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About the Art for Humanity Foundation
The Art for Humanity Foundation, which is a subsidiary of the National Heritage Foundation, was established by Barry Johnston in 1978 to promote responsible growth in public awareness of art and values. Its first fifteen years were devoted to creating a national sculpture figure modeling competition which touched the lives of more than 300 of some of the finest young artists around the country. In 1994, this competition was enthusiastically adopted by the National Sculpture Society leaving the Art for Humanity Foundation free to redirect its attention to creating an apprenticeship program in alignment with the placement of public sculptures.
Over the past few years, Barry Johnston has offered study programs consisting of figure modeling and drawing from life, abstract design problem solving, and the study of ways of integrating the figure into architectural settings. The program explores ways and means of integrating natural motif into architectural detail, an objective motivated by the belief that quality design within an architectural setting evolves from the ability to integrate natural form with geometry. Students are encouraged to develop architectural designs combining geometric shapes with the figure and natural elements. Architectural forms help the occupant relate to the geometry of the building; natural motif gives the occupant a sense of belonging. Synthesizing nature and geometry not only is the oldest approaches but counters the impersonal and utilitarian obsessions in our time. When funding is available, workshops have been set up to study the figure and to encourage imaginative works derived from the model.
The following article defines one philosophical mission of the Art for Humanity Foundation:
"Oh, It’s Lonely at the Top" by Barry Woods Johnston, sculptor
Does it matter that much if our public art reflects little concern for the general welfare of our society, and is reminiscent of corporate logos? Is there meaning in the statement by the apostle Mark, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Are soul issues relevant to the general welfare of our society?
For nearly a century, our government has shifted the constitutional guarantee from "promote the general welfare" to "provide for the general welfare" of our society. "General welfare," another term for "quality of life," is promoted as we become educated, realize our potential professionally, define our dreams and visions, and give back to society, all of which can be articulated through our personal involvement and support of the arts. The arts are a voice for all stratums in our society, and bring together people on all levels so we can work together to enhance the general quality of our lives, and hence the general welfare.
Concerned people are troubled that so many hard-working people have lost their jobs, and that subsequent social unrest sites the 1% well-to-do possessing 95% of our nation’s wealth. But few realize how little personal power the affluent actually have in affecting change in the quality of life in our society. Caring individuals want to contribute to the general well-being. But corporations, with their amorphous, profit-motive precedence, measure quality of life in physical terms. Corporations reflect market values rather than concerns of the soul. Consequently, philanthropy has suffered. Today’s priorities are so massive and impersonal that the wealthy are equally strapped and unable to step into the mix and make a difference. Today’s public art reflects this dilemma.
Philanthropy is hindered by bureaucratic regulations and tax laws that usurp an individual’s ability to take the initiative, get involved, and affect the quality of our lives. Unlike the days of the Rockefellows, Fords, Mellons, Firestone, and Vanderbilts, patrons today cannot easily step into the arena and participate in the process of improving the quality of our lives. Only corporate and governmental officiaries and their university exponents are free to get personally involved but, in the selection of art in a trickle down economy, often use their power to label and blackball any dissonance falling outside their massive and not necessarily humanity-based priorities. Such committees are likewise overpowered by the same massive and impersonal focus; and any variances are conservatively deemed too risky. So committees of either the conservative or avant-garde camps select a public art officiated by the corporate and bureaucratic status quo and call it the "new rave," as if another marketable item. And, in this, the soul-searching issues concerning the quality of our lives are simply ignored.
The Constitution says levied taxes are to pay the debts, provide for the common defense and promote the general welfare of the United States. We pay much attention to providing for the defense and the physical welfare, but have sorely neglected promoting the deeper human concerns that effect the quality of our lives. Philanthropists, who have the intelligence and financial skills to improve the quality of life on both sides of the fence, should be given tax incentives to improve the life of Americans, consistent with the constitutional imperative; but, for lack of personal input, our culture is neglected. In giving, and even better, in personally commissioning and realizing public art, the spirit of a culture blossoms as individuals commit to uplifting the lives of people as a whole and building a lasting legacy.