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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1961)
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD. ORE. THE SHAPE OF THINGS Science Can Lead Art Away From Chaos, Writer Says By RICHARD HIRSCH Director, Allenlown Art Museum Fifty years from now the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will be given con siderable credit for having genuinely inspired the living art of these times of ours. This is only surprising to us because wc associate the no tion of "art" with some kind of irrational urge. Art, how ever, the harmonies of shapes, colors and patterns to which we respond as humans, is not chaos. It cannot be. Neither is art the result of intellectual chaos. Nor is it the product of an absurd ran domness ("action painting" to the contrary). Nor can it be produced without some refer ence to the laws of harmony which govern the universe from the atom to the galaxy, even though some Greenwich Villager did compose, recent ly, a "symphony" in which one of the "performers" strikes the open strings of a piano with a very dead fish. Art relates to order. Being Reaffirmed In and around the Massa chusetts Institute of Tech nology this is being re-affirmed. Aside from the engineer architects being produced by M.I.T., much of the Institute's new place in the arts is due to the influence of its' pro fessor of visual design, Gyorgy Kcpcs. His latest publication is a well-organized compen dium of writings by 50 auth ors and himself. The title: "The Visual Arts Today," published by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences at the Wesleyan University Press. It is a handsome book. It is also stimulating. Much of it is quite controversial. Not unexpectedly, the "Statements and Documents" of a psychiatrist and some 23 artists, contemporary or fav ored by contemporary taste, virtually destroy the challeng ing horizons which the rest of the book opens up. With the insistent, familiar, pervasive accent on Me and My Ego, this was predictable. Impact of Book , The impact of the book is elsewhere. Kepes, together with the minds he has mar shalled from the sciences, points out the infinite re sources of the grand order of our universe and man's place in that order. These writers also give a most satisfying view, of man's' innate ability to respond . and enjoy the unique expressions of that order which he perceives, either as art or as natural "beauty." Further, the book clarifies man's place in the scheme of thines. manv of these newly perceived. In so doing it dig nifies in varied ways man s uniaue stature as a rational creature, capable of perceiv ing such order in the maze of infinite reality. All of this is most refresh ing.' Intrinsically, it is no startling novelty. Truth rarely is. However, in a period where art is being produced, almost exclusively under the banner of the wounded, the tortured the self-conscious ego, certain fundamentals need such re affirmation. Add New Dimension! In a period when science is adding new dimensions to our understanding of this universe that is ours, it is to be expect ed that the affirmation will be no mere repetition of older axioms. Startlingly, in our times the sciences have become increas ingly perceptive as the grand er simplicities of reality, more searchingly understood, have opened up new complexities arrayed in magnificent pro fusion. The scientists also more and more and more affirm that their perceptiveness is a crea tive function. Some of them, notably the atomic scientists, probing new worlds of energy and matter, insist that their intuitive process is precisely that of the inspired artist. Inhumane Image This is a far cry from the inhumane image of the scien tist which our splat-and-splash paintersTiarp on in order to assert their freedom to be poor masters of their tools, both intellectual and physical. It also destroys the last line of defense of the artist who is relying on his psychiatrist's authorization to be a mere irrational automation in the hands of his unholy uncon scious. This line of defense states that, by invoking the scientist in conjunction with the arts materialistic society is trying to falsely "dignify" the arts by associating them with so ciety's newest totem, science. This, as many of the auth ors included in '.The Visual Arts Today" point out, is sheer balderdash. Never has science been in greater flux nor more creative, more intui tive. Consistently, however, it remains rational. This is where the war be tween the arts and the sci ences will be waged: Science will invent new techniques but they will not be sloppy ones while, perhaps for many years to come, the artist will continue to insist on his "free dom" to mumble in his ex- pression. fumble in his craft dllU 1,10 6olllla "imvwi. any more rules than Alice on the croquet ground with a flamingo for a mallet. Book Is Controversial As was stated, much of this book is controversial. One writer condemns all architects for their unwillingness or in ability to use tiic artist as a co-worker in his task as master-builder. Also, as suggested earlier, a psychiatrist makes the artist out as nothing more than a limp fighter between frustration and deathwish. But others, assembled be tween these covers by Gyorgy Kepes, look into the shining mysteries of our newly - per ceived universe and suggest the rational bases of man's re sponse. And of course art can only be response. In fact, is not art but another form of praise? (Copyright 1961. General Features Corp.) New Unit Advisor Arrives in City MSgt. Anthony Carmelo, formerly of George Air Force base, Calif., recently arrived in Medford to assume duties as the AF unit advisor in this area. The position was formerly held by TSgt. Buford John son, who was recently dis charged. In California, Carmelo was a non-commissioned officer in charge of officer and airmen assignments and the training branch. During his 18 years of service, he has served four with the Marine Corps before enlisting in the USAF in 1946. He is accompanied by his wife and two children, all of whom are presently residing in a Phoenix motel. COINCIDENCE The Lichlenberg Figure produced by electric sparks, from "The Visual Arts Today" (top), and a contempo rary French tapestry designed by Jean Picart Le Doux, (courtesy of French and company), a decorative sunburst theme with many striking similarities to the electrical pattern revealed by "the new landscape" of science. House Approves OSC Name Change Bill Salem - (UPD - The Oregon House Friday passed a bill 43-9 that would change the name of Oregon State college to Oregon State university. It went to the Senate. Rep. John R. Dellenback (R-Medford) carried the meas ure, HB 1262, saying educa tors believe the name change would make a valuable contri bution to the school by en hancing its prestige. Those voting against the bill voiced no serious objections. Opposition to Senate Bills Is Asked at Meetinq of SOCTFA mm Darroll Davis, chairman of the trucking committee for tlie Southern Oregon Conser vation and Tree Farm associa tion, urged SOCTFA mem bers Friday night to write state legislators to vote against Senate Bills 16 and 33. The bills propose operation of log trucks under rights or certificates of necessity and repeal of the flat fee option for payment of the weight mile tax, he explained. Davis said committee mem bers appeared twice before the senate highway committee hearings in Salem against the bills. The committee also cir culated petitions and present ed more than 1.500 names in opposition to the bills, he said. Telegrams and letters have been sent to key legislators explaining the industry's stand and requesting their opposi tion. Provides for Permits Senate Bill 16 provides for isuance of permits to oper ators hauling logs on the basis of "grandfather rights" or on the basis of a "certificate of necessity," Davis explained. The "grandfather rights" will automatically give per mits to those who have oper ated log trucks during the year ending Feb. 1, 1962. Op erators are restricted to the territory covered during the year ending Feb. 1, 1962. If an operator has trucked all over the slate, he will have state-wide rights. If he has operated in one area, he will be confined to that area. Senate Bill 33 proposes to remove the flat fee option for payment of weight mile tax presently extended to trucks hauling logs, poles, piling and dump trucks. This provision was designed originally to protect small op erators by eliminating need to keep and report detailed mile age records, the trucking com mittee chairman explained. It has been established that the greatest savings in use of this option have been made by larger operators who save up to 50 per cent in weight-mile taxes. Reduce Competitors Considering Senate Bill 16, the committee head said the bill is designed to keep out itinerant truckers and over time to reduce the number of competitors on a local level and improve the economic conditions of the log trucker. Actually this would not be done because rights would be transferable and loggers could still acquire their own trucks by purchase or lease from anywhere. "We believe these people should be permitted to move back and forth as needed with out legal complications and loss of time," Davis said. "If equipment is needed in an area, delays in obtaining per mits would constitute a seri ous problem." "We can also assume that such log hauling rights would become an economic factor in sale of equipment," Davis as serted. Senate Bill 33 actually would complicate reporting procedures for small operators and add administrative costs involved in auditing hundreds of accounts. It would add sub stantially to the cost of pro duction of forest products. Poor Economic State "The lumber industry is vi tal to the state and is in a poor economic state at this time," the committee chair man pointed out. "Increased costs cannot be absorbed in highly competitive markets for Oregon's forest products. "The increased costs would have to be absorbed at the stumpage level and these funds mainly go to govern ment agencies. Loss of funds at this level in order to re arrange a payment procedure to the public utility commis sion seems illogical," he add ed. Logging trucks pay a lower weight mile tax than do high way trucks for good reason, Davis said. Their strictly sea sonal operation, license and highway use taxes represent less mileage, and results in a higher per mile tax cost. More than 50 per cent of the log truck operation is empty. The largest part of the logger's op eration is on roads not receiv ing full share of PUC money. 1 $ ? V JOHN C. LOGIE Wanted As Witness Missing Witness Wanted by Police Law enforcement officers are seeking John C. Logic, 57, transient, wanted as a mate rial witness in an assault ease scheduled to go to trial some time this week. Logie is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighing 175 pounds, having light brown, sandy hair and a heavy Irish accent. Anyone knowing of Logic's whereabouts should notify city or state police, or the sheriff's office, according to District Attorney Alan Holmes. Logie is wanted to testify at a trial of Martin David Wilkinson, Camp White dom iciliary, charged with an as sault on Forest Conrad Arm strong, also of the domiciliary. Wilkinson is charged with cutting Armstrong over the left eye and under the ear with a broken wine bottle on Nov. 14. Minneapolis, Minn. - (UPD -Alderman Bruce D. Pomeroy said Saturday the city could collect $8.5 million a year if it adopted his proposal to put a $12 a year tax on all but the first toilet in every home, office and factory. Plumbing-Contractor City and State License CALL SP 3-3503 STEVENS PLUMBING & HEATING TTTTTTTTB !( 1 1 1 . V I-T.1-4-4B ii.t:'..M-iLg-.Mi-ji'i,-.rri NO SPARKS! NO SMOKE! NO FLOOR DRAFTS! LOWERS FUEL BILLS! Uniform heat from floor to coifing. Burn wood, presto-logs or briquets. You control firo. Your home and family will be safor. Send fireplace width and height, receive Colorful Booklet free or phone SP 2-7166. EASY TERMS Smith-Dynge Lmbr. Co. Corner of 8th and Fir Phone SP 2-7166 The Finest Valentine Gift of All! int of Y Those In AMAZING PSORIASIS STORY Jan. 10, 1960 Pittsburgh, Pa "Doctored for psoriasis 30 years. Spent much money to no avail. 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