Neo-Arlimusc (December 1926-1929[1]) (Pronounced “Neo-Ar-Li-Muze)[2] 

This group of writers, musicians, poets, artists and informed people was created when Rudolph Weisenborn had a falling out with the members of the No-Jury Society of Artists over a living artist’s gallery.[3] So named to bring AR (Art) LI (Literature) MU (Music) and SC (Science) together under one forum the club, with a small headquarters on LaSalle Street (Weisenborn’s studio), continued until 1929.[4] The club used as their official emblem a painting by Weisenborn entitled Construction.[5] Some non-artist members included: Llewelyn Jones, book editor of the Chicago Evening Post; poet Maxwell Bodenheim; musicians Leon Benditsky and Bitali Schnee; sociologist Louis Wirth; psychiatrist Dr. Mandel Sherman and even Carl Sandburg.[6] In March 1927, they announced a series of monthly exhibitions surrounding a particular theme, the nude being the first theme.[7] The first show of nudes was skewered by critic Samuel Putnam as being too “tame.”[8] The exhibits never materialized to such a frequency although quarterly shows were organized that year and the next, including a summer exhibition by its members,[9] and a fall exhibition of Chicago scenes, open to any artist, although members were given first opportunity for limited space. The fall show was subject to a jury for non-members.[10] The fall show later merged into a bidding sale which opened on November 29th.[11] For the beginning of 1928, Weisenborn remodeled his studio/gallery where the organization had been meeting and exhibiting. The modernistic space of his design was then featured in the newspapers.[12] The group also held occasional one-man exhibitions such as that of the works of A. L. Pollack in 1927.[13] In 1928, they organized an exhibit honoring the visit of critic Julius Meier-Graeffe to Chicago consisting of “the best work of Chicago ‘modernists’ since the armory show in 1913.” Meier-Graeffe had just published his triumphant text analyzing Cezanne and was much heralded at the time.[14] Meier-Graefe left Chicago after visiting the now renowned Birch-Bartlett collection [Art Institute of Chicago] and the Neo-Arlimusc show. His reaction to everything was described as somewhat “reticent.” The critic could find nothing of interest to him created past the death date of his own hero Cezanne. Considering his oriented Meier-Graeffe’s tastes, which C. J. Bulliet saw as uneven, Bulliet stated: “Neo Arlimusc, therefore, needn’t feel so bad that the critic failed to detect anything significant in their ‘Modern’ show.” Noting further that Modernism in Chicago hadn’t begun until seven years after the death of Cezanne, (who died in 1906), at the time of the Armory Show.[15] Around the same time, Weisenborn organized a life sketch class in which he gave the criticisms. They met two evenings per week, at the Neo-Arlimusc in his studio.[16]

[1]C. J. Bulliet, “Artless Comment,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 8/6/1929, p.6. By this article Bulliet states the organization “now defunct.”

[2]“Discord Enters City’s Newest Club of Artists,” Chicago Tribune, 11/25/1927, p.23.

[3]The departure was discussed in The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 12/21/1926.

[4]For an example of the repartee at these meetings see: J. Z. Jacobsen, “Our Little Group of Serious Talkers,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 1/18/1927, pp.8, 12.

[5]The piece was illustrated next to C. J. Bulliet’s “Artless Comment. Red-Flagging Neo-Arlimusc,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 12/28/1926, p.8.

[6] “Bohemia With A Haircut,” Chicago Sunday Times, 3/24/1940, p.5-M.

[7]“Neo-Arlimusc to Start Series of Exhibitions,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 3/15/1927, p.12.

[8]Samuel Putnam, “Nudes Too Tame – Devoid of ‘Kick’ – Must Go,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 4/19/1927, pp.1, 12.

[9]“Neo-Arlimusc Show,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 6/21/1927, p.2. The show was further reviewed by C. J. Bulliet, “German Expressionist Added to Local Group,” in the 6/28 issue, p.2. For an example of the work in the show see Woman in A Flat, by Dekoven, in The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 8/9/1927, p.5.

[10]Alfreda Weisenborn, “Chicago to Be Theme of Neo-Arlimusc Show,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 8/23/1927, p.2. The show was reviewed by R. A. Lennon, “Modern Artists Not Scornful of Chicago, in the 10/18 issue, p.5.

[11]“Neo-Arlimusc Will Hold Bidding Sale,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 11/15/1927, p.4. See also: “Neo-Arlimusc Exhibit,” in the 12/6 issue, p.2 and Alfreda Weisenborn, “Hot Tips on Neo-Arlimusc Bidding Derby,” in the 12/13 issue, p.12.

[12]Blanche Matthias, “Neo Arlimusc and Its Moment of Now,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 11/22/1927, p.3.

[13]“Salome Receiving the Head of St. John the Baptist,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, p.3.

[14]For a review of his work on Cezanne in the local Chicago press see: C. J. Bulliet, “Meier-Graeffe Digs into Painter’s Soul,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 12/13/1927, pp.1, 3. For an announcement of his visit to the show see: “Meier-Graefe to See Chicago’s Modern Art,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 2/14/1928, p.1. C. J. Bulliet commented later that Weisenborn knew the whereabouts of long since last seen modern works of art in Chicago and would be assembling these with other for Mr. Meier-Graefe. “Artless Comment,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 2/14/1928, p.8. Meier-Graefe first visited the collection of Arthur Jerome Eddy, and discussed his lack of enthusiasm for Cubism and abstractions. C. J. Bulliet, “Meier-Graefe Begins His Tour of Inspection,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 2/21/1928, p.4.

[15]C. J. Bulliet, “Artless Comment,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 2/28/1928, p.8.

[16]“Neo-Arlimusc Sketch Class,” The Chicago Evening Post Magazine of the Art World, 2/14/1928, p.6 and “Neo Arlimusc Art Classes, in the 3/13/1928 issue, p.3.