The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 35, September 3, 2007, Article 7

JOHNSON'S MEDALLIC OBJECTS ARTICLE FEATURED IN SEPTEMBER NUMISMATIST

Dick Johnson writes: "The lead article in the September Numismatist
is my piece on 'medallic objects.' This was chosen by editor
Barbara Gregory as a prelude to the FIDEM Congress in Colorado
Springs September 19-22.

"I had hoped this article would have run as the introduction
in the catalog of the medals from 540 artists on exhibition
at this Congress of world medal enthusiasts, artists and
publishers of medals from 32 countries. She choose, instead,
to run it in the Numismatist, where it would get a wider
readership among ANA members (and hopefully attract more
visitors to the medal exhibition!).

"What these visitors will see are medals in all possible
forms, what many call 'art medals.' However, the subject
of the article is 'medallic objects'  the modern art of the
medallic field. The article points out the first ever of
these were created in America in December 1965. But the French
began creating medallic objects the following summer, and
virtually adopted this new art form as their own.

"The Paris Mint Director at the time, Piere deHaye, was the
greatest proponent of these and was producing one new medallic
object a day during his heyday in office! A decade later the
Paris Mint  published a catalog of the first ten years of
these and fixed the term in numismatics by calling these,
the title of the catalog, la Medaille-Object."

[It's a nicely illustrated article. The opening paragraph
sets the scene well, and a tag line appropriately describes
how one can best appreciate these interesting works of the
medallists' art. -Editor]

"In just a few weeks, scores of medallic artists from around
the globe will converge on the American Numismatic Association
in Colorado Springs for the 30th Congress of the Fédération 
Internationale de la Médaille d'Art (FIDEM), September 19-22. The
focus of their often imaginative work is as removed from medals
as medals are from coins, which are overburdened with restrictions,
such as size, weight and nationalistic propriety. Medallic objects
break the rules of coin and medal design, transcend technical
restraints and overcome medallic bias, all the while remaining
interesting, aesthetic pieces of art for the eye to behold . . .
and the hand to hold."

"Medals should never be hidden in a drawer or, heaven forbid,
a safedeposit box. They must be seen, appreciated, venerated,
enjoyed and loved."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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