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Deaths of Artists Raises Questions
University Daily Kansan
By Gerald S. Bernstein Curator of the Art Museum
Within the last week two artistic careers came to an end. One was important enough to gain front page coverage throughout the world, the other was relegated to a standard obituary and buried deep in the bowels of the newspaper.
With the passing of Anna Mary Robertson Moses, better known as "Grandma Moses," in her 101st year a tradition has come to an end. Her simple naive style had become a national symbol.
One was mentioned on national network news, the other never made the wire service. If we were to judge by the eulogies alone the art world last week lost a master. But, the question arises, who was the master?
HER PAINTINGS of seasonal landscapes stared out at us from magazines, textile prints, and even Christmas cards and wrappings. Such an eminent citizen as former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, (a dabler in landscapes in his own right) spoke highly of her accomplishments.
The style of Grandma Moses has been called Primitive, a term that defies definition. She has been referred to as an unschooled amateur. Although one might concede that she was unschooled, one questions her amateur standing.
The market value of her paintings increased with each succeeding year. Having begun painting late in life, Grandma Moses' career still spanned 30 years, in which time we are asked to believe that she remained as totally naive and unsophisticated as in her first canvas.
THE DEATH OF ALBERT Bloch did not create the stir which surrounded the passing of Grandma Moses. Bloch had lived quietly in Lawrence for many years as professor emeritus of Drawing and Painting. His contribution to the history of twentieth century painting is historically documented.
His involvement with the major movements of German Expressionism before World War I is visually apparent in his style. Prof. Bloch was both a craftsman and a teacher, who searched along with men like Franz Marc and Wassily Kandinsky for new expression.
In the catalogue to a Retrospective Exhibition of his work, held at the
University of Kansas Museum of Art in 1955, Prof. Bloch stated, "Of my career . . . all I can tell you is that each year I seem to be beginning to learn a little more about painting."
In the complex currents of twentieth century art these two careers crossed only once, in death. But from this point on the probing intellectual search of Prof. Bloch shall light the way to new discoveries, while the work of Grandma Moses shall be a beacon for all those interested in the "status quo."
Fallout May Increase Here
Snow from last weekend may cause a temporary rise in radioactive fallout in Lawrence.
A sample from the snowfall was taken by the department of radiation biophysics and the amount recorded may be higher than the previous air samples.
Precipitation tends to "wash out" the atmosphere and bring down the radioactive material, the department says.
Fallout from air samples still holds to the range established after the Russians resumed nuclear testing in September.
According to the department of radiation biophysics fallout measurements have ranged from 1.93 micro-microcuries per cubic foot of air to 5.42 micro-microcuries per cubic foot of air in December. The department has been measuring the amount of radiation received from fallout in Lawrence since last spring.
Since the Russians resumed testing, fallout in Lawrence has tripled, but the department has repeatedly maintained this is no sign for alarm. Radioactive fallout will have to increase several hundred times before it constitutes a threat to man and his food.
No Favoritism
MARSHALL, Tex. — (UPI) Marshall traffic policemen are bound to their duty, city judge George G. Huffman believes. After Huffman completed a recent traffic trial, he returned to his parked auto and found a ticket for overparking.
Foreign Students: interested in taking the club Plaza of Kansas City should sign up in the PTP office of the Kansas University. They will attend Wednesday and will depart at 2:30 p.m.
Foreign Students: Please turn in the Christmas vacation plans to the Foreign Student adviser, 228 Strong Hall, by Wednesday morning.
Official Bulletin
Western Civilization Comprehensive Examination: Registration for this in Registrar's Office, 131 Strong, Dec. 11-19 Review Sessions: Jan. 9, 10 to 7:15 AM. Bailey Auditorium. Examinations: Jan. 13 at 1 p.m., rooms to be assigned.
God is dead!—Nietsche
Catholic Daily Mass: 6:30 & 8 a.m. St John's Church, 13th & Kentucky.
TOMORROW
Epicopalc Holy Communion and Breakfast:
7 a.m. Canterbury House.
Episcopal Evening Prayer: 9:30 p.m.
Danforth Chapel.
BERLIN — (UPI)—West Berlin Mayor Willy Brandt flipped a switch last night and 50,000 electric lights on 1,000 Christmas trees along the 25-mile border wall went on to show East Berliners that "they are not forgotten."
West Berlin Sends Greetings to East
Klaus Haucke, 9, who escaped to West Berlin on Nov. 5, was at Brandt's side, stamping his feet in the icy cold. The youngster's mother was captured by the Communists and imprisoned.
"This candle light is shining across the wall to bring a message to our countrymen." Brandt shouted into the night. "The message that they are not forgotten by us who live in freedom."
Brandt and the crowd of 5,000 West Berliners in the French sector's wedding district ignored a loudspeaker that blared out propaganda and music on the Communist side of the wall.
The electric candles on the limbs of the trees twinkled to life, flickering gay colors on the boarded-up buildings on the Communist side of the wall.
Monday, Dec. 18, 1961
The lights in the trees showed some scars of Communist hate. East Berlin Vopos leaned over the wall Saturday and ripped some branches off. Others threw stones at the stately firs.
WOBURN, Mass. — (UPI) — While celebrating her 105th birthday, Miss Bridget Riley was asked if she took a nap each day.
"Heavens, not!" she replied. "Do you think I want to sleep my whole life away?"
No Sleepy-time Gal
Fight Embargo
NEW YORK — (UPI) — The American Bible Society has issued an emergency appeal for $250,000 in contributions to fill needs for Bibles in Indonesia before an embargo bans shipments of scriptures to that country on Dec. 23.
Dr. Robert T. Taylor, society executive secretary, said the Indonesian government had placed an embargo on all foreign books published in locally-used languages. The move was made in an effort to strengthen Indonesia's economy by allowing the use only of such books published in Indonesia.
Merry Christmas
BELL MUSIC CO.
925 Mass.
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Fallout Shelters Are Useless Warns Russian Ambassador
NEW YORK — (UPI) — Soviet Ambassador Mikhail A. Menshikov says building U.S. nuclear fallout shelters is "absolutely useless" because Russian super-bombs would destroy everything for hundreds of miles around the center of a blast.
Menshikov also said that the Soviet Union might explode a 100 megaton bomb in new tests unless the United States stops its tests.
The Soviet Ambassador made his statements in a two-hour prerecorded television interview.
"If these tests are not stopped at once, then, of course, we will start our tests again, and not only ordinary bombs but perhaps super-bombs also."
REFERRING TO U.S. nuclear tests, which were resumed after the Soviets started testing, Mr. Menshikov said:
THE RUSSIANS capped their extended test series by exploding a 55-megaton bomb in the Arctic and brushed off United Nations condemnation of testing.
He said that could mean a 100 megaton bomb, which would equal 100 million tons of TNT.
As for radioactive fallout, much of which is expected to come down with the spring rains, Mr. Menshikov said:
"It's better...to poison a little bit (of the) atmosphere...and stop any possible aggression."
THE AMBASSADOR said Russia is not taking measures to develop a fallout shelter system, similar to the $700 million project proposed
for this country by the Kennedy administration, because shelters "cannot protect."
"It is impossible to protect the life of people in this nuclear war, if it happens." Mr. Menshikov said.
"As with these bombs and superbombs... (everything) within hundreds of miles from the epicenter of the explosion...would be entirely destroyed ...
"You may give some consolation to some of those people by building those shelters; but they are of no use. The best protection is to disarm."
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SIC FLICS
"I don't know what the name of the course is, but I've repeated it for three years!"
21 GREAT TOBACCOS MAKE 20 WONDERFUL SMOKES! AGED MILD, BLENDED MILD- NOT FILTERED MILD-THEY SATISFY