Page 13 - Studio International - February 1966

and seek one must play in front of the itself. 'If a man' -said Duchamp-·takes GO cylinders resembling pillars (four to seven
picture in order to discern the black cross Campbell Soup cans and puts them on a metres high) which will vibrate in the wind.
embedded in equally black back ound is a canvas, it is not the retinal image which I am also preparing for the same park a
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complex essay in subtlety. Unlike those of concerns us. What interests us is the sculpture with autonomous movements. This
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Klein, Reinhardt's paintings retain the concept that wants to put 50 Campbell mechanical animal will draw its nourishment
vestige of an image as the radical, the Soup cans on a canvas.' f:r;om nature (solar energy); at night it will
mysterious element and the raison d'etre of This concept, and its wide unquestioned pause and contract into itself, whilst during
the picture. The process of reduction and acceptance, are without doubt one of the ihe day it will move about slowly, emit
the superficial simplicity serve to stress keys to the understanding of some of the sounds, and project antennae that will absorb
the complex structure which makes the basic ideas involved in present-day art. energy and act as warning signals against
image both crucial and almost impossible to Unlike Reinhardt, Kelly, Turnbull & Co, obstacles.
see. In the case of Kelly the limitation of W a.rhol shares something of the tolerance I am developing in addition a new series of
two brilliant hues within highly ambiguous for inspired boredom which permeates to 'ABSOLUTE BODIES OF LIGHT'. The 'absolute
interchangeable forms result from the an extent the work of both Klein and bodies' I have created up to now are plastic
artist's intention to obtain a highly active Manzoni, and seems to be the prime spheroids with a diameter of forty centi­
two-dimensional surface. The structure with motive behind the idea of Nart. metres; they remain immobile, suspended in
which Kelly operates may be simple but space by a jet of compressed air, and by
the result is the antithesis of simplicity in so changing the direction of the jet they can be
far that it is ambiguous, active and dis­ made to revolve vertically to the point of
turbing. This is also true of Turnbull's obtaining a virtual volume: an 'absolute
paintings, although here the problem of 'Immediate Projects' body of light'.
scale is more crucial; it is also true of Caro·s by Piero Manzoni 1960 'Absolute bodies of light' can be made in
sculpture, although the process of Since 1959 the 'raster' of the fabrics of white any dimension (I am planning one now for a
reduction functions differently. What these light of the 'ACHROMES' have been stitched particular architectural project) but at the
artists share in terms of activating space with sewing machines (in 1957 and 1958 the moment I am working on the realisation of a
or surface is the concentration on unique fabric was impregnated with kaolin and glue). series of very small 'absolute bodies of light'
radical relationships and developments of I am now planning to produce large forms by which will be kept in action by a very tiny
those relationships, whether these be formal, making use of plastic fabrics. In 1959 I independent motor that will require no
chromatic or optical. Here simplicity is prepared a series of forty-five AIR BODIES with special installation.
related to the process by which a complex maximum diameters of eighty centimetres, Recently I signed and left MY FINGERPRINTS
and even disturbing visual event (rather and at the present moment, if the purchaaer on several eggs (the·public had direct contact
than image) comes into being. so desires, one can also buy MY BREATH, with these works by swallowing an entire •
Usually the process of addition and conserved in this form, as well as the rubber exhibition of them in seventy minutes). But I
multiplication in art is associated with covering and base which otherwise can be am continuing to distribute eggs consecrated
organic development and owth. One enclosed irt a special case. with my :fingerprints.
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would hardly consider this process of I am now working on a series of air bodies This year I was able to draw A LINE 7,200
addition and repetition as a simplifying which will have diameters of approximately (seven thousand and two hundred) METRES
process. I can think only of one case where two and one-half metres and which can be set LONG. (The first series of lines, begun in 1959,
this might actually be true, i.e. in relation up in parks and gardens. By making use of had a maximum length of 33.63 metres.)
to the work of Andy Warhol, where a small device these objects will pulsate This is the first of a series of lines of
repetition of an image on the visual level slowly as if breathing, but not in a syn­ exceptional length of which I will leave one
(forgetting about other implications) chronised fashion. (I prepared the first sample in each of the principal cities of the
reduces the image to a pattern element. In experimental samples in 1959, but in smaller world. (Each line, when it is completed, will
stating a case against uniqueness Warhol dimensions. And, making use of the same be vacuum-packed in a special stainless-steel
reduces ideas and images to a formula, principle I have also planned a pulsating, case that will be hermetically sealed.) The
allowing the personal element to enter into pneumatic wall which can be used in architec­ series will be completed only when the sum
the number of repetitions he operates with, ture.) In the same park or garden I will of the lines � be equal to the circumference
rather than the interpretation of the image plant a small forest of lengthened pneumatic of the earth. D

John Anthony "(hwaites has been working in Edward Lucie-Smith, poet and · critic. and Dore Book reviewers in this issue include the critic Sir
· Germany as an art critic for sixteen years. His mono­ Ashton, critic and writer, who has just completed Herbert Read and Michael Kitson, lecturer in the
graph on the sculptor Norbert Kricke was published 'a book-length, idiosyncratic and non-linear essay on history of art at the Courtauld Institute.
last year, and he has just completed a book on the assumptions of modern art' and is workir;ig on a book
painting of Rupprecht Geiger. on modern American sculpture, contribute monthly George Savage, a member of the committee of the
commentaries to Studio International. British Antique Dealers' Association, has written
Charles S. Spencer writes on art for several journals extensively on art and_ antiques.
and reports on art in Britain for the New York Times. Hanns Theodor Flemming is an art critic and writer.
He lives in Hamburg.
Alexander Weatherson is a painter. a practicing
psychologist. and a lecturer on art.

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