THE YEAR'S PROGRESS
By Clarence H. White
An Interview with Henry Hoyt Moore
“What notable events, Mr. White, have occurred in the photographic world during the year 1920?”
“Perhaps no outstanding event, either on the art side or the scientific aspect of photography, has marked the year. A steady progress, however, in the direction of a better appreciation of photographic art is apparent. This is seen, for one thing, in the numerous exhibitions that have been held. Confining our attention to American exhibitions, I would remark that instead of, as in former years, having one big exhibition in Baltimore or Philadelphia or some other city, there are now active centers all over the country—there is a regularly established international salon in Los Angeles, and the well-known Pittsburgh Salon, and regularly established exhibitions in Portland and Toronto. There are groups of enthusiastic workers in all these centers. There are also exhibitions of photographic art regularly held in many of the museums of the country.”
American Photographers Set the Pace
“I once heard a well-known photographic worker say, ‘If you have any doubt as to the pictorial quality of a photograph, send it to the London Salon and their judgment will decide for you.’ Is this still true?”
“I still feel that the American photographers set the pace, and in this connection I would like to read you this letter from the Secretary of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain as indicating the appreciation in England of American pictorial work:
35 Russell Square, London, September, 1920.
I am happy to say that we have received from the United States and Canada a collection of pictorial photographs of such outstanding interest that the task of discrimination became one of great difficulty.