7 1936 Museum of Modem Art retro- spective, "Cubism and ," Artists As Militant subsequent Museum of Modem Art exhibitions, American Abstract Artists annuals, and other occasions which had prompted denunciations and smug Trade Union Workers During dismissals. Except for several paragraph headings, an introduction and a conclu- sion, writers of the A.A.A. pamphlet The Great did a minimum of editorializing, allow- Depression ing the critics to speak for themselves, although the selection of excerpts was GeraldM. Monroe calculated to embarrassand to highlight misstatements and contradictions. It The artist of modem times has she the entreaties of the was an irreverent document, created to generally tions, ignored functioned in alienation from the main- them that there were put forth the opinion that major critics UAG, informing for New York and stream of prevailing society. During the relief agencies to which they might writing newspapers of the Great of the The artists held mass art publications often had little know- period Depression apply. angry pro- of in 1930's, however, artists rushed forward tests, mounted picket lines on the nar- ledge 20th-century developments in numbers to to the devas- row sidewalk in front of the European art and held fixed opinions large respond Whitney, about the national characterof American tating economic and political crisis. then located on 8th Street, and sent After a of stunned art- numerous to her office. The painting and sculpture. period inaction, delegations "The Art Critics-!" was the last ists gradually realized that their eco- pressure was overwhelming and Force American Abstract Artists nomic and professional needs could only gradually made concessions. She also publication be obtained massive closed the museum on March 27-six to project this aggressive tone toward through govern- New York the and the ment patronage. Influenced by socialist weeks early-presumably out of a fear of museums, press, and the vandalism! public. Abstract artists, by their num- ideology inspired by growing their and the solid ac- labor movement, artists organizedthem- In February 1934, the name of the bers, energy, selves as "cultural and turned was to the Artists complishment of their work, were at workers," organization changed last a role inAmerican to militant trade union tactics to effect Union; it became a trade union of paint- playing significant their and allied painting and sculpture. By 1941, abstrac- goals. ers, sculptors, printmakers, tion ceased to be treated as an issue and In the summer of 1933, a small artists. Although the union professed to of the content of individual artists'work be- group artists began to meet informally be nonpolitical, many of the leaders at the John Reed Club, an were Communists or fellow travelers. came the primary focus of artistic and organization critical attention. TheAmericanAbstract of radical artists and writers, to discuss Control of the leadership by members of Artists exhibitions and had the possibility of promoting government the Communist Party was maintained publications About of them because were to do helped to stimulate, provoke,and educate support. twenty-five primarily they eager the art the later 1930s in jointly issued a manifesto declaring the (unpaid)work. However, the union public during "The State can eliminate once and for was run on democratic significant ways, helping the abstract generally lines, artist to discover his and his all the unfortunate dependence of Amer- and non-Communists who were active identity ican artists the of became officers and were influential in public in the United States. upon caprice private patronage."1 The New York artists re- the union's affairs. During that time of ferred to themselves as the Unemployed pressing humanitarian issues and polit- Artists Group; among its early leaders ical idealism, liberals and radicals were Notes were Max Spivak, Phil Bard,Boris Gore- often able to work effectively together. lik, Bemarda Bryson, Ibram Lassaw, The union's first president was 1. , Smithsonian In- Balcomb and Gertrude Michael Balcomb a former in- stitution, "American Abstract Artists," microfilm Greene, Greene, English NY59-11. This file contains the minutes of early Loew, Joseph Vogel, and James Guy. structor at Dartmouth who had become meetings of the American AbstractArtists, c. 1937- Frequent demonstrations by the UAG a painter. When he resigned, his term 1940. attracted hundreds of followers and were was completed by Michael Loew, who in 2. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian effective in a of turn was succeeded Phil Institution, American Abstract Artists, General securing variety city, by Bard,surely Prospectus,1937, microfilm NY59-11, frame #00184. state, and federal programsthat supplied the most popular of the union's leaders. 3. Charles Shaw, "A Word to the Objector," the artists with occasional work. During He was a dedicated Communist who American Abstract Artists 1938, unpaged. the winter of 1933-1934, the federal always seemed anxious to demonstrate 4. Ibid. government initiated the Public Works that he was more radical than anyone 5. Carl Holty, "A Letter to Alfred Barr,"Nov- of Art a not so to be ember 22, 1937, Archives of American Art, Smith- Project, large-scale patronage else, but he was dogmatic as sonian Institution, microfilm NY59-11. program that was intended to last only unable to work closely with those with 6. Ilya Bolotowsky, "An Interview With Ilya three months but actually remained in whom he disagreed ideologically. Bard Bolotowsky," interview with Susan C. Larsen,New effect about six months. was also much admired as a York 1973. Juliana Force, draftsman; City, January29, the patrician director of the Whitney he had cartoons in The author wishes to express appreciationto mem- published political bers of the American Abstract Artists who have Museum, was appointed head of the New Masses when he was nineteen and generously provided information, reminiscences, New York region with a budget provid- was a regular contributor to the Daily and documentation regardingthe A.A.A. ing work for approximately 600 artists. Worker and Freiheit, the Communist After requesting a list of needy artists English and Yiddish daily papers. Bard from the major professional organiza- was followed as president by Murray Hantman, former member of the Los Angeles John Reed Club and exhibitor of a of the Scottsboro in court. Susan C. Larsen received her degree from North- Gerald M. Monroe teaches painting and drawingat painting boys western University in 1974 and now teaches at Glassboro State College and has made a study of Right wing "critics" broke into the ex- CarletonCollege, Northfield, Minnesota. political activities in the visual arts in the 1930s. hibit and shot bullet holes into the heads 8 of the Negroesin the painting. employmentin preferenceto the dole. were won. The police were summoned The willingness of artists to turn Specialprojects were createdin music, anda bloodybattle ensued. Twelve dem- out for demonstrationsearned them the theater,writing, and art. All were rep- onstratorswere woundedand 219 were nickname"fire brigade," and they were resentedby craftunions but the Artists carriedoff in eleven patrolwagons-the frequentlycalled upon to assist other Union was the most aggressive and largest police bust in New York City unions or left-wing organizationsin imaginativein its tactics in promoting history. Paul Block, the chief organizer picket lines anddemonstrations. A sub- jobopportunities and in preventingmass and spokesman for the action, was stantialnumber of young radicalartists dismissals.At its peak in 1936, the Fed- severely beaten when he stubbornly consideredpicketing for fellow unionists eral Art Projectemployed about 5000 resistedeviction by the police.Although or participatingin "anti-facist"demon- visual artistsand the union was the de trainedas a sculptor,Block had decided strations, a legitimate activity on be- facto bargainingagent. In the fall of that, during those troubled times, he half of their union, but the leadership 1936, PresidentRoosevelt orderedthe would devote his life to politicalwork. nevermade it an obligationfor the rank WPAAdministration to pareits rolls in Shortlyafter the demonstration-along and file-they didn't have to; all that keepingwith the expectedabsorption of with other union members-he volun- was neededwas a suggestionfrom the workersby industryduring an apparent teered to fight for the Loyalistsin the executiveboard or a requestby a member upturn in the economy. The cultural SpanishCivil War;he dieda hero'sdeath or a visitor duringa Wednesdaynight workers,who would be the last to bene- in a churchyardin Belchite,Spain, while meeting. fit from such a lift, were determinedto leading the Lincoln Brigade's Third Wednesdaynight meetings started battle any cuts in federalsupport; mass Company, of which he had become at 8:30and often continuedbeyond mid- demonstrationsand sit-in attemptswere commander. night. Usually two to three hundred continuedthroughout the fall.At a No- On Thursday,December 3, 1936, membersattended and a crisismeeting vember30 rally,attended by 1200work- the 219 demonstratorswere arraignedin could drawup to six or eight hundred. ersfrom the variousArts Projects, Boris two groups,because the YorkvilleCourt Most of the artists probablylived in Gorelick, an organizerfor the Artists could not processthat many personsin GreenwichVillage, Chelsea, or the one sitting. A week later the artists, LowerEast Side, but the union also had havingbeen unsuccessfullydefended by constituencies in both the Bronx and CongressmanVito Marcantonio,were ,many of whom would often found guilty of disorderlyconduct and arriveat meetingswith wives and chil- given suspendedsentences. Appalled by dren in tow. While debate was often NT the brutal of 4A beating some of the demon- lively and contentious,most of the rank strators,Mayor LaGuardiaordered the and file respected and supportedthe police not to arrest strikers on WPA unless leadership. 0 0 projects they were violent or After meetings, the artists would destroyingproperty. The toughregional administratorof the Colonel driftoff to their favoritecafeteria or bar t ? WPA, with theirfriends in a cafe spiritto con- Brehon Somervell, declared that the tinue heateddiscussions on union mat- 44 mayor'sdecision was a "new conceptof 0 ters,art, or politics.Deep concern and an law andorder." An editorialin the New easy gaietywere united in an exquisite ARTISTS A York Herald Tribune deplored the art- sort of comradeship.Robert Cronbach O UN10 ists' attitudethat "societynot only owes recallsthat neverbefore or since hadhe WRA'LTI them a living but a living by the talents beenin contactwith so manycommitted which each happensto fancy,"and sug- people.He couldalways count on seeing gested that the WPA'spruning should his friendsat union Artists beginwith the "fancierprojects."4 The meetings. actions arrivingin New York would automa- Fig.1. ArtistsUnion membership button. belligerent of the union and tically head for the union, often finding other organizationsof WPA cultural lodgingsthrough the membersas well as workersdid appearto frustratethe gov- a warmwelcome. RemoFarrugio recalls ernment'sdesire to decreasethe size of meeting an artist from the Southat the the Arts Projects;while averageemploy- union and havingdifficulty understand- definedits in ment on the WPAas a whole decreased Union, position unequivo- 11.9 from to ing his drawl. The southemer also had a cal terms:"We say we aregoing to resist percent January June1937, problem comprehendingFarrugio's rapid and effort the employmenton the four Arts Projects any every by government increased 1.1 slurred speech, but they were both aware to take our jobs.We say that our resist- percent. of sharing a very special fellowship. It ance will take on such a characteras to In April 1937, the President and was standard procedure during demon- smashany effortsto institutedismissals Congress agreedon the necessity for a 25 strations and the occasional subsequent regardlessof protest These projects percent reduction in WPA funds-a cut for the artists to bolster their .... lock-ups cannot be curtailed.On the contrary, from which the cultural workers could spirits by singing "revolutionary"songs. they must becomea permanentfeature not be exempted. During May, the leader- Herb Kruckman remembers marching of our social andnational life. Fromnow ship of the organized cultural workers on a picket line, singing, "Phil Bard is on we areon the offensive.Our defensive met to plan a defense campaign, and our we shall not be 2 leader; moved," is vigorouscounter attack." Chet LaMore of the was when a policeman said to his superior, On December 1, 1936, the union elected chairman of the Joint Strategy "Give us the and we'll word, sergeant, assembledover 400 of its membersto Committee. Amonth of demonstrations, move 'em!" stormthe lower 5th AvenueArt Project work stoppages, visits to congressmen, With the creation of the Works Prog- officesin an effortto forcethe adminis- and negotiations with top WPA officials ress Administration under Harry Hop- trationto forestallplanned mass firings. were to no avail. On Tuesday, June 27, kins in the spring of 1935, a historic About 225 members succeededin oc- the pink slips (dismissal notices) were commitment was made to the principle cupying the offices, announcingtheir issued and the Joint StrategyCommittee of work-relief as a solution to mass un- intention to sit in until concessions responded with the precision of a mili- 9

Fig. 2. Artists in Yorkville Court, December 3, 1936. tary campaign: Wednesday, sixty work- tors; the air was stifling. The police were strations. It is likely that the conserva- ers barricadedthemselves in the payroll warned if they took action and a riot tive labor organization was not anxious offices of the New YorkCity Arts Project; ensued the floor might collapse. to bring a "radical union" into its fold. Friday, LaMore and a delegation of fifty The AFL did grant a charter to the Com- to sat in at the During the night, Steminnegotiated mercial Artists and Union journeyed Washington, an with the he was Designers WPA headquarters, and asked to see agreement strikers; (CADU), most members of which had That same in New York released Saturdaymorning, fifteen hours been in the Artists Union and still Hopkins. day after the invasion of his office. In 600 and musicians Wash- ties with it. City, artists, writers, LaMore met with retained close invaded the consolidated offices ington, Hopkins' as- the CIO was newly who seemed By 1937, challenging of the FederalArts Projects, now located sistant, Aubrey Williams, the AFL as the major spokesman for on East 42nd while another 100 to make some significant concessions. American labor and labor Street, Williams later announced that welcoming remained outside to demonstrate. Harold However, organizations dominated by radical lead- a sensitive New Dealer who had he had been misinterpreted; he reaf- A was evolved Stemin, firmed the administration's to erships. plan designating recently been appointed administratorof position the Artists Union, the CADU, and the the Arts in New was reduce the number of persons employed Cartoonists Guild as a local of the Projects York, on the Arts tiny orderedby his captors to call the Wash- Projects. United Office and Professional Workers ington WPA officials to transmit the As early as the spring of 1935, the of America, and, in December, Artists strikers' demands. Artists Union leader Artists Union had sought affiliation Union President, Philip Evergood, an- Moe Neuwirth announced that Stein with the AFL on the assumption that its nounced that beginning in January,1938, would be held captive until those de- political leverage for expanding and the union would be known as the Unit- mands were met-by President Roose- stabilizing government patronagewould ed American Artists, Local 60 of the velt, if necessary. The switchboard be strengthened, but the AFLrepresenta- UOPWA.Lewis Merrill, a left-wing trade operator was told to answer "Artists tive had difficulty reconciling the role of unionist with an extensive background Union" to all incoming calls. Every inch fine artists with a trade union and com- in organizing white collar workers, was of the floor was covered by demonstra- plained about their unorthodox demon- president of the UOPWA. Primarily a 10 union of bookkeepers, stenographers, tion and, if they wished, retaining a citizenry through work programsimply office workers, and insurance agents, the formal relationship with the UOPWA, any special interest in the arts. But as UOPWA originally had been the Office although Merrill agreed that there was "cultural workers," represented by a Workers Union of the Communist-run little he could do for them. The artists trade union, the artists had finally TradeUnion Unity League. decided to seek fraternal connections obtained a share of the federal largess with both the CIO After the merger was formalized, and the AFL;a meet- provided for the traditional trades. The the union moved its ing was called for May 7, 1942, at which union had also fulfilled other fundamen- headquarters up- the were asked to the town-a shock for many of the artists artists ratify exec- tal needs. With the possible exception of utive board's who loved the village character of the recommendation to dis- the WPA payroll line, the union head- downtown location. Now dues were affiliate from the UOPWA. It was not a quarters had no competition as the The enthusiasm that paid at a cashier's cage; there were par- happy meeting. paramount meeting place for artists. titions, offices, and small rooms for might normally accompany a new be- Working hermetically in the solitude of committee No were ginning was dampened by the unavoid- their studios, the artists' need to interact meetings. longer able that an era had come to there the large open loft spaces in which recognition socially and professionally with their artists could as had in its end and that a stubbomrndream was colleagues had been satisfied; they had congregate they interred. That the mem- the past; the expensive droppedceilings being evening also benefited from the union-sponsored were a dubious intensi- bership voted to create a new organiza- lectures, symposia, and exhibitions. improvement, later named the Artists of fying the of the new of- tion, League Although the union was to exist for impersonality America. fices. Also, at the suggestion of the almost a decade, the first five years were UOPWA, membership meetings now The rest of the story is an epitaph. clearly the most exciting and productive. took place monthly. Merrill, who never Not informed that the union would vote The vigorous and imaginative tactics of really understood the special needs of on disaffiliation at the May 7 meeting, the militant artists forced revolutionary the artist, thought the frequent meet- Merrill was furious. On May 13, he concessions from the government. Many ings were an unnecessary extravagance dispatched an angry letter to the execu- believed that they were riding the wave for a poor union. He did not realize that, tive board demanding the immediate of the future and that a more humane for the artists who worked alone in their return of the charter, seal, and other society would arise from the chaos of studios, the meetings were social events. properties of the UOPWA, including the capitalism. But when the promise of Merrill was brilliant, a highly effective per capita assessment in which the union permanent federal patronage began to speaker, but brash, even arrogant in his was, as usual, in arrears. On the same fade, the foundation of the union began handling of others. He took seriously day, a letter was also circulated to all the to crumble. The transition from the free- his charge to usher the artists into the union artists offering them membership wheeling, spontaneous Artists Union to ways of trade unionism, although he in the American Advertising Guild, the bureaucratic,efficient United Amer- apparently had little sympathy for their Local 20, UOPWA. The executive board ican Artists could have little effect generally different life-style. The flam- was surprised and upset by Merrill's on the government's determination to boyant manner in which the Artists reaction. Rockwell Kent, the distin- shrink the Arts Projects. The serious Union members usually demonstrated guished painter and illustrator who had sophisticated artists, who had been os- was abhorrentto the UOPWA president, been president of the artists' union since tensibly the justification for the exist- and he forced them to give up the its inception as a local of the UOPWA, ence of the union, lost interest and began clenched fist and brushes emblem along hopeful that the artists might yet achieve to think more intensely about their own with the red banners made famous dur- a friendly and useful relationship with careers and investing their energies in ing the street demonstrations. Merrill and the CIO, wrote a long letter artistic problems. Only those artists for whom and economic By the spring of 1939, congressional of apology. It was through no fault of political challenges foes of the cultural were their own, Kent declared, that the artists were more absorbing than professional projects primed concerns were able to into the for the liquidation process, and although were unable to "keep pace with labor's plunge the Art continued for an addi- army." He asked Merrill to consider the organizational problems of the United Project American Artists. tional four years, it was on a steadily artists "guerilla fighters . .. or a lost diminishing basis. The erosion of pa- battalion separatedtemporarily from the with the of the main army, but don't for one minute do tronage coupled pressure A Note on the Documentation congressional witch hunts of 1938, 1939, them the injustice of holding them rene- and them as and 1940 made inevitable a shrinkage in gades treating such."'5 The article is abstractedfrom my dissertation,"The the and a deterioration in Merrill replied that "guerilla fighters Artists Union of New York"(N.Y.U., 1971).Sources membership for the data-in addition to the power of the union. are noted for their exceptional discipline books, periodicals, under fire and of a of journals and newspaperswith material relevant to In Merrill was insist- preservation unity the interviews with over January 1942, command study-include in-depth that the union hire an to under difficult circumstances. fifty persons who were participantsin or witness to ing organizer Neither had been here." He also the events. Generoususe was to establish some sort of base in present pertinent made of the try informed now of the new documents and private papers in the collection of Both the UOPWA Kent, president private industry. pres- Artists of that frater- the Archives of American Art. The dissertation, ident and the leaders of 60 League America, which is fully documented, is available on micro- Local were would be aware that there was no in nal affiliation with the CIO film at the Archives. Notes for this essay has been justification restrictedto sources of attempting to maintain a trade union impossible. specific quotations. without prospects of employment, but If the last days of the union were 1. Manifesto of the "Artist Group"given to the both sides were reluctant to make the characterized by a sense of despair and author by Max Spivak. apparently unavoidable disassociation. futility, the members could recall with 2. Boris Gorelik, "The Artist Begins to Fight!," Art Front, Jan. 1937, p. 4. Finally, during the first week of March, pride the history of an organization that 3. "MayorSeeks three members End of Lay-offson WPA,"The of the union executive had served them well. Certainly there New York Times, Dec. 3, 1936, p. 4. board entered into discussions with was nothing in the history of the United 4. "The Essence of Cheek," The New York Merrill about the future of the artists' States that indicated a significant com- Herald Tribune, Dec. 3, 1936, p. 28. An 5. Letter: Kent to Merrill,May 23, 1942, Rock- organization. agreement was reached mitment to the arts nor did the govern- well the artists had the of Kent Papers.Archives of American Art. whereby option ment's determination to assume respon- 6. Letter:Merrill to Kent, May 26, 1942, Rock- converting to a professional organiza- sibility for the economic survival of its well Kent Papers.Archives of AmericanArt.