·lil""'ll, '";In !I<"I' 11<~11.li.·i,i ..,,( wilhin ,hI' ""llOI'''1
Scveral major 'IC:P! Tc:main J,ef.. rt· puhlic :lCl.:C'S-~ C:ln he
achic:ved. The first is rhe seismic st2biliulion of Ihe Italian H.lIII nit)'. -'Il,e I'tlliri'':ll :1Il11 Slll.'i:l1 i~'\Il'll Ill<" 1Ill1rJI w Jr:lll1:lli"ally Siqueiros and Three Early Murals
Jepicts c-ng:age all of us,~ he mlSCr,·a. ~The prOt:cs~ of cume-f\'_
and 2djacc:nt buildings. This work is scheduled 10 51:1" in
In addition, plans arc being developed for a permanent
I'}9S·
in!!: Am&im TTtJpifill ~ive-, rhnse- in our community rh.ll r:lre in Los Angeles
mu~1 sheher, a public \'iewing pbtfonn. anti a hisloric:al infor- "pporlunity 1(1 f:.et 1(1 krKn\' .tIl,' an"ll,<,r h.·llCr.-
This, :IS much :L~ an~'thing. rt)rn'~ the ba~i~ for the <';CH~' •
madon area thar can providc: visitors wirh a eonlCJ(( for viewing SHIFAA M. GOLDMAN
ConSCrv:lrinn InsritUle's in\"Oh~ll1em in Ihe rroiC'C"I, A. H;lt('l1J
the mural:The Institute, togethC:f wilh orher organiurions. will
\'('iJ!iams, Precidem ('If rhe Gc-ny TnlSl. h:zs ,lccl:lrcd, rhc Tf\ln',
tach out to the public and pri~Ie sectors to undel'Wfite the
long-Ierm goal~ in its honle community include ~Cfc:arin(:. an
cost of constructing the mural sheln:l and the public Un!· A vi~un of urin Amcric.J 01) ~ trepic:ll pJ.T;ldise- wh,"e hiIPPY s.lIIct:. ImpurlJn[ innov:ltiuns of this period included the-
Once :I shellef is in$lallcd. lhe mural's final daning. nabiliu- mQrtals Ii.: benl:J.lh palm to.'CS wh~' fruih drop of their own dcyclopment of J rJynamic pictoriJI surfJCe for the mOYing
JC(utd into w..iling mouths mJy hilvr: enc;hJ.lllcd Amcric.lns 00 spcct:Hor, <lnd c.~pcrimcn(atiun with Ceml.·rH and the ..irbrush
tion. and eonsoliduion can proceed. the northern side of the Rio GrJnde. but it was no part of the for fresco i1pplication~,innOY..tions that resulted (rom tht:
This lasr effnn will nol. unfortunately. return Am/rit'., "i~on of Mexican mur.t1ist O.. vid Alf..ro Siqueiros when he desire to create c.xterior murals "beneath the sun. beneath the
TrtJpi(,,! 10 its original glo~" The pfOblematie narun: of Ihe umc 10 Los Anltlcs u OJ political rcfu~ in May 1932.' rolin, facinl the slrcct" and the p:tssing multitudes-and wete
Ou1ing that "isit he painled three mur.lls in diff~nt locJtiom tremendously conscquenti:1I for his mature work. "
maf(:rial~ used in iu crcatiun. curnhinc:d with yc:afll IIf tlc:rl"f:lhlc
,f the city. of which only one exislS intact today. The l'*'lest As the third major McxiC<ln muralist to come to the Uniled
ci"ie n~lcct, h.llve left the Siqueiros maJlerpicce a sh:ldow of its ,f lhe thra:, Tropko! Aml!fit"u, painted on the second,story Statcs, Siquciros h.K1 been preccded by lose Clemente Orol:Co.
original incarnalion. Much of in CIllur is 8"ne. ;MJhide wall uf a building in Ol~r.1 Str,'Ct (uriBin.l! ~le uf Ihc who had polintecJ his nlunumenlJI fresco Pronlt'lhtuS ill
:.ity) h..s ~lmO\t CUfnpletdy rJiQppc.t".'d bcne;,rth the CO;tlS of Pomon.. Collell:, Clarcmunl. in 1930, h"d completed ;t series
Nevnthelcu. the anistic pow~r of the work remains. "You'vc
MhitCW".bh appli,'d in 1932 ~nd 1934, ilnd thc exposure "nd of murods in the New School for Sod:d R~rdl in New York,
onl~' got to look at that mural 10 $I:'( Ihe st!tnglh in the ~inring.~ lCJ!cet of OYer 40 )"CoIrs. Dcspile lhe thOU501ndS of louriSlJ who and had just been commissinncd to do the Ireat mural cycle 3t
sa)'! Jean Bruce Poole, "Even Dded. it is Slill immensely snong. ~ ~sit hisluric Olvcr;, Street :rnnuJlIy. the very knowledse of the D.lrtmouth Cn/lege, N,'W Hampshire, during the time SiqueirO$
nurJl'~ <,:\,i\I~'l'~\' h,ld .d:nlt'ol v,lI1r.h,'lI utllil neW inte"..,.t w.... W,l~ ill ln~ AIlJ.;c1I.'S. Dil,."gu Rivera h;ld p;linled nlufills at the
Ms. Poole, now direcror of EI Pueblo's HiSlorie Museum. ~ner.,JI,'d hy pl.m\ I" h,IV,' 111\· lIIur.11 ""llN,-rJ \.l.·~1.11 Yl·.,Jr\ ~u Fr,l.ncil<l.::1I Slud: Exch.I1lI."C. thc C"lifurnw Setw..1 uf Fine
bcIi(VC! that even in irs present condilion. the mural is "telling a su.' Arb,' .lIld a private horne:, ;1m! had b''"'1 cUlllnJiuiuncd to du
story. ~ one of political conrro\'CrJY and arristK expression, ~The Inteml ill p..... ~ibh: "'!ohK"dliun wor.. nolliunwitle but nt1WhCfe Thl! PorlfIJil of Dclroil by the: Detroil Inslitule of Finr ArlS..
o stroo~ ,1\ in thc lolr~ Mexic,rn·Af\I,.,ican community ur lU'l The fiUTlous "b.ltIle of Rockefeller Ccnler"'which termin:alcd
mural is rremendously importanr bcall\( il's pan of the city's \ngcl,'S, particulolrly sim.::c lhc~ are the unly murAls Siqucirus in the destructiun of River.. 's mur<ll was nut 10 occur unW the
histo~·. ~ she c:xplailU' -E,'Cn Ihe fact that ils oon so badl}' tmt· vcr painted in the United S\.ott('). What were the circumstances following yur; however, it. a.lonB with the almost simulliltte-
urban endronnltnl in which di.. tr~ilr i~ :l ~lIrct nf ~"cn~lh urrounding the creation of the- outdoor muralsStreel Meeling ous desllUction of Siqueiros' muntJs, seemed to rener:t a shift
cd is pall of rhe hiJtory.~
rarher than of connicl. nd Tropicul America? Of the existing pri'lOltC"fy owned muntl loward the ristlt in the political CUf1"Cnts of the day,
Luis Garn. the InSlilute's eonsulr.llnl coordinator fOl rhe W

'oflmlr of M~x!co Today? Why were the former two ConUOYCTsy ha.d surrounded, and continued to surroUnd. the:
Afi:C"r o,'el sixrr ~"C":It~ of cxi~rtnce, "/m;,-;e,I Trt/pifi/! toJ:lY activities of all Ihr~ muralists. J One PJnicul",rly blalant
mural project. :zgrccs. "All/trial Tmpi(i1! 1t15 come 10 epilomiu: nuoycd? What did they look like oriainally? These
tr:tnscends the comro\"Cr~y Ih:1t accomr:lnitd in binh. ~h'~ a uestions-and thc implic.lIions inherent in the existence Jnd ex..mplc of proviOl.::ialism and chauvinism is the following:
rhe hinorical minre3.tmenl of 2rt, ~ he !:l)"S. Seeing the mural :u
uni,'C~1 \\'ork of arr,w J:I~"S ~ ligucl AIl~d Cono. ~h rerrcsents :l
tstruction of the murals- hJlfe b<.'Cume preuinaly lupiColI "Mexic<ln art in Mexico is inrJiscnuus and entirely appropriate;
it is today vividly demonstrates ,~hat is lost by such mime:n- 'hen one con5idcrs the current sc.Jrch (If the Chiano in the ... they like the ~phk dclineation of suffering and .:tgony;
social SlnlU;lt which \\~ all (;1.n undcnt:lnd now, h's:z munl f(lr lUthwest for self.identity, .1 politiul voice, .. nd ccunomic they sympathile Wilh and cherish the old pagan, primitive
menl. Irs destruction by civic lcadc:l'$ provides a contemporary
the whole city. !Stice, thinSS which were of profound conCCfn to the ..nist religions which look bloody sacrifices and required strange and
lesson in the consequences of intolerance. W

hen he crcJted hi5 murals. For the ¥rowin~ Chicano an physic<ll rites," TIle wriler could not understmd why we
However, :zs he 21so poinn OUt. the mural is much more o~ment, the a,'Slhetics of Me)lican mur.tlism .:ocxist with "should imit:lle it J.nd adopt if in our counlry whose uJdltions
than a symbol of arrisric censorship :znd prejudice. Am/rirlf Ie most aVJnt-&.lrde manifC\utions to express the particulJr arc entirely alien to it ..II" or "put it on the wJlb of VI
,--" ....... '
,. I ....... I .:-:.... ~, ...
'e expericnct of the urban Qlkana. eduCiltional institution Ireferring to Qlouinard Art School)
TrppiraJ ptofoundly inAuenccd the mural movement so inler- . 'n·' .: ... " ..• '. ,
~" A more gcne~l. but equally urlent, imperati"e to reclaim where youth is imbibing its inspinttions and id~s for life-" or
,voven into loday's Los Angeles. :z city with over fihccn hun- esC" murJ.h for the history of art is the splendid pictorial m;lke it parl of "our national expression when it is not and
la!i[iC5 of Tropicu! Amulca, lost to sight fur ..Imost 01 h.M never can be." Ironically the article recognized Olver;!; Street IS
ntury. the place "where the old Mexican beginnings of los Ang,:les
'The three mur.lls marked an imporLlnt lurninl point in arc cherished"!·
quciros' d,'Velopment. They mark the- release 3nd outpOuring Siquciros' politicoJl .Inti oJrtistic baptism slilrt,'d lung before
a I.lrgc cre.l:tive wetlY denied walls to pAint on for almost his trip to Los Angeles. At I S he piltticip<lted in .. student
C t994 The Getry ConKf\-:trion InstilUte- I years. In this first encounter with the IreJt industrial strike at the San C.." ios AcJdemy in Mexico dl.'m.indina: oln
1HEGmY "SO} Glencoe Avenue. ~·larina dC'i Re~" C:llifornia 9°29 1 ;ources of the United St.lte:>, his search for J. new VI style ab"ndonme-nt of outmoded methods of Jf[ inslfuc::tion. He-
CONSERVATION prcssive of his rcvolutioo..ry ideah was aUlrllentcd by KNed as .:In officer in the Mexic:m revolution before saing to
INSTffiITE Phone ()IO) 8U-1299. Fa.~ <,uo) 821-9-109 :hnical mCJns to change the methodology of mur31ism study in Europe. In 1922 he beome a principoll orpniler of
elf_a methodology that had been fi)led since the Renais- the Syndicate of Tce:hniCoJI W()(kers. Painters, and Sculpl()(S

IMMER '974 321

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whkh spolrkctl the mur,ll rcnJj~'ancc. and W,1\ olUlhnr of it, r'lOIin1inS', lithugraph" ;Ind murJI d.:siln, were exhihiled in II
~njrcSIO which h.lilcd lh~' Indi.1n suldier ...mn .:"vc his life "in Stl'ndJhl AmhJ~\,1dor GJlkr~·. 1.1
hope of libc:ralin, your r.1(;(' from the dqrOldJlinn ..nd mi~ry Siqueiro-' worL: of Ihe precedinll"t'riod (1929.11)32) ..
of ccnlurin.·· Siqudros hold ..Iwotys cOluidcrc:d his OIfl .JI very doltl.. ,lnd almO'it d('¥oid of ColOf. "He felt tht" timM wt'
political I~ ,1nd ;I ¥t"hiclc of revoluliOl1ary thought. with w bad ColOf should not be u'Cd." SOIYs Arthur "'illier. furm
concrpt, ill..cp.•fJblc from .'....u hclfn: ." .• lhe mollc" of art critic of the Ll)f A'19C'/C's Timn.. U His paintinls ,n I
h'...II1!r." hl' '-lid in thr m.::lnifcstu, "mU't in~t their CfutCS! StendJhl GJllery, wrote Millier in 1932, wt"re "d,lrk ar
t'l fnn, ill Ihe ,lim Qr nlJ tcd,lIilinc ':In .ut villu.,hk to the unfr.:lmed. The mJ~~ive form~ 41l1d heads emerae rrom an .111,;
pl."'!>!':," wilb "bc;IUIV thol' enlightens and slin In "ruggle:" or blJel..ncn, The fir~t imprMsion is of brulJlily and d.lrkne
i\lmU\1 30 }"Col" 1.lI1M" he W,1\ of the same opinion: "My mur;aJ of an absolute OIh\(l')ce of all 'charm,' uf th.1t ple<ls;l
ITropicuf ..lmt'ri.... / W.lS the mural of a p;ainlef who hOld fousht mOlnipul,}lion of pigmc:nl which i\ so silnificJnt 'or thl;" EftJ'i
in the rc:volUlil>n:'" It is within this context Ih.11 the 1932 and Americ:tns. There is, ncverthelC'S~, something mot'(':
mUfJI, mt'" toe undCfilllOd. '1 forms the buis fOf his pl,"lic broodinl senK' of tr4l~dy."I' The somber painlin,\ a
C'~prC'S'linr:, (0( hi, CCJSC'lcss tcchnic:al olnd aesthetic experi· \Otrowful whj~h did not reCllrnrnend thC'mwh-n to
menu lion to cre"te 41 t~nsform.illion of pictorial technique crilies: the huge C1nV~S were felt to hOlve "primilive subit , ..,,,..'" ~" OUhidr ... ,>11 ...ill> freKO. II ~ J ilIUM or llf. fe-,t"t. forms Jre counterpointed by Ire"l 1\\'I~lInl tn't... ,md Ih,
con~on4lnt wilh his· views of the soci.,1 ;lind scientific matter" "irring ".:motions of revulsion, horror, ,\nd ott ne-" l.",,_r rhe- Ch(Ouin~rd Schoul de II. decor~lion. tlUI curved blld~' of the IndiJn. Blocl..) 01 )lllne fJlten ftum th.·
dM"elopmcnu of "ur time. elemental feelinls equally unprofound." ThUU!1l COIrl lil~ wll~l IU U'\e fo' "'u".... in thi<. be,ell pniod~ II nrnlnJ plhl,.. ~",
prnmid "nt! pre·Columbi.:ln sculplurC"S \{,lt1ered JnlOn~ lhl'
~~,pe"le~ .nd c..",ent ",l~ert .... wril ~ .rll,.,•••• IOU desi.:n II
In 1932 thr United SUtts was in the throes of the JfCOIIt had written favor"bly of Siqueiros. SOlid Ihe scviewer, ~ ..-ill ~ lrolliul M~'<leo, wilh Mn.n rUinl .nd • (ew tilurn. A. trees spuk of the d~ ..tnJction of OIncit'lll Indi:tn civiliution,
depression. Los Anac1es was a city of a.er two million p«lple found the '1ack of pleasil')1 color. slJrl..· outline, a uth end uf Ille .. ~ll ... iIl be ""'tn from lhe '11"" lKl.,., II i, while the scrcOlminl e"lle with spreOld win:s dominJtcs thi,
etnCrtinl from its rur;,1 Sl4ltus under the imp4ict of its most unlexlurcd surbcC"S" wen~ di.stnteful. I' . ...:. pl,nned 10 Il'l»:e- ttl""" • Co>mplcle- picture;".1 Ihe » ..... tl",~ modern ulv,)ry. The Ir;K)itional spirit of pas~ivc Quisti"n
Then, 41S liter, Siqutitos w~s nOt SOItisfted wilh pOfIt~its", prhe'''';", • ~~ntUI unllr of dfl"n!'
imPOl'Unl indl1Srric:s: 4llrieultUrt, oil. ;,net the movies. Politics mourninl is lortkin.. Two "rmcd snipers m..'llJCe lhe. C.lIIk'
~re hiaflly pol:irized 41nd volatile. Upton Sincl4lir. the Soci;,liS! e"scl p~intinlS; ht lonltd fOf walls. Even in his easel p4linlb from the roof of oan Oidi.lcl"f'u buildinS. .
and Communist p"lties, and mc:mbm of the movie colony he used burlaplike canvas COOl ted with lime upon which Centullo the desil" is the crucifixion iudf (Fis. 3) which'
provided a fulcrum of left.winl activities. labor connict was p"inted with ~ mixture of oil, lum, honey, OInd p.,int, wh cstOiblishes t~e dyn"mic rhythm~ of the composition. We 41re
widespread and ohen violent, particularly in the rich produced a ~mifresco effect,l ~ The SCOile of Ihe fi,ures \ uught by the circle circumscribed by the winlS of Ihe e~le,
avicultur"l Impc:ri;lll V4IIIey where many Mexicans Wert! enormou,. "bny I~ler Siqueiros works live this \,I To Sique:iros. an outdoor w"U in Olveroa SUCCi, IOCOlted in a Ihe spreJd arms, and Ihe luin cloth of Ihe Indi:tn (Fig. 4).
employed. los Anlcles (unlike San F~ncisco) was an impression: figurC"S thrust from the wrface, their hulC' ..i,e: p.1f\ 01 downtown Lt» Angeles then known as Sonora Town SemicirculJr repetitions Jppear in ~e1I·like ~h;,pe~ on Ihe
mtiunion town: it boasted a police ;IInti·Red Squ-' Jed by 41 encrlY Sttminx to viol"te the fume as if sedinl ~ br (be(JuSC' of ilS IJrxe Melti",n populOitionl. dusc to the nilru;K) p~'r4lmid, the sernicirclC' below Ihe ea,le, and the tono of the
upuin Hynes: its constituency included thOUQnds of retired context_ lcrminoal and (ily HJII, literaUr avOlilable to the "now of Indi"n. oand Jre reinforced by the ellipses of the sle\;ae. ThC'
old people who were impoverished by the depression but In eOlrty June ffollowinl 41n exhibition 41t the Piau traffic and millions of people," must hOlYc: been e!>peciorlly trunc"ted ~"pe of the pyr"mid is echoed in the geometric
remained set in their political conservatism. 'J In the months of Centtr and an honor"fl· dinner by the C4Ilifomia An CI utr.Jctive. Hl" quickly sil"C'd the contract. However, his vi\ion dements of the pytOlmid friele "nd the Indian's legS:.·
Siqueiros' )uy, Los Anleles newspapers renected the tremen· Siqueirex was contactC'd by MittOlrd Sheets, an imprc:s' of Iropiul America differed shJrply from prcv"i1inl folkloric ~ Of the three mur.,ls lhere is no doubt thilt Tropical Am«icu
dOus difficulties and confrontations of the period: the Hynes youlil w4ltercolorist and a ChouinJrd Art School teorcher. ideas: inSlcad of p"intinl "01 continent of h.,pp)' men, was br fJr the mOit powerful and original and J cle4lr
Red SquJd prohibited a sPeech by the Communist presidenti411 conduct a fresco class. Amonl vJrious practice techniqt WHounded by palms and parrots where the fruil voluntarily dep4lrture from eJrlier worL:. 1\ C"tablished Siqoeiros as ;,
andidate; 41 "slave block" auction, sellinl the labor of Siqueiros h~ tht Iroup make fresco p"ncl, of their ( det,)ched itself to f4l11 into the mouths of the h3PPY moruls," master of m(ll"lumenlJI form. Tropical AmC'rlca is the final
unemployed citiuns to the hilhcst bidders, was held in a local desjl", using plywood f,,,mcs and chicken wire cOVC'red .. he s:eid, "I p4linled a man ..• crucified on a double l;fOiS, affirmalion of the bre"k with "foll..lorism·' OInd "pictur.
parL:; the unemployed panned exh"usted BOld deposits in San layers of plHler. These were later exhibited 015 "fresco bkKl which had, proudly perched on the lOP. the calle of North esqueness" "1trhich....suned with his mur.1s in the NJtion~
Francisco slteams; the pernment investipted the vast The &toup wu composed of 10 professioml orrtists, ext: American coins. ,,:. PrepantOty ~chuol in Me.ico. Speaking of the latter, but
holdinp of the J. P. Mor;an empire.' whom paid" S 100 fee. As a result of Cubism, mO/ll'))" ani\t\ Slarling in I4Ile AUlVst, work on Tropiull AmC'rKa prophetic"Uy "pplic"ble to the Olvera Street mur4ll, lun
Of panicuur silnificance 10 Ihe aniS!, and of direct import become inlereSied in the Renaisunce, "nd no inform.1tion conlinued for ovc:r " month. All ""counts alrce th"t Siqueiros Chartot said, "Until the\( murals were done, lodi"nism hOld
10 hi~ choice of a theme for Tropical Am~rica, were the mass aV4liiabie "hout fresco except from the Mt,ican mur"li" did mOSI of the paintinl himself, "s.silninlto his a~sisunlS the bnm synoo\'mous with fulklore or folk-an .••• Siqueiros wa'
deport;ltioos of MexicOln n'llionOlls· and the wretched con- who hOld re.-ived its pnctice (and th4lt of encaustic) 10~· tuks of rOUlhinlthe' bricf..: surface with drills, Jpplylnl coats the first 10 erect a n"ked Indi"n body as rcrncwed from
dilions of Mexican milr;Hory worken whose efforlS to urlier. By mid· June a w,,11 of Chouinard Art School,:l1 of .....hile Port1~nd cement, squ,)rinl Ihe wall, blowinl up the picturesqueness "s a Greek nJL:t'd "thiele, a fiJUrc of oniverul
orpnize for collective lur;aininl were rClX'"tedly crushed by So. Gr4lndvkw, had betn oblJintd hom Mrs. ""'--IbNl de\ign for the finOll cJttoon, ~nd p"intinI5t"O~1I sections.:" The meaninl within its rOici,,1 univen.e...J :
visil;mles and repressive 100ws. I 0 There is Iitlh.' doubt th"t u\(' O1lXlinJrd "nc:I the 10 artists, ~ well a~ l"~u"le "n ulMk d.:ty before the unveilinl the key f'ilUre ~s still a my'tery. Mon powerful of the innuencf>\ ,n wOfk in this p.,inlinl i:
or thi~ Iheme- nril..inll~· repeoated throughout tht' southwesl now d"il"Jted 415 Ihe Block of Mural Painter~ b~ Siquci "AI"in," Solrs Millier, "'Tired. Let'~ "It 10 home.' At 1:00 the BJroquc: ~t~'le, especiJllr admired hr the ;JrtiSl'S fJther.)~
IUc"'y contrihutt'd to Siquc:iros' nwn expulsion when his Ixl"n pJintins;, 19' II: 2.1' outdoor muroal CJlled Strat .tI,T A.M. lh"t nilhl in 41 dead Olvera Strtcl I found Sil.1ueirO'i Sinuous forms, sculptur,,1 plankilr, stronl chi;JrO'iCuro, ant
six·month vi~a expired. I I in the 'Culpture court of the school. "HC' worl....-d oul pi swe;'ling in oan undershirt in the cold Jir, silling on 01 ""ffold, dyn:tmic S9:tli"l r'lJoYC'ment, .It! mJrl.. the impJct of Ihe mos
Word of Siqueiros' prescntt quickly spread {with Ihe aid of he4ld," recOlUs !o.1i11:trd Sheets, "very e:~citinl for ~ becau\! pain linG for dear life Ihe peol') hound to a double cross.,,)I). speclJeul"r st~'le of coloni,,1 Ml',ico, Apre"rinl for the fin
Mexican "rtists Alfredo Ramos M"rtinez oand Luis Aren,,11 in were "ccustomed to the ide" of a very finkhed ,I..elch Greal crowds 4111ended Ihe unvtilil')l. Millier wrOle in the titn(' in this mural is " lc:it·molif of much later wOfL:: Ih
Ihe \mJII, tightly knit lex Anlelcs "n world. Jo~ von S141rted at th(' top of the mur,,' ~nd worked his w"y d..,.-n Timl",- "When Ihe scJrfoldinl finOlUy ",me down •.. 0l')looken reccssh'e prrOlmid.
Sternlx1'l, n:1lTlboy4lnt director of the: movie Th~ Blu~ A1'9t'I, Within the unprecedentedly \hert time of two w('('l...s 1hpo,"CI. No one bUI Ihe Juthor hOld been oable 10 viqJalize the ItJli"n Futori~1 theOfies such )S mutliple points of vit'w "n
patron of artists, and cnllector "of the mOSI violent modem m4Jral WJ~ almost comr'ete, .....ilh the exception of the clO'oC·knit powerful desi!" so 1001 sh"ded and conce"Ied by pdun.:uic PC'f'pccti\"e (whi(h inl..TC"IC'd Sique:iros when h
"tt;' helped him bring hi, de:14lined p.:.inlings OIM lithOiraph\ fillJre in the !o\vcr portion. On the opper porlion of !hI" lhLl\(' \",rrold\") I 'Fi8- 2). Not only w~ the wall much IJrger wenl to Europe' in 1919'J can be found in rropi1;ul,-lm"il"
xross lhe hordl't, and (lllllmi~sioned hi, first p.Jrtr"iL Po/.intW which could be seen from Ihe strl"('t, were pJintt'd than Chouinard, but the concept had been expressed. with despitl" di"I.litners from the anist ~u(h ,,~ appeJred in Serif
in Sternberg's office '" P.lramounl Siudios on 40" .II 48" "Jffolds filtl'c1 wilh mJuive f'ilures of (on~truction wor ,re,ll cr.1rily in brillianl culnr. Ol"~pile Ihe wcher of bitlbOJrds, (\('(' rn. 25). Note the inleri.n rer~rect;ve of the r\·rami,
COJr\(' C,ln\'J' with qU.lr1 e.lns uf paint JnJ hou~l·p.1inl brushC"i, "rm~ inlertwinc:d,lool..inl down\\'.ud inlenlt~', and c.1\linl PU'lter\, slore fronlS, and las IJnks with which it had to including the ~lighl il')c1inc of bnlh 'id..... of Ihe bJSC crealir
it \hl') C'd "von Swrnbl"tg o/.t hti d("jk, lilly, inlent, commal')J· dJrl.. sh.ldtl..... ~ Mlwr:C'n Ilu' windl)\\'~ which rierced .he cnm!'ICle, it would h<lve hOld no trrouble: :tllr.:rcling .Iltention. tW\l pl,lne~ which el1hJnce lhe pb~ticitr of.th\' form~ in ft\w
ing yet curiousl~· .•. lil..e him."I: On MolY 91h an t"xhibi· qufJce. SI\'IKlicJlf), Ih.' CtJmJKKilion w~ ~lIl,"~~· rcI.Jll Siqueiros' compnsition h;K) 10 deJI wilh ,a dUlJl" Jnd two or thl" Ivwcr p\l.lmid: thl' \',ll1i~hinl r,lints uf tht' std,U' .I"
liun of SiquC'irO'i lilhnxr.. ph~ ClpCned 011 IhC' IJL:t" Zeitlin Ihe 193 I JIJinlil')1 A.I·id,·n{ in th.. ,11;11('. 1II Wh.ll weft IT'l('I.ll·-hullered window, which peoctraled lhe WJ1I, forci"l: a lhC' hoilding "f the snipc:'l1: Jnd tht" pcf'pa::civC' of the IJI'f'
Bookshop in dnwnl,,\vn I...,.. ~ldt"~ ,md, fnur dJv~ IOIler, 50 worker~ lunt.illJ: Jl~ Til whom wrrt" thC')' li~tl"nin~! Nt' Vi~l oXymmetry. The ~I;uk tt,lmetrv of the MJyJ-lil..e cn",i.. O)'nJmic (('11t.Jlio'" dlTh,' f,um tho.· rt))·thm, inclin.ltiu
Pyumid uld IWO cylindrical ~lcl"e inscribed wilh feJlhl"l' Jnd movernl"Tll of eJt:h tlhk~l. TIl\' m~'hTi ..u~ t:urO'C'd ItKT
322 ART JOURNAL. XX).
324 AF;T JOURNAL, XXX'"
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.. .\

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•
f._ 7. Del'" of '.ulit 01 M"Q TofI.,. ItJ%. 1M, • M,... W.a..d Cool.!

known:lS Portrait of Mexico Toduy (originally Dclivt:ryofthc

"k"ic"" 8our9t:oiJi~ 80rn of the Rtvo/ulioll into fh~ Hunds of
I",ptriulism). It was pninlcd in the (oy('red patio of Ihc Sanu
MonicOl home of movie director Dudley Murphy.'"' Dividing
the w.all surbet in thirds .m: 1'10'0 painted columns behind
which appears the familiar rcccs\ivc pyr:.mid. On the steps arc
a child ,md two women (Fig. 7). app.1rcnlJy widows of the
ass~sinucd men POlintcd' on OJ contiguous '10'.,11 (Fig. 8). To the
Idt of the pyrilmid is the \C:llcd ficurc of 01 rcvolutiOtlary
soldier. with sombrero :md riOe. whose fallen red mask r~ah
the (';;Iturcs of ror"rncr Mc:w,iun pn.·'idcnt PluLucho Ellu
Diles. Two bOigi of gold Oil his (ttl n:prc\Cn( thc bctrOllYOII of
the MC;Jl:ican people (Fig. 9).
One on envi~ion the color pwperlie( of Tropicul Am~ricQ Today a whole new gencution of artists is demonsttat'
by reference 10 the well.pre~erved Par/rll;/ of Mt1licO Toduy. int~'resl in Mexican mur"li...". Street muralsnmany sh
Blues. browns. greens. r~-ds. and yell'lw nchrcs cnh.lnce lhe lhe innucnce or Siqueirm .md Orozco ··haye mushtoorr
sculpturally modeled abHracled rigu,.e~. n,ough nOl .JS N.'w Yorlt. 80"100. Chic.lgl), Delroit. S,lnta Fe (New Me
dyn.lmic .. compo~ition as Tropical Americu (Ihe ~ile is only S.In F,.lnci"o. :.nd Lo~ Angele~. particularly in ehe.
172 ~uarc reel). lhc 5.,"1.) MllnicOl rnur.11 en.linl.lins a line ghellm .Ind Puetlu Ric.1Il .1I1d Chic.lno bcJrrio~ Amor
b.Jl"nce between bMrJQUC ~inuosilv and g...umetric Uructurc:. .IClive PJrlicip,lnl\ in Ihc'\(' pupulJr movements ~e f
PJrlicubrly puign.:tnl and rh"'lhmic .In· Ihe IHlri,onl,,1 ligures Sil!udrfl' di"ipIC"'o:'·
of thc: lwu dead men. The Cilv or l,><; Angdt" \V,,~ recenlly .lnimalcd b

32. ART JOURNAL. XX.

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 AI.TOO'<. ponTEA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. hl/nldu"iou PIIgt I

II. ""gt I

III. P.gn 1 .1llI2

IV. PIIgn 2 /tAd J

V.

LIST Of" ILLUSTRATIONS

AND
ATTAC1IMUo/TS

Atlllchmtti/ -A"; TIlt S«rtl'ry af Iht IUlnior's SIlIndllrds for Rthll/lflirnlhm lIlus/,II/loII lllr. AoCJ: Slillpllth DitJRnrltlS
and Guidtlilln for Itthlll1illtlllins His/orlc BuitdutSs Illi,sl,lItiOrt 12: A..()4: G''l,ld Floor PIIII!, VlnuillS PIll/form PIIIII
I/Il1s/~allo.. J; Color Jllttrlott/IIIWlt 0( OriSiturl MU'/I' fly A. EspiflOSll lIIuS/TIl/ioll 13: A-OS: Roo( Pf4Il, Wnl fin-lion, 5«1"'"
lIIust~/iofl 2: Vicinity M.p 1II1IS/,.,ioli 14: A.()6: lmt,ifmfi,..1 5«tioft, ~u/h Ekt'dlioll
lI/ust~/itm J: Olvtr. Slrtt/ brillfll MUTflI fIIuMTIl/iorI IS: Sdltmt B: Vinu ""0/11 Roof
IIIIlSlTllt;OIl 4: OIIJml SI,UI /ltluw MUfll1 //IuS/rll/hut 16; SK-Ol: Wtill:thrOllgll SlquttIC'
/II1lS/rlltiOIi 5: OlvtTII SItuI btlUlU Mlltlll 1111'511111;011 17: SK-02; Viti,. /tom Adj.t:n,' Dllildilig
IIIlIsITlltion 6.- M.I,. S/~«/ brlrno MU~III lIIuJITIltilm II; SK-OJ: Vinll/tfJltl Olum S11«1
IIIIIS/t.,io" 7: Tt",,__ ty Shdl", /ttmt Olvn. S/,m lIIl/s/tlltor 19: Modrl Phofo
I/Iust'll/ion iii: Existing Conditions: Roof Plall .ttd Ste/iol1$ lI/usl~lIliotl 20: Modd Phoro
{//lIsl~II/101l9: &/$./iIl8 COlldilio"s.: BuildillS [ltt'll/lotls.,111 Stcrio.., I/IUstrlllill1! 21: Modd rholo
//lllsttlllh", 10: A-{lJ; SU, Pl... /fIlls/rlllioll 22; Modtl Phofo
lIIusttll/ion 11" A-{l2: O/lJtrll S/tUI Hi5I01'icrll I/Ill$lnlliotl 23: Mod,' P#toIo

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II/ustratioll 23: Mudd Pilot"
Thi.t New fre.=> repre.<ent.t the l.orge.d Mu=! Work
on the continem and i.t the fir&! Outdoor PaWing in
&ment e.xecuted with Mechanical Equipment by 0
eouective Group under the Direclion 01 the Eminent
Me.xicon ?Irti&!, D. A. SIQ'UEI ROS
 . SEPTEMBER ~ •.&}-lPART'
,.
.' \-

MEXICAN ART, INVADES

BY.AB.nnm YtIILLJ£R They brtlUiht blck samples, too,
Durin, COOIlc1,e and urly HOQnr and collector, bee.n to buy. BUI
prQl:pcrl~y .. favorite theme In art. perh.ps one of the blll"cst contrl·
bu' Itudla&. IIfUr!.he dnY'3 work butlnll' torcc' for the In......lon WIlS
.&.1 done, WIL5 the "French In,,· made by ",·c:r.1thy Amerlc.ns. Your
aion." It .... u blessed or .da1l1ncd. big Indll3trlallsl or finnncier aees
accordln, to t.he Views o[ each ut· We very ru.llatlcally, HIs allll,$ may
1st.. Now we have .. new tople to ~ dUlerent to thOiie ot the socl.ll.st
"lew 'a'lth ddi,ht or l.Iann-' t Mexican painters but h.Is "lalon Ia
N.exl~.n In"Mlt;i!," . much the same. They understand
W at 1lI 11.5 nature?' Why Is It e:!ch olher very \lIell bcuUJe they
herd It 1s ,oed or bad for us? both de.1 In soclal re.lltlea. He
Wbat do .rluts'thlnk about It? helped.
The majot' "orQ 01 the lnuder:s The }dencln Invulon dl<l not
are Ille lrucoe.s by Rheta and really Id lolnl untJl the, I"rench
Orozco In Calilorrll., and New York Invasion collapsed, Both 'WeTe In·
and. those the latter 1$ now p.. lnt. vuloos of a.rt, but the lalter came
In, at Dartmouth Colle.e-an enor· hue on • commercl.l bQls. When
mOUil eommbsion. Now, to thue commcrce drop~d FrenCh art deal.
an added the Slqudro.s tre$COes at ers did lltUe rno~ business.
the Choulnud School or Art and EAT A~D PAlNT
the large one he Is· .dqlnll' .t the
The MulCl1lll canle differently.
Piau. Art ~nter. both In Los An-
I
lelt5. TtJen, hownu, are (IUS '!'beT! \lIete no 'dcalera, but .rt!alS
perform..ncrs. dul,ned and rUlded \lIho .... nted to ut and paint on
by the Mexlan, but made In very ...lls. While.n American Is ""on-
ahort order. Th~ are none the JeM; derln, how much he can ;et tor
,llon,ly 1mbutd With the force and pa.!ntlng- a '·.U the MUIC'ln doea
clnlty typleal oC the revolutlonary the }ab. Palntln;, not buaineM;, Is
Mexican. pdntel'3- ;'ho Corm the 111- What InteresL, him, He KCJ him·
yulon, - '" . ul! u • 'I. borer and Is willing to
• The lnv&S!on crupa Into the book work on a Ji.borer', tlrrms. wblch In
Illusllatln, tldd and Inttl the port. th~ times me.ns something to eat
• CoUos of print collectora, principally and cart.re. The Invasion c.me .t
In the form of Mulcan lithographs the right Urne to conquer, And now,
and wood cut$. '!'be larse Mexle&n .... hen IltOllle are thinking about ao·
Art$ exhibit helped It alon,.
clal problem,. the Mexlcl'fl IdeLl
h.ve .dded lntereat, .lthough theIr
, HOW DID IT SI"AJtT~ themes and styles arc cordially dls·
Il b not only In dlrcct ":.orka but liked by plenty ot Iltople, here u
In Mulan.ln1luenctd .... ork by in their n.tlve" land; .
Amerie.ns, thal the dl5(\1S.Sln, art_ Beln; vlrotOus nnd ieemine 11m-
l.sls find the MUlcan lnvulon ac· I'le, the typical Mexican style ....1l1
tlve, How did It slan? doubllus be mueh imitated-just IJi
MRevolutlon" and "Fre5(O~ were the modcm French ~'u. That would
lhe two thlnp or Ideu th.t belun scem to be II pIty but It lJi probably
the !nvulon. and It slarted, 'nol Ine..ltable. Shuttlnl It out \I.'ould do
~..lth lmmlrratlns ntl.sl.s but \.-Jlh no lood-"e hlVc too m.ny phow.
rdurnln, Americans. FrOm San Irapha .nd book.!. The only \I.'.y •
Fr.. nc~co, Chlc.a,o .nd New York VleOrtlll5 outside art can hi: reslated
Amerlc.n arUaLs ber.n drifting- to la by the natural de\'dopment or
Multo City to we .nd ollen to help an art within our 0""1) borders It·
wIth the frescoc.a belna- p.l.]uted sclt Atronc- enough to resl.st the
there during- the last len yean. temptation.
T __o thlna-s attr.cted Illcn" Or1elna] Artls permU,til'e, not cOlllpcl1ti\·e.
nt~ts ne .I....YS In a sblte of rc- ltal1.11 art crept up trom the .south
v!>lt .ednst the ataUc pruent, so to perme.te l'Iorthrrn European art.
the Idt:a. "Revolutlon," appc.1a to This contincnt ",·tll probably h:l\'e
them, Fr~o ""." the other "ure- a like e:llperlence,
a Cl"-T, dired ....y t.o duoatc ...·alls. The Meilean Irl hl\':lsicn Of th~
They, tame b,ck' ~nthuaIMt!c Unl~ St.&t(a la probabl)' u IneVit_
.b9ul the realistlc VIsion wd dIrect able u our commercill.. penetration
palntln, methods ofthc· Mexkaru, into MUico. Whether cllher Is
Of'! .P1e!r·',rclurn thcy painted feet Il'ood or bad depends prlllelplllly on
.nd .le,a .blllllcr, adopted wme 01 where your Interest 1101,
the slmpUncll.tions ",hlch thc. Mex· But, ot courn. lhere b nothing
1<?1ls 'ustd 'to txpre.q their o",·n to stop arUals dlacu$l'lnr It In the
Indl~ns. . A lood and b.d ""ere studio after Ille dl-Y'J 'll;ork La done,
gained.' '!'be direct Idea ot 'Worlr If the chairs are comfort.ble, t&lll:
~ lood, We Imllatlon, b.d. can ~ very pleasiUlt..
.~----~-

LOS :~l;G:;L1~S
TH::-iS.

3ep. 4, 1932
dos.
 'SIQUEIROS
PLAZA ART Plaza FTesco
DEDICATED Is Dedicated
Frt',vn ,,/ JI/,,~/.. S"""I'
U"jf('r/ ;:j' lJ,."" Cnrtllt'Cll THa;oo.,l""
be"lnnhu: of _ ne ...."
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va f.

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n.' S'nrl ttl 1\',.,,, Mot'(: m"r.l ..I""t. of Ihe r·I~.,,,, 1.~lnlf..".
'"Trople31 "'nlerle.:· 1••• P.r' , I".
O.\-ld A1raro 5Iqll~lroa'~ IrfS(o an O...M .IIT ..... "'" .. el.'~. nn 110 11
nl Ih~ nld 1,"11.~ h.'11 ,.., ,,1.' .. _
lhe ""all of the old Itallin Hln on 01,·....
Ol~cu. Itrcct "'1.5 proclaimed la,t ,·~",,·..'.. Il .",.,.~" ., .. I,., :.... ,
nl,ht as the atut of /I new ".mod .. I ' ., "'.1 " " ,._.
In SolJthcrn California art ..'hen the
In ,...., I 11,' r'b,,. .'rl 1·""
I .
mcm~" of thc Pln& Art Center
Cl~lclttd the plAattt·pa1ntlnc to ~ ',.,,1"0"_' .\...
!._.~ .oI,,,.. ~ •
tna-'n as '"t'roplu] Amezka..~ )hnll 'e"'rlo III n'.... ond au ••
LOS jdiGELES TH~.S C·o ...lt ;a:JI.lI jun.l,. ~oqll,
Dnn Corn"'tll, IlOtc:d mlln! art.
1.t, "ho w.... Ihe IponIOI" flit ~
OIYuI-J,trm fruc:o, III hb llddnu
It the dedlcatlon, ulcI ~ COOflpk.
----_.-,-'.
Se'Dtiembre 4,
tlon Of the Irt WOrk undoubt~17
....U aorakm a new apprecJ.alioD for
the d~.Uon of blank ....Ills.
@??
"Whdhtr thia form or u\ silo....
In lhl decoration of thl "'.Us of ~ht.
Iter., Ubrarlcs, the Ildfll of b"'l1d.
Inp or even on bllJboardl.~ he 3akl.
"It ~11l be a ,000 thin;. for thcn wc
• hlU hIVe some!hl", tIt.utllu! In Th. hUKe fr~o dellicUllJ: " "Ie~ •
plan Of SOmethln, bllnt.." lun junJ:;le Kene in nrU·eb..... SI-
quelro uylo! ...-hlch the ulebral.cd
SlquelrO$, the artlU'luthOt of Iha Wu:1un .rl.bt. Darld AII.ro SI-
fruco, ...hlth she", • t.goplc:...1 ..cct.e qudro. and _lateA h.~vr k-en
.. tlh " M",..." tunllle In ruhu "lid
Il.·.. rrr....n .·lIn Jun,k C._lh• .-., doln, on the PI.u. Art Crnl....,II
Nt Direr. Slte.r.l. I. 10 be u!dbllcd
hlltod:lUd at ~he d~dfC'J,tlcll br F. 1n a compleled -'1 ... 1" Le lioc pUb_
X. Fcrera" director I>l the P~Q Ue S"nday 01 1::Ml,.m 11;rr~ ..ilI
Aft ernler. Fnem. ","nouru;ed lhe ~"tol1l<.l .nd ......ac:um ........ n::ed
Muka.n .rtist rtll kne Los A"- by DltKtor 1'. K. f'ere"" of tho-
t~lt. "Uhin a ~hort tl~ for liucnOi cenlu.
Alr....I'. "h~re h~ till trnderta.ke RV. De"n Corn... dl. m"~I .. t .... ond
erlt ..... 11 decorallon.<.6 !",In!'.r 01 the I..c.r. A" I,," J.Ib"..,.
l'ollo."';m:; th~ dedil;lltlllf\. Ihe mu all" 01 lro _br .
nltmbe,.. ot the art eenler c.'·e .1'1 It l~ the ".eeond :,t...." ronllll ",;
Inf(>tn,.l rectpHon 101' tne artist. hI" S;C1uelao I" Lno .'neck... The
nfll "a.s ..1 Ihe C:h<,ui,,~r<l $l;hool
o! All.
Od.obet tndlllonl.lly ope
eru~. In th. number of ,&lle..,. a
uc.pUon. ~tcber b lbo thl II
SIQUEIROS &nd f ........d .t .ceomplbhment and
In Cdllomla. thb lin. . .~ lllIl
PLAZA ART h ...~ the I:'O\'P of m:ltu.e pa.1ntcr3
_1>0 d.,.1 .lth our IandKapt'. tin·
DEDICATED t.oubif'd by the .te 01 III)tCd .nd
clI.'\n:e they contlD\lc to lnlullfet
Mture 11'1 tertnS of lICht .nd .~OI·
F,,,.1~f} of )mllir pher•. The)' form out In.I.joclty.
A rounaer element which h ...
Hai/t'r{ :y J)f'fI" (7nrttrl·t'11 I:rO.'1\ up here l\1nee. mOle Intrr-
n.,
Stnrt of ,,""IV Mm;e en In ,,·h.t rr.on ha.. done to the
hndlupt'. They be,ln II> S« the
hmll, (lUes Ind people u art ma·
Dnld AHaro Siqudros'l Ire:lCO on tern!.
the ..... U 01 Ine old Italian Hall 01'1 n'e okl.r rTOtIll Wt the InnuetIC.
Olver. at.ut ".1.:1 proclalmcd lut fll the ImprUlIor.i.l.t.; tht' youn:tl
t .... /lOnrled to J'lQII.lmllrCBlonJ.o;m.
nlcM 1.1. the lb.t or " ne_ pe.1od
fitill • lhlrd lnRuence Irem outsld..
I" Sovtnem CaUl""nl" art when Ihe hu .OKted C.Ufomi. art thI-.a l.I.st
l:I'Iember, of the Plaza kt cenle: few lCuon.-the ...ark or the M.:d-
dedlcalt'd Ihe f\wtcr·palnUnr to be can fruco painters.
.D>or.\ .1.:1 1'rof)ka.1 Amerlca.p tlnlllre lIIe French lnf1uencc.,
Dnn Corn\t'ClI. noled m....:o.1 .... t- which ........ usuallJ tel;hnlQ,1 .nd In-
l.t. "'1'10 ."l the SfX!f1lO: for the "'I~~t\ll.l. the Mulc.a.na. n.Y1: llOU-""1:d
Oh·ea.ltrcet lrew:o. In hb a.cldral' ra_ "llallly ll'> the ... Ill. Much of
at Ihe ~ed!c;.I!lIf\.... ld U", cample· thdr "(Irk ..ill not be r... ted ;ood
til'" 01 the .1.:1 .'ork undoubtedly mut1l1 dcoot.l.Llon. :aorn I'll revolu·
...·111 ...·.I:tn • nc..- .pp.ed:o.!Ion lor lion .t home the:. .tl ~l.sfJ
the decoration of blank ...IlL ltrenJlh. 011.1'1 In ,gm... h.t bllter
"Whelher Ihls fo:m of :lrt IhO'\'I eolor~.
I... Ihe rlecOI.lion 01 Ih ••·.lIs of 'h~. BUI ther .hould ttro~p. I .0011 1,,_.
alen. librarln, the ,Id..." of build· flllenn b.,...... ulo\i the)' h .... ,ho.. n 11,1
Inp o. uen on bl11board~.~ he uld. how 10 Ittack Il't p1'1lblun" On '"
PII ...·m be ... cood Ihl:'~. for then .·e I.,.......1. with eonr,dent dlr~dnr""
oh...l1 hue oonlcthfnc br""liful In ,,, I lfd\nl",,~ that d ..mlncl. thp. u·
Illoee of """...Ihln: bbnk.~ ...,bI! Or th...... ll""UL,,"".
$ICll.lClros. Ihe artl.n·aulhor 01 lIIe 'tb.. ~.~nlne lh. PI" ... A.t Cfn·
fresco. chiCh Mlo", " Iropit;a.llCU.• tn. Ol""rl. Jlru.1. tnritu 1M public
wIth .. M.)"n tempi. L" rull'lll .~~ .., dlc:nd thl Am .-te" 0( Ih~ I_lrn·
o"U'Cl"~ ''''1II juns:l. C.09rl!l. Il"U el tht.!C: ),luiun It~thf hl,l~e
Introduf'fd at th~ d~i... tion b ... F. outclDOf York U1mpl.Ud bT D. . .
K. Fettle. dir«lor of l.he Piau lliCiudroa and hb clUl.
Art Ccnt~:. F~:cn~ _"nounc~ the • A : .....a:d Clance .UtIUt.< th... t
MC:llc'an :utbt .·ill In..., Loo. An_ GO,lr younl a:tbtl I:l C.llfornl. wUI
J:;~I~s "'lthln _ 'hort lime lOT B~na.
d.""loll. In • thne of ,t.us. tel,.-Jn,
AIIl'!!••·hele M wlll underb.l:.t.IC~. mO.1 eomplet.tl)' on the m.terlll
ft.l ...·"n rl~"';"'I1... ..I......,~. lhcy nnd In their 0.1.'1'1 C.nforl" ••
1'(\1In,,1UI: tilt ,knit.lioll. th~
_,,~ ~ •• h ~. ~"" ..
 DISPUTED MURAL MAY REAPPEAR
BY JACK JO<,\t:S T..l1,', dimh' seen Ihrnugh thl! I\'eathtt-btatlm
'_.l'otr ....... "'hitl!w~>h o.f':in:;\o ~llJ'lbilit)". the Oll('e-\'ib~nt frf'-
(jlk-fl -Amet'lm Tropie:al' h;p bttome ~ ¥)'mbt>!
!<l,.'fJ
J).lI'hi AlIna Siqueil'1P.. the famOUJ ll".de.tll re·.-.... to a :,-m:oll,nJUp of l:hic::m05 :mxiou. to brin! it out
btimlar}' murillisl. h;,ul H:aruly /im,hed his ~Ionl of hili;II':.
f:'uco Oil an upstair.'! .nll al Qh'era Slret! here in "It lll"inu of ltymbollr "r tht. treatment lhe CIlh.~·
IQ:;:: ,,'hell it was \\'hit~wnhed o,'"r, tlo 11;1' h;ltl in tlHI L:nileet SI31<:-'i.,· sl\icl.Il!$u~ Trc!\'lnn,
II }"OUlIC: film milker who I.~ pl"el)~11ng:l rl()(!Umtnlltry
Contro,"tl"$\' trupltd 01:1."1' Ih~ WQt"1.: l>«~u~~. In·
w~;,d ..r dOln';irl.l: Sflomita! or l1li~il)n~. it d~plclefl a
nil lht" Illuml 10 hp. ..hoI"" on liCE,. lChannel :::81
"ruclfied peon lJeI)~~th an ugle Slllmf!!ti\"l: nf the June ~! OIl 8::;1) p.m.
I "llited :itatel'.•·\11 A~lee ~nd a $OkIi~r of Ih~ f"e\"Ohl- "It l't'lilinds u. Ih:lt tilele hll,'1! been olher whilll_
tiQtl ~im~1 riOcs at the u;le. rlu•• Turn Ie Daek "are, 0.1. I

NOW _ LuPt' Medino, holdIng pholo o' ..-\mffico Tropical,

THEN_Portion of 1932 Americo Tropical fresco bMealh eogle, near left tid" ond soldier of the uomines the whitewashed woll on which rhtt fresco wos done.
by DavId Alfaro SIqueiros contah,lng crucified peon revolution, at right, aiming his rifle at the eClgl•. Tin". Ilh"t". h,. J""n )I~II"',,
 -l
But tba~td 'be '.. slly tected th~ origirwl 'I\'or\:
uprnli". and, ,('conUOJ' from the elements, ill aome
to Muio VaJada. INIMI' placu it hu nt j $ e d in

COVERED FRESCO Jnl dJrtdOC' o( EI Pueblo

de Los Angeles' it him
been dtU!rmlMd ( that the
with the color:s.. In other
spots. the munl has .plt'-
.toted from the w·,IU.
C.."linued from Fin' rare .".ilin,. report of two buildin,; nC1:d not be de· Simply npaillUn.l;' O\'f'l'
washings, Inll that WI II" Mulco City Itt .teslon· lnolillhed. the ""'lslnal wtluhl nul,:lft
raced with 10m. oC the tlon experts rtcommenderl But restoring the (resco txlJCrts plJiJlt au!. l.'OII,tl-
by lb' 74-year-old rebel In place presents ICvel4ll lule true 1"elI10I-oition.
um. feelul's that were milL probkms. And even it the f~ ill
there In the Qriy 1930's. II When the okl JUillJIn FOT one thiDr. Siqueiros bf'ouSht Ige,," lo life in iL'<
lime DC the deportations Hall buildlDJ that bean: ',Dd. hill eftw. or ·student prueont location 011 iii wall
(If lIexielm, the begin- -the traco Cnot '\isible auistlintJ abandoMd the "" hidden that one Dnlllt
ninp of the fann labor lrom Olven. Street below) traditional Ire. to lech-' crolwl oot a Idndow and
movement and atrlke:I. . •• wu damapd in lut Feb- nique or applying I.tl:ft onto an ildjl)inlng mof tn
TrevIno and lin. Shlfr;a ruary'l urthqullke, there coats or paint to the wall. vi~\v it. who Wl,IUkt IRe
Goldm:m, an Eaat LeI An- was talk by the group of using inatelld a Ipray JUII, il~
IltJes College .rt history taking down the wall In that droye ground cement VlIladel!; pointed out that
leach~r who disco\-ered It(.Uona.nd mO\inl it,to Into the brlcb. . Mille l"Onlll'uetlol1 would
nlentlona of the JoDI·. .• the proposed Plua de It. The oolon: '....el'e bri11~nt, he lle«Uilt')' to ,trensthel\
.allen mural • coupl. Ran In Lbx-oln Park. The but it It impoalble to re- the adjaC'eDt roo!. p,'O\"ldfJ
'yUrt ago. have been ae- ll-membcr SLate Hiltorle \i ..... tbem by limply peel- ltalr'll.nd lOme IIYt tlf
1r.·IT.ilhaC'Oma:liUubcnt llnd Fark Commiu50n InJit oCfa top layer. overhallJ: to prntect the
on re:rtoring it. _"GUk! ha.. to ,Iv. Ita ap'" Too, .1U~b t.1Je whitl!- nt work frnm Ih. weith-
_cAc'c'c"'=-·mcc'c~","cC,-="""",c'o~,-,---,J"O""c"~'"' • """=c'::..;to::.:~=m. e.~~.P""" ~_,. _

lM""the~~~lis-~e ~ aDd" h;.-~ s~~-~~ - ~d~.~ UUJ

destroyed.
- ~trYh ~
I reseoes, a ......
outdoor Sillueiroa Ireaeo
In the United States and
O ....
While hen, he wu com-
missioned to'do another,
K<

lorced to return to MUicna

}'ormer TImes art aitie
Villadez, as manastr of lb. 'PortraIt of MexiCO,' in tbe ATthur MUller commenled
sLate-ownedhistoricalafU, porch of the Paclfle Pall· at the time that Siquelroa'
l;I.kl It mi,ht be just
well to induce the artist
..d -
. Itot .•'.'''-hy.
....
-,.
home of Dudley
, film director of
That oue reo
•Aroerlca 'l'ropleal" w~
. L.._"
',rn""'a1 '" Ith h'-
"_ , ._~.
tion 0 , t,...
-n-."
~ Cu ... r
....;1'1 0 ... '"' I
.."Orne back lInli do aao ib er 'h. ,'m.. d , hi" •
on_wherever the Chi ea- m.. -'·--ib.
,~ '"'y other SI- l r '1' y o ' na 1\"
'10 communily w.nb It. quelros freED hen.
'N! he was asked by
land:
)lillierald. .. ,"-oUI1'
_
"Not
. In tome m~m hen. tbe ....owner of tht then Pla· try thou kI we Icome it IN;n
across town somew , v_ ~... C.nter at Olyera. who works with such ,In.
Trevino said, "but In our ........n nd I' ho
.--t to do the outside eerlty a III en.. IV
l " O m m u n l l y .5,,'-III-~"'" ·- that turned out ,hlIru hso unse II' hi ,"h
tiiquelros, he sal d,Dl I/;ht ... • ......u ' bIS' '-h)' IV ,
h
lie Interated In IUC ·II po-'-" -"'" -- .b-••
' .·'•••from
l ·t the others is 'Va IUll ' e""",'"n •
PI'Oj«l, even t ho ul h "IS h '" ,...... ,'·'ble
.. the eal .ad artist c ... now ge
\"i~ll here in 1932 was not "lIftt was whitewashed. • 'One mi;:ht intcrpl"tt lhe
• lolally happy on~ The rest or it wn c:ovem! fresco bowe\'er one liked,
lie came here then to d'" later. )'lillier wrote, but -It is iI
~ nlut¥l. ·Suut Mutin.: In lhe .meanUnle, 5!- )'{exiean', picture of hi.'
fr)\" tt'te O»uiDard School Iluelrot' .!x-month ,,;s'-
<'Ir ..\rt, wbleh he did with II lllr'. penmt uplrid ,00
mm troubled bnd ... l)r
the tragedy of hislor)' and

_. tum ot painters. ThaI, WaI$ not renewed...'1-

1M ~t;'-rerl ronlro"UlIy Iho\1~h he wanterl, ttt re·
..:..---- ..- ' .~ .. --- -"""'==-,_.. ...."-.._---
!'It man'lI fatr..-