Escape Artists

When Peter J. Curtis was sentenced to grey-walled Clinton Prison at Dannemora, N. Y. for robbery, he was a sign-painter. Instead of planning a jailbreak, Convict Curtis found his escape on canvas, painting in the barred funnel of light in his cell. Last year the warden gave him a studio to teach other convicts his idea of escape (TIME. Aug. 29).

In the Dannemora art school, no one paints his environment. All go as far away as possible from Dannemora's stone walls. Teacher Curtis paints pictures that look like calendars in village postoffices: an Indian, a landscape, a glossily highlighted Flemish Fisher. His star pupil, Convict R. Rehm, has faithfully copied Gainsborough's Blue Boy and painted an original picture of rearing, free Wild Horses from his own dreams. Even the wild horses shine with idealism. Another pupil, Convict H. Nelson, produces pictures like railroad travel posters advertising any place but Dannemora.

When patrons of the Dannemora art group sought to hang their pictures publicly, they thought naturally of one U. S. show. That was Manhattan's famed Independents', which lets any painter hang anything except himself for $9. What was good enough for Dannemora was good enough for the 17th show of the Society of Independent Artists, opening last week in Manhattan's Grand Central Palace. Manhattan critics went gleefully, spitting on their hands for their annual field day at the expense of art they could be sure was bad.

The Independents were a brave cause in 1916 when able young Artists Robert Henri, John Sloan, George Bellows. Samuel Halpert, Walter Pach and A. S. Bay-linson founded it. Then the National Academy of Design's snobbism smothered unorthodox U. S. art. Now Henri, Halpert and Bellows are dead, and the discovery of new U. S. art has become a highly organized business. Except for pictures by Founders Sloan, Pach, Baylinson and a few others, only "undiscovered" art hung last week on the walls of a long room like a warehouse. The Independents have no judges, no jury, no awards, no places of honor. The shambles of bad art is hung alphabetically, beginning this year with the letter O which was drawn by lot.

Some exceptions: Giorgi Manuilov's able Still Life of a guitar, lamp, vase and apples. Two noteworthy American Indian mural paintings designed inside semicircle with legs at one end, symbolized heads at the other. Three drypoint etchings by John Taylor Arms, done with the smallest etching needle made.

Some bad news of the 1933 Independents' show:

John Upley's punning Rats and Co-rats (carrots) showing rats and carrots as well as a pig and a goose nuzzling.

Bob White's monstrosity of one full-face eye behind a profile nose and ear. Title: Memories of a Wildflower.

Charles Verschuuren's panel, America Revive! Loinclothed U. S. business executives strain at the wheels of an engine while a figure resembling Actress

Beatrice Lillie in a white tunic hangs in mid-air exhorting and pointing upward. Caption: "The nation asks for action and action now. President Roosevelt's Inaugural Address."

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