User:Erinshea3/"Scenes of Industry" Murals

SCENES OF INDUSTRY: The “Scenes of Industry” murals are a series of nine murals painted by Edgar Britton in 1934 as part of the PWAP (Public Works of Art Project). [1] Hana Field, an eighth grader, who had seen a listing in The Federal Art Project in Illinois – 1935-1943, rediscovered them in 1995, after they’d been tucked in an attic for forty years. [2] They have been restored and currently hang in the library of the Highland Park High School in Highland Park, IL.

EDGAR BRITTON – (1901-1982): Britton was an oil painter who became one of the most successful and well-respected artists of the New Deal Era. His career began in his late twenties, when he was one of six young artists who were professionally showcased for the first time at the Palmolive gallery of the Walden Book Shop in November of 1930. [3] Later, in 1932, Britton continued showing his work in prestigious Chicago venues such as The Studio Gallery, and was, for the most part, well received. [4] Britton’s work was unique, as he was heavily influenced by history, and by the Mexican mural movement. (Pg. 51) [5]

When the PWAP began in December 1933, the first of the federally sponsored art projects, Britton was on board and quickly became one of their top artists. (Pg. 75) [5] As the PWAP came to a close in July of 1934, many PWAP artists distributed their skills amongst the new, WPA programs. Britton did just that, working for the WPA art project for years until he later became a Director of the WPA art project in 1940. [6] Britton was a great supporter of the work of the PWAP and WPA, specifically the idea of bringing art to the people. Speaking to this, he wrote, “I find the constant vigilance of an audience a challenge…by executing work in public the mural artist is doing a great deal toward dissipating the halo of mystery surrounding works of art.” (Pg. 80) [5] In putting New Deal artwork in schools, the artist was becoming that much more engaged, as were the children.

ART IN SCHOOLS: Britton was also a strong supporter of putting PWAP/WPA murals in schools to integrate children into the artistic community that they were already expanding. However, this development became more provocative than intended. He, and the PWAP/WPA art projects received some criticism, “Scenes of Industry” in particular. In December of 1940, Harry Engle, director of the Chicago Galleries association, argued that the murals were “caricatures” and “un-American”, claiming that the nature of the paintings was unfit for child exposure. [7] The paintings show people at work in different work venues. They’re provocative and informative, and not typically geared towards children, but to use words such as “un-American” is taking it too far. However, despite any criticism that it received, the “Scenes of Industry” murals remained in Highland Park High School in Highland Park, IL until the old building was torn down. After some detective work by a young girl with a history project, they were restored to the library where students can constantly realize, appreciate, and learn from the legacy of the New Deal artwork.

HANA FIELD: The nine “Scenes of Industry” murals remained in Highland Park High School until the old building was torn down in 1955. [2] Forty years later, eighth grader Hana Field was doing a project on the New Deal art and decided to research Britton, since she had read that he was still alive. [8] Hana contacted his companion, Katharine Dodge, and upon further research, found a listing in The Federal Art Project in Illinois – 1935-1943 that said that the “Scenes of Industry” murals were displayed in Highland Park High. [9] When she found that they weren’t, Hana tracked them down, and with the help of a school technician, she located them in an attic. [1] They were restored and returned to the library of Highland Park High School. Hana’s passion supports Britton’s theory that art in schools and real, tangible history in schools can enlighten and inspire the students who learn there.