August 18, 1944: The Brooklyn Museum will begin its fall exhibition season with a large show entitled POSADA — PRINTMAKER TO THE MEXICAN PEOPLE (September 8-October 15). Lent by the Direccion General de Educacion Estetica, Mexico, it contains over six hundred prints, blocks and photographic enlargements and will be installed in four large galleries on the second floor.
The first great printmaker in the New World, Posada’s gigantic production of twenty-thousand subjects reached the remotest village. The Mexican people well understood his art, because he re-stated with simplicity and vigor their own legends and songs, their own inarticulate hopes and aspirations.
Through the medium of his prints he was among those actively responsible in preparing the way for the 1910 Revolution. Not only a prophet of the armed-mass uprising, he was a creator of an artistic expression which reflected a new social philosophy and established the foundations for a new national art. An excellent draughtsman, his work has economy of line, boldness of contour and dramatic action. It establishes him, not as a folk artist, but as a highly competent master who portrayed his era with passionate honesty and revolutionary zeal.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1942 - 1946. 07-09/1944, 080.
September 1, 1944: The Brooklyn Museum begins its fall season with a large exhibition entitled POSADA - PRINTMAKER TO THE MEXICAN PEOPLE at a private opening on September 7, from four to six o’clock. Thereafter it will be open to the public from September 8 through October 15.
Some six hundred prints, blocks and photostat enlargements are assembled in four galleries on the second floor. Divided into ten large groups, among which are social injustices, revolution, social satire, songs and games, stories and current events and a series called calaveras (prints used especially for the fiesta celebrating “The Day of the Dead”), they are a cross section of Posada’s gigantic production 20,000 prints.
With the prints, also, are assembled background material showing everyday Mexican life in the time of Posada. A catalogue of Posada’s work and a modern portfolio of thirty-six of his prints, issued in Mexico in 1943, are for sale at the Museum.
As printmaker to the Mexican people, Posada, through his graphic work, produced an art that was understood and appreciated in the remotest village. He was in reality their spokesman, entertaining them, championing their causes and stimulating their thoughts toward freedom and a rightful share in their own land.
The prints, blocks and photostat enlargements are lent by the Direccion General de Education Estetica, Mexico.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1942 - 1946. 07-09/1944, 085.
September 18, 1944: The Brooklyn Museum opened the fall exhibition season on September 7 with a large exhibition entitled POSADA: PRINTMAKER TO THE MEXICAN PEOPLE. Some six hundred prints, blocks and photostat enlargements are assembled in four galleries on the second floor and will remain current through October 15.
Five painting exhibitions are scheduled: OIL IN WATER COLOR, September 29-November 12, will give a picture of the oil industry at war by four well known painters. Recently Standard Oil Company (New Jersey) asked Reginald Marsh and Adolf Dehn to visit some of their operations and to tell in terms of the brush what they saw. Two other painters - David Fredenthal and Millard Sheets - were asked to paint the drama of moving oil to the fronts. The show will comprise 36 such water colors by the four artists.
EUROPEAN PAINTINGS FROM THE MUSEUM COLLECTION will go on view November 8 and remain current through January 1. These paintings, among the finest in the Museum collection, were returned from storage last December.
PAINTINGS BY CHILDREN will be on view from December 7 through January 14, showing the remarkable work being done in the Museum’s Painting Class for Talented Children.
From January 11 through February 25 an exhibition of paintings and drawings by the distinguished Mexican artist JOSE MARIA VELASCO, lent by the Direccion General de Educacion Estetica, will be presented in the Special Exhibitions Gallery.
The 13TH BIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL WATER COLOR show will open on March 14 and continue through May 13.
The large 1944 EXHIBITION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY OF AMERICA will open on October 27 and remain current through November 19. In connection with this exhibition, the Museum has scheduled two smaller photographic shows MODERN DUTCH ARCHITECTURE, November 3 - December 10, and RECENT PHOTOGRAPHIC ACCESSIONS, October 20 - December 3.
MODERN DUTCH PRINTS will be shown in the small print gallery on the second floor from October 20 - December 3.
A loan collection of CHINESE CERAMICS, never placed on exhibition before, will be on view from December 14 through February 4.
In addition to these exhibitions, plans are being made for a number of smaller shows which will be announced later.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1942 - 1946. 07-09/1944, 092.
October 1, 1944: On Sunday, October 1st at 3:30 P.M. the Brooklyn Museum will present a program of Mexican music in connection with the large exhibition ”Posada: Printmaker to the Mexican people", on view at the Museum through October 15. The program will include folk songs, dances, and instrumental selection by performers who will appear in their colorful native costumes. Among the artists who will be presented are Lita Loyola, young Mexican star of opera, concert and radio, Eugenia Ortuno, who sings the characteristic songs of various regions of her native Mexico in the traditional costumes of each region, and Laurita and Ray, folklore singers, who in their own field may be compared with Posada, himself. Agustin Anievas, nine-year old Mexican pianist, will play several selections of Mexican music by such composers as Chavez, Ponce and Jorda. In addition to these artists, the program will include several groups of Mexican dancers who will perform the gay and colorful dances of our neighbor to the south.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1942 - 1946. 07-09/1944, 097.
