Page 16 - Studio International - September 1974

After a year as the managing editor, Solmon Front actually was self-supporting. Union recall why the magazine ceased so suddenly,
decided the demands made upon him by the financing was generally casual and the though some speculated that it may have been an
magazine were too time-consuming. In addition magazine's finances were apparently not economy measure by the executive board. The
to his obligations to the WPA, he was a leading separated from general funds. In addition to union continued to produce mimeographed
member of an exhibition group known as the sales and advertising income, which was little newsletters and bulletins of various kinds, and
Ten which had been receiving some recognition. enough, the magazine relied upon funds from an from time to time there was talk of sponsoring
The December 1936 issue was the last in which Art Front Ball that was held on Thanksgiving at another publication. There was one serious
Solmon functioned as the managing editor, the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. For the six- attempt in 1940 when the union published New
although he remained on the board for the month period ending 31 December, 1936, total York Artist, a pocket-size magazine that only
January 1937 Art Front when Weinstock income for Art Front was $939.35, while lasted for four issues. The avowed purpose of
succeeded him. The last article Solmon printing expenses were only $737.14. Granting the new magazine was not 'to print an arty
contributed to the magazine was a laudatory that a twelve-month statement might not be so publication, but . . . to develop unity among
review of an exhibition by the Mexican painter favourable, the magazine could not realistically artists . . . to advance their interests'.26 It was,
Rufino Tamayo. Solmon's statement that the be deemed a financial burden to the union that on the whole, rather dull.
paintings of Tamayo 'soared above the work of used Art Front's income for general expenses Perhaps because it was the journal of a
most of his compatriots' caused a furor while it failed to meet the printing obligations. unique organization — a trade union of fine
among a clique of Siqueiros admirers and The feeling persisted that Art Front had to be artists — there has never again been a magazine
during the 'good and welfare' portion of a made financially responsible, so when Naum quite like Art Front. The professional art
membership meeting, Solmon was charged with Tschacbasov, in December 1936, suggested the journals like the Art Digest and the Magazine of
insulting the Mexican muralist. A. J. Schneider, magazine could become a source of income for Art were conservative and stuffy, while left-
who worked in the Siqueiros workshop, wrote a the union, he was appointed business manager. wing journals with an interest in the arts like
letter of complaint to be printed in the next Tschacbasov was a dynamic and ambitious man New Masses were primarily literary. For anyone
issue, in which he proclaimed that Orozco and who had the reputation of being vain, self- wishing to investigate the tensions between art
Siqueiros were at the nucleus of the Mexican serving, and even ruthless. and politics during the 193os, Art Front is an
League of Revolutionary Artists and Writers He immediately rented office space at invaluable document. Only the Archives of
and that it was therefore incumbent upon 'our 41 Union Square, purchased office furniture and American Art and the Museum of Modern Art
own organ of publicity [not to publicize equipment, and hired a pretty but totally Library have complete sets of the magazine
individuals] to the detriment or harm of any incompetent secretary. Weinstock and Rothman available for study.q
union engaged in a struggle common to all thought the move ridiculous but nevertheless GERALD M. MONROE
of us' .22 thoroughly enjoyed the new, luxurious
Solmon's broad policy lost some momentum environment; they even had a room with a long 1 Art Front, November 1934, p. 3.
when Weinstock became managing editor. table for board meetings. The idyll lasted about 2 Ethyl Olenikov, 'In Answer to Art News,' Art Front,
However, Weinstock did enjoy provoking three months — until the furniture was November 1934, p. 5.
3 Clarence Weinstock, 'A Letter on Salvador Dali,'
vigorous debates for which Art Front was the repossessed for nonpayment. Art Front, February 1935, p. 8.
forum. He published a speech by Louis Aragon, Weinstock informed Rothman that he was the 4 Jerome Klein, 'Dada for Propaganda,' Art Front,
the French Communist poet who had been a new business manager when Tschacbasov quit, February 1935, p. 8.
5 'The U.S. Scene in Art,' Time, 24 December, 1934,
surrealist, asserting that the new style 'will be a and Chet La More joined the board in an effort p. 24.
socialistic realism or it will cease to exist'.23 Dali by the leadership to strengthen its control of the 6 Stuart Davis, 'The New York American Scene in
agreed to write a rebuttal, accusing Aragon of magazine. La More was reputed to be tough and Art,' Art Front, February 1935, p. 6.
Ibid.
being a leftist opportunist.24 Weinstock then efficient; Weinstock and Rothman welcomed Moses Soyer, 'About Moses Soyer,' Art Front,
leaped into the fray, labelling Dali as a counter- the help. By his own admission a poor February 1935, p. 6.
revolutionary artist who pleases the bourgeois businessman, Rothman was unaware that the 9 John Stewart Curry, 'A Letter from Curry,' Art
Front, April 1935, p. 6.
`with his slimy watches'.25 magazine's advertising salesman was pocketing " Thomas Benton, 'Why Mr. Benton,' Art Front,
The change of emphasis was subtle when the revenue. The 'sloppy' finances infuriated April 1935, p. 4.
control of the magazine shifted from Solmon to the leadership. Former president Harry " Jacob Burck, 'Benton Sees Red,' Art Front, April
1935, p. 6.
Weinstock. The new managing editor relied less Gottlieb was added to the editorial board and 12 Correspondence, Art Front, May 1935, p. 7.
on the union's artist-critics and was more apt to Rothman was brought up on charges. Weinstock 13 Clarence Weinstock, 'Contradictions in
use Marxist analysts like A. L. Lloyd, F. D. ran to V. J. Jerome to complain and he assigned Abstractions,' Art Front, April 1935, p. 5.
14 Stuart Davis, 'A Medium of Two Dimensions,'
Klingender and Samuel Putnam, whose Tim Holmes to help adjudicate. Art Front, May 1935, p. 6.
aesthetic views admitted the technical Although there was a question of 15 Stuart Davis, 'We Reject — The Art Commission,'
Art Front, July 1935, p. 4.
achievements of the School of Paris, but misappropriated funds, it is likely that older " Stuart Davis, 'Some Chance,' Art Front, November
maintained that contemporary art could only be dissatisfactions with the magazine became a 1935, Pp. 4-7.
significant when it employed social content. The dominant factor; a segment of the leadership " Balcomb Greene, 'The Function of Léger,' Art
magazine continued to include articles of general believed the magazine inadequately represented Front, January 1936, p. 9.
18 Clarence Weinstock, 'Freedom in Painting,' Art
interest to the members — project news, union the goals of the union and resented Weinstock's Front, January 1936, p. to.
matters, educational and technical data, control. The charges against Rothman may have 19 Margaret Duroc, 'Critique from the Left,' Art
political comment, listings of current been levelled to discredit Weinstock indirectly. Front, January 1936, p. 8.
"Martin Craig, 'Jacques Lipchitz,' Art Front,
exhibitions and so on. Artwork was liberally Holmes repeatedly referred to Weinstock as a January 1936, pp. to-I I.
reproduced, especially that which had been Trotskyite even though no one had made those 21 Charmion von Weigand, 'The Surrealists,' Art
completed on the art project. charges. Weinstock continued as managing Front, January 1937, pp. 12-15.
22 A. J. Schneider, Art Front, March 1937. p. 15; also
Members of the union's executive board were editor through December 1937, the date of the Joseph Solmon, 'Tamayo,' Art Front, February 1937,
always represented on the editorial board to magazine's last issue. p. 17.
assure that Art Front remained an instrument of Art Front went out of existence without " Louis Aragon, 'Painting and Reality,' Art Front,
January 1937, p. 7.
the union's economic policy and to control warning; the last issue was still soliciting 24 Salvador Dali, 'I Defy Aragon,' Art Front, March
publication costs. It was assumed by some within subscriptions and requesting notification to the 4937, p. 7.
the leadership that the magazine was an circulation department of change of address. Of " Clarence Weinstock, 'The Man in the Balloon,' Art
Front, March 1937, p. 8.
expensive indulgence, but it is likely that Art the persons interviewed for this study, none can " New York Artist, March 1940, p. 2.
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