Page 39 - Studio International - May 1965

Today's art at Buffalo

tives and specific freedoms being given to each player. baldly called 'Tomorrow·. the problems of the artist and
including the conductor'. Cage himself stood erect. a his audience were not quite discussed. but not quite
human clock. marking off the time intervals with broad. forgotten either. In fact. little came of the symposium
severe gestures. The performers brought their own which featured Foss as moderator and Feldman. Cage,
unusual effects ranging from umbrellas to bottles and Harold Rosenberg, Gregory Corso. Richard Casey and
took the whole business seriously. None of the con­ Larry Rivers as panellists. The 'festival' psychology pre­
niving smiles between audience and performers that so vailed. It was obviously intended to be a token dis­
often ruin orchestral performances of avant-garde cussion, with no prepared statements and no serious
music occurred. engagement. The hall was packed with avid listeners.
The theatrical quality of Cage's concert-reliance on many of whom had driven from Canada for the occa­
visual effects. on unusual instrumental effects (small sion. but the speakers. as is often the case in such public
microphones attached to the instruments and special performances. had an unspoken agreement not to try
piano techniques including pounding with a mallet)­ to talk about anything that mattered. Here. the dan­
is not far removed from the ·event' as described by gerous side of the two-week festival emerged: It
Schaffer. Yet. for some reason. audiences are slow to serves to titillate. to flatter participants and public alike.
accept in music what they will in visual art. The without in any way disturbing the other fifty weeks of
amusing interludes. the downright comic effects re­ the year when such events are attended only by
freshingly present in some contemporary music offends the few. ■
the dignity of Sunday concert goers. On the other hand.
similarities between funhouse undulating mirrors and
labyrinths. and new visual art are noted with amusement
Nicholas Schiiffer and satisfaction. This bodes ill for visual art!
Spat1odynam1:: Sculpture In the symposium winding up the two-day opening.
51 cm

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