Frick exhibit displays how artists received ‘New Deal’

“1934: A New Deal for Artists”

Various Artists

Frick Art and… “1934: A New Deal for Artists”

Various Artists

Frick Art and Historical Center

7227 Reynolds St.

412-371-0600

Where is the beauty in construction sites, economic depression and legislation? The Frick Art and Historical Center of Pittsburgh hopes to answer that question with its newest exhibition, “1934: A New Deal for Artists.”

Running from Jan. 30 to April 25, “1934: A New Deal for Artists” is a collection of artwork completed during the Depression that showcases various aspects of American life.

Almost every college student has learned about the Great Depression and Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation at some point in their academic career. Many Pitt students have probably walked across one of the bridges in the city built by men employed by the Public Works Administration, like the Roberto Clemente Bridge. However, few students understand the role artists played in the New Deal, under the Public Works of Art Program.

From Dec. 1933 to June 1934, the government commissioned 3,750 artists to portray the American landscape, determined by the view of each individual artist.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the program, the Smithsonian American Art Museum sent their collection of paintings from the Public Works of Art Program on tour. The Frick is its first stop.

According to Frick curator Sarah Hall, the 52 paintings in the collection explore all types of classic American images.

“You will see everything. The artists were told to paint the American theme and they went out to figure what that meant,” she said. “For some that meant rural, typical New England scenes, for others that meant laborers, portraits.”

The collection consists of 52 paintings by 51 artists. Two paintings in the collection are by Pittsburgh artist Harry W. Scheuch, who depicted the construction of the Cathedral of Learning.

Although there are no “big names” among the painters, Hall says that contributes to the exhibition’s appeal.

“Most of the artists aren’t household names. They were known within the art community, and they were successful painters in their lifetimes, but they weren’t famous. These were workmen. It’s art for the everyman by the everyman,” she said.

FDR saw the Public Works of Art Program as an opportunity to boost morale in the country — to show Americans that they had a sense of community even during rough economic times.

“It is an important way of communicating — understanding one another and what it means to be American. The goal was to introduce the American people,” Hall said. “It is almost treading the line between the great things art can do for a community and a form of propaganda.”

According to Hall, many of the artists didn’t need the money; they just saw it as a way to participate in the turnaround of the country. Not only did the program provide an outlet for art never seen before in the United States, it was also the first time art had been acknowledged as a profession and not just a luxury. Many artists jumped at the opportunity to participate.

“The collection shows the ability of the artist to inspire,” she said. ”It’s really all about communicating optimism and communality. Somewhere out there someone understands, the idea is that we’re all in this together.”

So does the collection inspire people just as much now as it did 75 years ago? Hall believes that it might, but in a different way.

“The message of an individual painting can’t convey a whole idea,” she said. “The collection is relevant to now though, most of these are timeless images.”