Page 41 - Studio International - August 1966

appealing to a particular kind of spectator but to all meaning: all is open, given. But this is not purely
spectators at the level of common humanity. Not only physiological. A pure physiological reaction would be
this; they are appealing, not to the eye or to any part the sort of vertiginous sensation bordering on nausea
of a man, but to the whole man, the individual. It has which some people feel when looking too long at certain
been objected against the Group and against kinetic `Op' paintings. But, where selecting, connecting, order-
artists generally that they do not activate the mind, that ing and relating, and, above all, activity are called for,
their work has no thought content, no ideas are conveyed. the reaction cannot be purely physiological. A purely
I should have thought the opposite was true: that they physiological reaction could be passive.
are too cerebral, too intellectual, and strip art of emotion All this poses a problem for the critic. What is he to
and mystery. But no matter. The Group's defence is criticize? The work? But there is, strictly speaking, no
that they do not accept the distinction between mind, work, only the possibility of a work, or alternatively, a
body, spirit, etc. 'One still talks of the mind as if it were work which he himself has made. He may see it and see
an entity quite independent of the individual who that it is good, but how can he say anything about the
possesses it.' This is the classical conception of man with work that someone else may make out of the same situa-
his noble and base regions. Whatever may be said about tion ? To do this he would have to explore all the possi-
this it is true that in provoking the spectator to act, the bilities of the situation, and how can he know that he
Group are appealing to the individual as a whole. We has explored them all ?
may see with our eyes, think with our mind, but when we This problem may not be quite so intractable, or, at
act, we act as a whole with every part of us. least, it is a problem which all critics have to face. No
However, there is more to it than that. The Group definitive judgment can be given on any work. In this
seem to insist that the physiological side of man is in case, however, the critic is speaking about possible rather
fact the most important part and that it is to this they than actual works; his criticism is more open to revision.
appeal. 'We prefer to consider the artistic phenomenon The Group would like to dispense with the critic (the
as an exclusively visual experience on the level of physio- `art specialist' as they contemptuously call him) alto-
logy rather than of emotion.' (My italics.) This is under- gether. He is the cause of the mystification they want to
standable. At this point they can appeal to common dispel. Art specialists nourish a 'submissive drowsiness' in
humanity: we all perceive, we are all, whatever our the spectator, burdening him with inferiority complexes.
degree of education, affected physiologically. And in the artist a sense of importance in his unique
This is, of course,- an exaggeration. What they mean is creations. But the Group will have to rely on the art speci-
that they do not appeal to the emotions by indirect alist for some time to come, for it is only he who can undo
associations, nor offer a record of their own experiences, the harmful effects of his mystification. The Group reluc-
nor suggest natural forms, nor present an easily verbalized tantly admit this: 'Instructions are necessary for the
message. They present their objects for direct, immediate gallery-going public whose so-called "enlightened res-
perception. We do not have to search for some deeper pect" kills all initiative.' Reprieve! q

The Kinetic Exhibition organized by Cyril Barrett for Coventry's hitherto assembled in this country. In his catalogue foreword
Cyril Barret describes it as a 'progress report' on the work being
Herbert Art Gallery—here illustrated—is now on tour in the
done by most of the major British and foreign artists working in
provinces, and was shown at the University of Southampton in
July. It is in Dublin this August. The exhibition is the biggest this field.