Art for all by Miss Vida Lahey

If art, then, is a language, m u s t it not express pictorially t h e t r e m e n d o u s c h a n g e in ideas that is altering t h e context o f the w o r l d to-day. a n d m u s t not t h e search for n e w truths a n d fresh valizations find n e w expression in it, h o w e v e r jarring a n d discordant t h e result to o u r u n a c c u s t o m e d eves ? J a n - m g a n d discordant ! H o w often o n e hears tliese w o r d s bitterly applied to m o d e r n art a n d music. B u t if w e look at the w o r l d at large w e find that this violence a n d discard is n o t a m e r e aberration b v artists iii search of novelty, b u t a result of w o r l d conditions. a g r o u n d swell of the e m o t i o n s ; a n d while millions are e n g a g e d iii hicleous strifc, c a n w e logicalli- c o m p l a m if t h e famili ar h a r m o n i e s iii art are also g o n e ? T h e indifference of the public to art n o less than the violent colours a n d harsh shapes used b y the artist is the result of the over emphasis. in life, of mechanical a n d scientific powers a n d the neglect of the development of man's full capacities. A n unbalanced civilisation has followed, causing the impoverishment of :in important part of man's nature. T h e craving for stimulants to offset this brings about maladjustments to life, a n d art catinot fail to be affected thereby. These conditions a n d theirconsequences wliich finally led to w a r are clearly s h o w n in Lewis Mumford's book, " Technics a n d Civilisation," from which in the next three paragraphs I have freely drawn. R u s k i n ere this h a d raised his voice in warning. b u t it 6 u n l y d u r i n g this c e n t u r y that t h e a w a k e n i n g h a s fully c o m e . T h e w o r l d n o w is b e c o m i n g increasingly conscious of t h e h a r d conditions often i m p o s e d b y industry, the heaviness of its toil, its h i d e o u s surround- ings, its m o n o t o n y . its lack of f r e e d o m , a n d also of t h e fact that the life of h u m a n beings is b e c o m i n g m o r e a n d m o r e mechanical. E x i s t e n c e in e v e r y p h a s e is b e c o m i n g m o r e channelled, r e g i m e n t e d a n d uniform. C o n s e q u e n t l y a n increasing d e m a n d arises for stimulation a n d e x c i t e m e n t a s a n e s c a p e f r o m a life that calls for little b u t acquiescence a n d conformity. H e r e in Australia. w h e r e e v e n in industrialised areas w e h a v e e a s y access t o sun. air a n d o p e n spaces, the p r o b l e m is n o t s o a c u t e as in congested cities in older l a n d s ; ret e v e n here, f r o m eight in the m o r n i n g until six at night t h e tick of the clock directs t h e m o v e m e n t s of half t h e population. M a n h a s b e e n too m u c h o c c u p i e d in w a t c h i n g t h e w h e e l s g o r o u n d t o notice m u c h w h e r e t h e y are taking h i m , a n d in t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of the m a c h i n e w e h a v e called forth a p o w e r that threatens to enslave rather t h a n to serve civilisation. T h e m a c h i n e is b e c o m i n g a god, niaking m a n in its o w n image, for as t h e m a c h i n e s g r o w e v e r m o r e h u m a n in their u n c a n n y p o w e r s m a n b e c o m e s m o r e automatic, less of a m a n a n d m o r e of a m a c h i n e . T h e increasing nionotony a n d regimentation of life causes life to d e m a n d compensation m o r e a n d m o r e violently, seeking in a n artificial a n d vicarious w a y w h a t has been denied naturally a n d personally. T h e cinema, with its splendours, its excitements, its intensified life, provides in a n exaggerated a n d unhealthy form the