Like '43, PO mural not met with 'enthusiasm'
By Doug Stohlberg
The mural, painted in the early 1940s, hung in the old post office at 225 Locust St. until the facility moved to the hill in 1996. When the U.S. Government sold the building, it commissioned Art Conservator Anton Rajer, Madison, to touch-up and move the large painting. Rajer has now discovered that local governmental agencies and The Phipps Center for the Arts are not jumping at the chance to display the piece of art. "The new post office was designed without the mural in mind," Rajer said. "It appears that everyone is passing the buck." Rajer isn't bashful about his feelings. "It seems a shame that such a rare and unique work of art made for Hudson will go to a new home. Hopefully it will go to a community where its rarity and history will be appreciated," Rajer said. "Don't you care about Hudson's heritage?" He claims that when he has done similar work in other communities, organizations and governmental units have "fought over who would get the artwork." Among those either rejecting or unable to accommodate the artwork are the new post office, city of Hudson, The Phipps Center and the school district. The new post office was designed without allowance for the artwork. Rajer said it could be installed there, but not at a safe location, free from potential vandalism. He values the work at $35,000. Hudson Mayor Jack Breault said the city offered a wall on the second floor of the library building. That location would also not be a secure location. According to Rajer, the school and Phipps Center offer the best locations with high ceilings and big walls. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ron Bernth said the artwork "does not fit any particular theme for us." Now that nobody else can accommodate the painting, Bernth said it is not fair to attempt to force the school "to solve the problem." John Potter, general manager at The Phipps, said the painting "does not match our mission."
Background
Since the day it arrived in Hudson, the post office mural has been unable to escape controversy.Milwaukee artist Ruth Grotenrath received the commission to paint a mural for the Hudson post office. Her instructions at the time were to consult with local officials, peruse local books and create a painting illustrating Hudson's early days. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, however. Some argued that the scene did not depict Hudson, but looked more like a painting of the deep South during the days of slavery. When the mural was hung in September 1943, the mural was praised by the Milwaukee media, but drew immediate criticism from local officials. Entitled "Unloading a River Boat," the painting supposedly illustrated the unloading of a river boat in Hudson. Local reception of the mural was disbelief and outright fury. Historian Willis Miller wrote about the mural in 1984. He reported that one citizen said, "If that picture depicts early day life in Hudson, I'm a billy goat." Another townsman said, "It doesn't look so bad if you get back far enough. Yes, it can be quite pleasing if you can forget that it's supposed to show an early day scene in Hudson." Postmaster at the time, John Hanley, incensed at the mural, shot off a letter to the artist, expressing his extreme dismay. In a 1984 conversation with Miller, Grotenrath said, "He (Hanley) was utterly furious and had absolutely nothing good to say about the mural. I wish I had saved the letter; it was a classic." Grotenrath died in 1987 and is now acclaimed as one of Wisconsin's most celebrated painters. In addition to her other works, she also did murals in Wayzata, Minn., and Hart, Mich. Rajer said there are 40,000 post offices in the country; only 2,000 had murals and Hudson was one of those. "It's a beautiful work of art made for the community and nobody wants it," Rajer said. "It's a painting that puts Hudson on the cultural map." He said that what makes the painting even more unique is that it was painted by a woman. He said it was very difficult for a woman to get a commission for painting in the early 1940s.
Current reaction
"This would not contribute or enhance any of our schools," Bernth said. "It is unfortunate that the federal government didn't consider what to do with the art work when they designed the new post office. Now it's presented as a problem for someone else to solve. We have no need or desire to become an art gallery."Bernth said the school will not pursue the issue any further. "The burden needs to be on the federal government," Bernth said. "They commissioned this project and they need to solve the problem." Potter said The Phipps Center for the Arts has no "permanent" pieces of art. "Everything we display is changing continuously," Potter said. "I'm not sure that it would fit, or look good in our building. We explored this issue thoroughly."
|
