Page 19 - Studio International - May 1965

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Dada and Surrealism were always international move­ artists. Given this auspicious start, there was every
ments, implicitly denying in their origins and forms a expectation of Abstract Expressionism taking root. If
fixed sense of place, but Abstract Expressionism is, in time and subsequent events have served to betray this
all its aspects, strictly a New York phenomenon. Born notion, it most certainly was not for want of talent or
almost fortuitously from strangely incompatible and training, for the style has defied assimilation every­
unpredictable sources, it absorbed the central tradition where. Other artists, realising the nature of the problem.
of modern art and gave forth a number of artists whose left for New York or Europe*. Oft hose of the first genera­
diversity of work defies stylistic characterization. It is a tion that remained, some. feeling there was no other
style, yet it is not a style. There is no single vocabulary; answer. abandoned the style altogether and returned to
it is shared in part among many. In short, Abstract earlier, more typical American interests. Richard Oieben­
Expressionism is the product of a unique state of mind; korn is of the best of these. yet even he fails to invest his
if its spirit can be passed on, its forms are unrepeatable. painting with the qua I ity of toughness and inventiveness
True, the apparent flowering of Clyfford Still in San that is comparable to the best of New York painters.
Francisco may have led many artists to believe they also Left finally in San Francisco were a number of excellent
could transcend the limitations imposed by the geo­ artists. who despite all appearances to the contrary.
graphic origins of the style. If so, they were misled. were unable to work in the prevailing mode. Further
Roughly fifteen years have passed since Still shaped his generations never quite abandoned the style. but used it
own unique style and left San Francisco. There, with within an increasingly localized tradition. The illusion
Mark Rothko, he had helped to generate by his presence
*The best known of all these artists is Sam Francis. However. he was not a student
and teaching an extraordinary number of excellent of Still; he studied at Berkeley on the opposite side of the Bay at the University.

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Kenneth Price
L. Pink 1964
Painted & Fired Clay
6 X 4½ in.
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Ron Davis
To and Fro 1964
Acrylic Resin on Canvas
60 X 60 in.
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