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shapes and forms, they are our own, done by our own forefathers, lets do something with it. However, he was not very successful in making many converts. There has, however, been a constant search for a "black quality" no matter what the subject matter in much of our work.
  
Q. I'd like to find out something about the shows and exhibitions of the twenties and thirties. I suppose we should start with Harmon Foundation. I remember reading a statement made by Bearden in which he condemned the Foundation for encouraging mediocrity.

A. Well, in a way, the Foundation had no background for making aesthetic judgements in their selection of work. So Bearden's statement was relevant. When they first announced their exhibits in 1926, Palmer Hayden won first and I won second prize and the exhibit was so popular throughout the country that they continued to conduct the yearly exhibits. But in supporting Bearden's statement - since they had relatively no standards for judging the art quality they did accept many fourth - rate works for display in the exhitits. This, of course, encouraged the young aspiring artists but in the end it did not instill within them the desire for artistic excellence. Consequently, thisled to a boycotting and denounciation of the foundation by the black New York artist. During those years I was in Atlanta and I was not involved in the controversy because I did not show after the first year. I suppose the foundation's intentions were very good.
  
Q. What about the Dallas Exposition of 1936?
  
A. That's a long time ago, It was called the Texas Centennial Exhibition, I believe.