2 10 1402 https://openvalley.org/files/original/f5a6ac000cb4f67b5ea77777cf0d0583.jpg 420c9921a7bf0dfdb48f3da3be57c095 https://openvalley.org/files/original/95329c727508e874e8f8278805ea9523.jpg b0f9f1efd97ac6723040cc0f8880f7ed Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Lithograph Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Sheet: 17 3/4 x 23 in. Image: 15 3/4 x 21 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Garden Scene Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2 MB jpeg, 1.5 MB Description An account of the resource Two women are depicted holding one another, one nude and the other clothed. While the brushstrokes are liberated and cloud the painting, it is obvious there are another two figures in the background observing these women. This addition to the work creates depth and mystery to the subject matter. The lack of color in the print makes the scene appear even more murky and inscrutable. The figures are rendered in a way that is slightly abstracted, yet it is clear to the viewer that they are women. The expressions on the women’s faces are non-expressive and neither one is completely seen by the viewer. The effect is to evoke more allegorical garden scenes, if not Edenic then an encounter between nature and culture. About the Artist Robert Moir was born on 7 Jan. 1917 in Chicago, Illinois. He was a sculptor and lithographer, formally trained at the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia University, New York University and the Art Students League of New York. Moir worked in the FAP’s Graphic Art Division, where he developed an emotive, expressionist style inflected with abstraction. As a New York Times reviewer wrote of a solo sculpture show, its first impression was “one of energy contained with difficulty within the writing forms. Figure themes are presented in a semi-abstract manner, but their inspiration is emotional rather than purely formal” (Preston). A similar claim might be made of his earlier prints. Moir’s career came to a halt during the 1940s when he was drafted for WWII, then resumed with gallery shows in New York during the 1950s. His sculptures were featured at successive Whitney Bienniels between 1951-56, including <a href="https://archive.org/details/1951annualwhit/page/n6/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cumulus</a> (1951), The Expanding Universe II (1953), and Desire (1956). His sculpture Mother and Child (1950) is held at the <a href="https://whitney.org/artists/903" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whitney Museum of American Art</a>. He died on 11 Feb 1981. 14 graphic works at <a href="https://www.artic.edu/collection?artist_ids=Robert%20Moir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Art Institute of Chicago</a>. <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=Robert%20B.%20Moir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6 works at Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 3 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/robert-moir-3373" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 7 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/2083/robert-moir/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: “Stuart Preston, “Sculpture Shown in Galleries Here, New York Times 9 Nov. 1951: 25 <a href="https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/09/81777612.html?pageNumber=25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Moir, Robert (1917 - 1981) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c. 1935 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Copolla, Victoria (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1324 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project Garden lithograph New Deal Gallery Robert Moir https://openvalley.org/files/original/89bae04856f45c8849ed5abfc7c8f5a1.jpg b64060aaf732bffecd25e1d6d43b8c49 https://openvalley.org/files/original/b784fc5fd869dd9842c92cd58a189b1e.jpg 2fb41782a47d5792cd5c3c31f3ae4f72 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Lithograph on paper Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 18 x 13 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Winter Day Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2.6 MB jpeg, 2 MB Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Moir, Robert (1917 - 1981) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c. 1935 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (description) Coppola, Victoria (biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1327 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Description An account of the resource A city street is rendered using a loosely sketched framework of lines and scribbles, overlaid with lithographic shadings and textures. Some of its details, like a cart in the foreground, remain insubstantial and undeveloped. Several human figures are suggested--pulling a cart, standing on a fire escape, talking outside of a tavern, or walking alongside the street--but they remain ciphers. The overwhelming atmosphere of Moir's print is provided by smoke billowing from two large smokestacks, whose tone and texture suffuse the sky, roads, buildings, and even what appears to be a church. Moir sketches out a physical location in the service of an interior emotion: the bleakness of cities at mid-winter. About the Artist Robert Moir was born on 7 Jan. 1917 in Chicago, Illinois. He was a sculptor and lithographer, formally trained at the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia University, New York University and the Art Students League of New York. Moir worked in the FAP’s Graphic Art Division, where he developed an emotive, expressionist style inflected with abstraction. As a New York Times reviewer wrote of a solo sculpture show, its first impression was “one of energy contained with difficulty within the writing forms. Figure themes are presented in a semi-abstract manner, but their inspiration is emotional rather than purely formal” (Preston). A similar claim might be made of his earlier prints. Moir’s career came to a halt during the 1940s when he was drafted for WWII, then resumed with gallery shows in New York during the 1950s. His sculptures were featured at successive Whitney Bienniels between 1951-56, including <a href="https://archive.org/details/1951annualwhit/page/n6/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cumulus</a> (1951), The Expanding Universe II (1953), and Desire (1956). His sculpture Mother and Child (1950) is held at the <a href="https://whitney.org/artists/903" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whitney Museum of American Art</a>. He died on 11 Feb 1981. 14 graphic works at <a href="https://www.artic.edu/collection?artist_ids=Robert%20Moir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Art Institute of Chicago</a>. <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=Robert%20B.%20Moir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6 works at Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 3 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/robert-moir-3373" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 7 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/2083/robert-moir/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: “Stuart Preston, “Sculpture Shown in Galleries Here, New York Times 9 Nov. 1951: 25 <a href="https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/11/09/81777612.html?pageNumber=25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>. Federal Art Project lithograph New Deal Gallery Pollution Robert Moir https://openvalley.org/files/original/cc8f1382ca8047ec1bd94d5d9382e808.jpg 6aafc7f5fdfc9c80c7d923aca0e6311b https://openvalley.org/files/original/ad3ad53584ddea18958c56298af48638.jpg 5464c36a85afef43575d6f73c6130b68 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Wood engraving Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Sheet: 9 x 7 1/2 in. Image:6 x 4 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ash Heap '19 Westinghouse '39 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.5 MB jpeg, 1MB Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pont, Charles E[rnest], 1898 - 1971 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1939 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 1385 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Description An account of the resource This otherworldly woodcut is set in a real-world location: the Corona ash dump in Flushing Meadows, Queens. Originally the site of a proposed new industrial port in the early 20th century, its owner imported trainloads of ash from Manhattan to fill in marshlands—an estimated 50 million cubic yards, averaging thirty feet in height. When that scheme failed and residential housing expanded into the area, it became harder to ignore the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flushing_Meadows%E2%80%93Corona_Park#/media/File:Valley_of_Ashes.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stark contrast</a> between All-American homes and the Corona dump, which was the model for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Valley of the Ashes” in his novel The Great Gatsby (1925). Pont strips away most of the area’s details to create topographic forms with patterned lines, seemingly alive beneath the tiny trains riding over them. The print’s extreme contrast in lighting, especially overhead, creates an apocalyptic tone to the scene. One person in the foreground carries a large bag, perhaps alluding to the removal of encampments (by bulldozers) during a redevelopment program in 1938-39. New York Parks Commissioner Robert Moses created a 900-acre site that included grounds for the 1939 World’s Fair, whose theme was “The World of Tomorrow.” Pont’s title probably alludes to one of the fair’s corporate participants: Westinghouse built a “Hall of Electrical Living” that it called “a forecast of the future as foretold by the industrial and technical developments of today” (Official Guide Book 156). In the hands of the evangelical Pont, however, the promise of technological new ages are built upon the ashes of earlier ones. Compare this woodcut to Pont’s similar <a href="https://digital.wolfsonian.org/node/67481" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Corona Ash Dump '29 World's Fair Food Section '39</a>. About the Artist Born in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France, Pont was abandoned by his mother at three months old in New York City and raised by a German immigrant couple. Like many children during those times, he was working by age fifteen in a variety of jobs. A serious illness in 1918—he was given six months to live—led Pont to become a born-again Christian; thereafter, his religious studies and eventual ministries melded with an exceptional artistic talent. As a book jacket described, he “entered into an unusual evangelistic career, drawing scenes and figure groups from the Bible in full color while preaching” (World’s Collision). Pont studied at the Pratt Institute and, as a 35-year-old carpenter and housepainter, won a scholarship at the Art Students League. Most of Pont’s work for the Federal Art Project took the form of woodcut prints, often with nautical subject matter. During this period Pont also was a tireless commercial illustrator whose output ranged from extremely technical diagrams, like Joseph Leeming’s <a href="https://archive.org/details/funwithpaper0000jose/mode/1up?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fun With Paper</a> (1939); to numerous book <a href="https://archive.org/details/expositorynoteso0000litt/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">covers</a> for the evangelical minister H.A. Ironside; to more evocative works like Alan Viliers’ <a href="https://archive.org/details/whalersofmidnigh0000alan/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whalers of the Midnight Sun</a> (1936). This last title stands in for many illustrations for maritime-themed books, often for younger readers. Pont himself published an intriguing synthesis of theology, speculative architecture, and illustration called <a href="https://archive.org/details/tabernaclealphab0000char/page/n6/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Tabernacle Alphabet</a> (1946). In later years he moved to Wilton, CT living in a home he himself had constructed. He passed away in 1971.11 works at <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=Charles%20E.%20Pont" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 4 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/charles-e-pont-3834" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 16 works at <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=Charles+Ernest+Pont&searchField=ArtistCulture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Metropolitan Museum of Art</a>. 4 works at <a href="https://www.nga.gov/artists/33895-charles-ernest-pont" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Gallery of Art</a>. 3 images at <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-18-folder-31" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAP</a>. 14 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/2183/charles-ernest-pont/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: Official Guide Book, New York World’s Fair 1939. Exposition Publications, 1939 <a href="https://archive.org/details/1939-nyworlds-fair-official-guidebook/page/156/mode/1up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; Charles E. Pont, The World’s Collision (W.A. Wilde, 1956); “Charles E. Pont,” Wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_E._Pont" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a> 1939 World's Fair Charles E. Pont Corona Ash Dump Engraving Federal Art Project New Deal Gallery https://openvalley.org/files/original/9d64e97ae9a849292caece2fd2138f03.jpg d2741992feb1293f366feb478f95b7af Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Mural painting on canva Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 14 1/2 x 7 1/2 ft. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Wealth of the Nation Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Fogel, Seymour (1911 - 1984) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1938 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Photo courtesy Voice of America, via <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Wealth_of_the_Nation,_Seymour_Fogel.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 429 KB Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Treasury Section of Fine Arts, Treasury Department Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Description An account of the resource This mural was one of two painted in 1938 for a new building slated to be the Social Security Administration, in Washington, DC. The two make a case for the benefits of a social safety net and coordinated management of the US economy. "Wealth of Nations" shows a scientist, architect, and three factory workers against a planar, modernisti backdrop of industrial utopianism. The companion mural, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Fogel#/media/File:Mural_%22The_Security_of_the_People%22_by_Seymour_Fogel_located_in_the_Wilbur_J._Cohen_Federal_Building,_Washington,_D.C_LCCN2013634371.tif" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Security of the People</a> (1938) depicts the domestic benefits of a planned economy: adequate food, healthy children, the luxury of education and personal development. It's here that a woman makes an appearance in the mural, as a mother. The two murals were installed in 1940, although without the intended tenant; a series of federal agencies has occupied the Wilbur J. Cohen Building, currently the subject of dispute amid proposals to sell off the property and its famous murals. Works Consulted: history of Fogel murals at the Cohen Building by Living New Deal <a href="https://livingnewdeal.org/sites/wilbur-j-cohen-building-fogel-murals-washington-dc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a>; biography of Seymour Fogel at Wikipedia <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Fogel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Link</a> Mural New Deal Seymour Fogel Social Security https://openvalley.org/files/original/325c9ed9760e8f2a6bbcd5cd004ddb1b.jpg c9ab0b76cfafe13a686a201fd8390b0c https://openvalley.org/files/original/4334b64b8afc7f06eeac6f567b63db95.jpg e9bea7a9febbba1e86ea476c3823de4c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Lithograph Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 11-1/4 x 15-3/4 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Bridge Worker No. 1 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 2 MB jpeg, 1.2 MB Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Murphy, Arthur G. (1906 - 1991) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c. 1935 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photographer) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris NY Item #FA 1349 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Description An account of the resource This lithograph is one of several prints in Murphy’s “Bridge Worker” series in 1935, which was followed by a “Steel Riggers” series in 1936. The subject matter of both is construction of the Golden Gate Bridge whose active phase began in 1933 and was completed in 1938—one of the New Deal’s most famous infrastructure projects (see a collection of historical photos <a href="https://calisphere.org/collections/8624/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>). Virtually all of Murphy’s prints link the physical strength of men to their collective, nearly heroic, accomplishments; in this, the artist was like many others in mythicizing modern industry. Murphy’s lithograph, however, also explores an uncanny valley: the worker’s back muscles and legs are massive, so much so that his clothes barely can contain them. Wisps of torn fabric are mirrored by strands of hair, giving the worker a pre-human quality (or later in the later 20th century, suggesting the Marvel Comics character <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredible_Hulk_(comic_book)#/media/File:Talestoastonish60.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Incredible Hulk</a>). Was industrial society so harshly divided into scientific brains and laboring brawn? Besides a strand of steel cable, there is little social context to the individual figure here: no co-workers or suggestions of specialized knowledge. To some extent, Murphy’s <a href="https://www.nga.gov/artworks/149156-steel-riggers-no-5-bay-bridge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Steel Rigger”</a> series remediates that lack, although again their bodies are somewhat fetishized. About the Artist  Arthur Murphy was born in Tiffin, OH, later crediting aimless walks through its woodlands for teaching him how to see as an artist (Robinson). After graduation he moved to Cleveland and began work in the art department of the Central Press Association, meanwhile taking classes at the Cleveland School of Art. In 1927 Murphy relocated to New York, continuing his studies at the Art Students League with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boardman_Robinson">Boardman Robinson</a>. In 1930 Murphy took “one hell of a gamble” and left his illustrator job at the Associated Press—this during the Great Depression—to become a painter (Burkholder). He traveled West with virtually no money, riding trains with other hoboes and sketching scenery. Eventually, he settled in San Francisco, met the influential Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, and became a well-regarded painter, printmaker, and muralist. Murphy’s unconventional life path and choices of subject matter led a reviewer to remark in 1933:  “His story interests because it reveals how an artist grows up in America today, what it feels like to be an artist and what hardships may be cheerfully endured by one who feels the need to create” (Millier). All of Murphy’s work for the FAP dates to this period, nearly a hundred individual prints: series of lithographs showing steel riggers at work building the new Golden Gate Bridge; Ballet Russe dancers traveling through the city; rurally themed prints of cowboys, horses, and rodeos. “I can’t stand total realism,” he claimed, but as later critics suggested it was more a matter of matching at times wildly different styles to his wide-ranging subject matter (Cotter). After several exhibitions under the auspices of the FAP, in 1941 the San Francisco Museum of Art staged a solo show of Murphys’s considerable output. He was drafted into the Army, in 1943, as a combat artist in the Pacific. Murphy was an eyewitness to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Leyte_Gulf">Battle of Leyte Gulf</a> (1944), the largest naval battle of WWII, and on land recorded war atrocities through his drawings. Years later, he still was drawing those scenes from memory. Murphy returned to the US married to an Australian partner, settled in Old Saybroook, CT, and continued with his painting supplemented by income as an art teacher. During the mid-1960s, he was instrumental in forming the Old Saybrook Artists Association, supporting others until his death in 1991. 33 works at <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=Arthur%20Murphy">Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 25 works at <a href="https://www.moma.org/artists/45861-arthur-murphy">MoMA</a>. 25 works at <a href="https://dia.org/search/collection?keys=arthur%20murphy">Detroit Institute of Arts</a>. 10 works at <a href="https://www.nga.gov/artists/33826-arthur-george-murphy">National Gallery of Art</a>. 2 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/arthur-murphy-3464">Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 1 work at <a href="https://whitney.org/artists/4067">Whitney Museum of American Art</a>. 119 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/1862/arthur-g-murphy/objects/images?page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Works Consulted: Arthur Millier, “Comfort and Security Mean Nothing to Creative Artist,” Los Angeles Times 10 Sep. 1933: 26; Kenton Robinson, “He Began To Draw, Then To See,” Hartford Courant 27 Dec. 1981: 23+; Steve Burkholder, “At 80, Artist Finds New Challenges in Early Subjects,” Hartford Courant 24 Jan. 1986: 56; Holland Cotter, “A Wanderer With an Eye For Textures of His Time,” New York Times 10 Sep 1993: 73 <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/10/arts/review-art-a-wanderer-with-an-eye-for-textures-of-his-time.html">Link</a>. Arthur G. Murphy Federal Art Project industrialization lithograph New Deal Gallery https://openvalley.org/files/original/647091752be8a76b691c3157d41f6025.jpg 5acabb1d6e0c482e627c30ab7f3cc1e1 https://openvalley.org/files/original/a0735f59460ac1cd77f853cd5358b38b.jpg 619c09e02fe99d7ac7e3f39a9e6bb7ec Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Oil on canvas painting Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Canvas: 35 x 28 1/2 in. Frame: 41 x 34 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource House by the Water Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.9 MB jpeg, 1.4 MB Description An account of the resource Note: title was given by General Services Administration for the purposes of labeling; Noble's orignal title is unknown We see a house beside a calm body of water, bordered by trees and shoreline. Noble emphasizes tranquility and stability by placing the house in the midground, where it reflects softly in the water’s natural light. A curved walkway makes the painting fascinating, since it leads to small boats that symbolize a quiet waterway to escape from the modern noise. Industrialization is deliberately avoided in the painting, emphasizing a quieter and more traditional rural setting. Earthy greens, browns, and muted blues are used in the palette to create a quiet rural atmosphere. The brushwork is controlled in the foliage and water, giving the scene a calm, deliberate quality. Loose strokes appear as well, but they do not disrupt the overall stillness. The house is rendered with firmer lines, grounding the composition and emphasizing the theme of shelter and domestic security. Painted during the Great Depression, the work reflects a period of economic crisis that encouraged Americans to view the landscape as a site of resilience. Noble’s viewers feel a sense of stability since they are seeing an idealized home that’s connected to nature. Its placement in a public collection aligns with the New Deal’s goals of making art accessible and uplifting everyday Americans. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Noble, Carl E. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Taylor, Nadia (description) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 821 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Carl E. Noble Federal Arts Project New Deal Museum painting https://openvalley.org/files/original/67edbfd67869fef81d60efb140a8db1a.jpg 0c5ae992e33cf6078f6a7b3eb95c77d3 https://openvalley.org/files/original/a33c2a3b160b80b78e4f2e9b12b5b2db.jpg 63210cd51d6cc1b8a2ee02dcc6e00999 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Drypoint on paper Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Image: 15 x 11 in. Framed: 25 1/2 x 21 3/4 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Near Kingston Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.5 MB jpeg, 692 KB Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Blanch, Arnold (1896 - 1968) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c. 1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Rivera, Dominc (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 184 Description An account of the resource A rural landscape near Kingston, NY is structured to guide a viewer's eye from foreground into the middle distance through a gently curving route or boundary line, creating depth by progressively reducing detail as the land recedes. The image relies on value contrast and line to organize space: darker masses (tree trunks, corn shocks, and rooflines) anchor the middle ground, while lighter passages suggest open fields and atmospheric conditions. The drypoint technique contributes an airy, foglike quality to the surroundings. Architectural elements, such as a farmhouse and outbuildings, situate the landscape as inhabited, not strictlly “wild” scenery. The farm does not appear to be deserted, either, still a viable operation set against a smokestack in the distant city. Arnold's mood is quiet and restrained; rather than dramatic action, his print emphasizes place, structure, and everyday continuity, aligning with the era's interest in depicting the American Scene. Arnold Blanch Drypoint Federal Art Project Kingston, NY New Deal Museum https://openvalley.org/files/original/482331416227ee5746ec3275b058c88e.jpg bfd27bf44f4adda8d165a27d5b7ce43c https://openvalley.org/files/original/cc06479904d352c427b23f257036308a.jpg 2e8423c763a5618ef98eca0202e4b775 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Color lithograph Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Window: 14 1/4 x 12 1/4 in. Sheet: 17 x 14 3/4 in. Mat: 19 1/4 x 17 1/8 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New for Old Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.5 MB jpeg, 939 KB Description An account of the resource New for Old is a color lithograph, showing buildings on a street and a crane-like machine. There are what looks like building materials next to the machine. The buildings’ proportions feel slightly off, just enough where they seem to bend a little. Though the focal point would seem to be the construction, but the viewer does not get a good view of the construction itself, as there is a part of a wall still standing, and a dirt pile where the building materials are, along with the body of the crane machine. There is no movement in the print—no figures actively working on the construction site, or people on the street. The colors are muted yellow and blue, created an aged, washed-out effect on the print. The only dark part of the print is the bottom right corner where the building materials and dirt pile are. The print overall has an unsettling feeling to it, devoid of any living things and its washed-out color. It might suggest that perhaps this construction is not a good thing, because of the dark only around the building materials and the emptiness. It might make the audience wonder what the “old” was that is getting replaced, and what the replacement is. Though when compared to a similar print, Burke’s Delousing, which has a darker atmosphere and connotation to the title (“delousing” meaning to get rid of lice or other parasitic insects), New for Old seems to be a more positive—while still eerie—depiction of change and construction. About the Artist A pioneer in screen printing, Leonard Pytlak was born in 1910 in Newark, New Jersey. He attended the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art, and the Art Students League in New York. Pytlak specialized in printmaking, both serigraphs and lithographs. He also painted, creating a mural for Greenpoint Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, under the WPA in the 30s. In 1938, he worked for the FAP in New York, in the Graphic Section, part of the silkscreen unit. He was a founding member of the National Serigraph Society and was elected twice as president. He had several solo exhibitions in the 40s, and was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1941 to investigate new techniques in color lithography and serigraphy. He also won awards from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Print Club, the Philadelphia Color Print Society, the Seattle Art Museum, the National Academy of Design, and the Library of Congress. During the 1960s, Pytlak taught drawing, painting, and screen printing, and ran a class for disabled students for the New York State Rehabilitation Department. 108 works at <a href="https://www.philamuseum.org/collection?artist=Leonard%20Pytlak">Philadelphia Museum of Art</a>. 22 works at <a href="https://www.nga.gov/artists/5289-leonard-pytlak/artworks">National Gallery of Art</a>. 8 works at <a href="https://americanart.si.edu/artist/leonard-pytlak-3901">The Smithsonian American Art Museum</a>. 1 work at <a href="https://www.mmoca.org/artist/leonard-pytlak/">Madison Museum of Contemporary Art</a>. 4 works at <a href="https://collections.mfa.org/search/objects/*/leonard%20pytlak">Boston Museum of Fine Arts</a>. 3 works at <a href="https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/search/collection?artist_maker=Leonard+Pytlak">Brooklyn Museum</a>. 24 works at Metropolitan Museum of Art. 7 images at <a href="https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/federal-art-project-photographic-division-collection-5467/series-1/box-18-folder-40" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAP</a>. 32 images at <a href="https://art.gsa.gov/people/1946/leonard-pytlak/objects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GSA</a>. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pytlak, Leonard (1910–1998) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource c. 1935 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Singer, Ella (description and biography) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Musueum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 84 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Federal Art Project Leonard Pytlak lithograph New Deal Museum Urban Setting https://openvalley.org/files/original/d10dca33ea5d62c11c411a8f0bfe5b67.jpg cd07d1ddb9c11041775bb133f3dbb740 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Photograph Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Astoria Park Swimming Pool, Bird's Eye View Looking North Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource New York Department of Parks Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available NYC Department of Records and Information Services Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-09-23 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a class="metadata-link new-primary new-primary-tint-hover" href="https://nycrecords.access.preservica.com/?s=&hh_cmis_filter=oai_dc.source%2FREC0125+New+York+City+Department+of+Parks+photographs++&saved_filters=oai_dc.source%2FREC0125+New+York+City+Department+of+Parks+photographs++" title="More like this">REC0125 New York City Department of Parks photographs </a> Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 5.9 MB Description An account of the resource Construction of the swimming pool at Astoria Park, Queens was facilitated by funding from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), arriving just as Robert Moses became Commissioner of Parks for New York. Swimming in the East River at Hell Gate resulted in numerous drownings, and social standards had changed enough during the 1920s to enable mixed-gender bathing. This was the most famous of several built during the mid-1930s: an Olympic-sized pool (in fact used as the siet of US trials for the 1936 Olympics), along with a diving and a children's pool. It could accommodate a staggering 5,000 visitors. The photograph here shows the pool under construction in 1935, which was completed within a year. The Hell Gate Bridge can be seen in the background. It's of interest because it may have been the location for <a href="https://openvalley.org/items/show/2174" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sol Wilson's 1935 painting Cement Plant</a>, facilitated by the Federal Art Project. Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Astoria Park Hell Gate Bridge swimming pool Works Progress Administration https://openvalley.org/files/original/129066cf8bc4508bced4de781471705c.jpg 932570e8ccf18d7549e3b5730b670414 https://openvalley.org/files/original/c42d58bd8d33d7877b47ffe2da8011ce.jpg 53866ca7f87f9f7b655a8cf8ae6f147b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource New Deal Gallery Description An account of the resource This collection of more than 200 paintings owes its existence to two primary causes: allocations from the Federal Art Project to a New York state tuberculosis sanatorium located at Mt. Morris--the landscapes and still lifes were thought to be restful--and to the committed volunteers who helped preserve the paintings after the hospital closed. For several decades the canvases were stored in non-climate-controlled basements; it appears that doctors and staff removed at least three dozen works as "keepsakes." Despite the seeming tranquility of the paintings, they were created by artists primarily from New York City whose background was more political and aesthetically adventurous than this rural location would indicate. <a href="https://openvalley.org/exhibits/show/green-new-deal/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow this hyperlink to a short introduction to the New Deal Gallery collection</a>. We're grateful to the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts for access to their collection, which has been re-photographed and appears here at two resolutions: a cropped, web-friendly file size of around 1 MB; and a high-resolution file including the painting's frame. Items in this collection were created according to a consistent format: a short description of each painting in formal terms, followed by a biography of each artist. Where possible we have supplied hyperlinks relevant to their lives and to other examples of their art. In order to better view them using the Omeka program, click on the "View All" option at the bottom of this page to access various sorting options. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1935-1940 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Cooper, Ken (project director) Ritz, Abigail (photography and project assistant) Additional research: Justin Anderson, Jessica Apthorpe, Jay Bang, Kristopher Bangsil, Julia Caldwell, Sydney Cannioto, Sabrina Chan, Paige Closser, Victoria Domon, Elana Evenden, Yadelin Fernandez, Michael Griffin, Madison Jackson, Niamh McCrohan, Ben Michalak, Ricky Noel, Elizabeth Ramsay, Skye Rose, Samantha Schmeer, John Serbalik, Marianna Sheedy, Emily Spina, Alison Stern, Ravenna VanOstrand, and Nicholas Vanamee. Special thanks to: Deborah Bump, Mark Calicchia, Elizabeth Harris, Melissa Moody, Rebecca Lomuto, and Mai Sato. Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as photograph, map, drawing, painting, etc., and any additional data Oil on paper Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image Window: 19 3/4 x 15 3/4 in. Sheet: 21 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Cement Plant Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg, 1.7 MB jpeg, 971 KB Description An account of the resource Three men are working in the yard of a cement and tar factory, located alongside a river; they lean into their work of moving large drums. There are small smokestacks on the building and tugs hauling barges in the background. Wilson uses asymmetrical lines, oriented in different directions, to shape the composition—including rooflines, roadways, river banks, lines of barrels, and even stacked pallets. The factory building is radically compressed into geometric shapes. Considering its industrial subject matter, the painting’s earth tones and splashes of pastel colors are visually pleasing and harmonize with the river and buildings on the opposite shore. The distinctively shaped bridge suggests that it might be one located at Hell’s Gate, in which case there is an intriguing historical possibility: at this time, WPA funds were constructing <a href="https://openvalley.org/items/show/2175">a massive swimming complex at Astoria Park</a> that required a lot of concrete. Juxtaposing that job site and Wilson’s painting clarifies the choices he made to idealize the worth of public works and a return of employment. Note: records indicate that this painting was allocated to "Sen. Buckley." This may have been <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._Buckley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John L. Buckley</a>, who represented NY State Senate District 15 between 1927 and 1942. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilson, Sol (1893 - 1974) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Federal Art Project Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1936 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hudson, Timothy (description) Helquist, Morgan (photography) Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived New Deal Museum, Mount Morris NY Object #FA 138 Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Astoria Park Federal Art Project Hell Gate Bridge New Deal Museum painting Sol Wilson