Page 22 - Studio International - June 1966

time-limit, so that old members rarely resign, they simply gallery was considered irrelevant. The British Council
fade away. Since 1960 new members are appointed for does not think its job is to be 'fair' — only 'to enhance the
three years in the first place, though their appointments prestige of Great Britain through the arts'. In many other
have so far been renewed. A membership which includes countries age and service are determining factors. The
the Directors of the National Gallery, the Victoria & British Council does not consider any such precedence,
Albert Museum, the Tate, the National Gallery of Scot- but since the inauguration of the Paris Biennale for
land, the Keeper of Art at the National Museum of artists under thirty-five, there is a tendency to reserve
Wales, and the Director of Art of the Arts Council, with younger artists for first presentation at that exhibition.
Mrs Somerville as Secretary, leaving only a dozen non- Finally, a word about the pitfalls of 'pot-hunting'.
official members, might be thought too heavily biased Prizes are regarded as evidence of success, valuable for
towards the establishment. I am not suggesting that this impressing and persuading politicians and laymen. The
represents either an undemocratic method or a bad one; prizes prove that we have good artists, and that the
it is certainly preferable to a system whereby incoming British Council's expertise is confirmed by foreign
governments have the right to appoint. But there ought authorities. This can lead to the promotion of the
to be a way of avoiding long-term membership and of fashionable at the expense of more lasting talents. Thus
ensuring regular changes in taste and opinion. in Venice dead artists no matter how important are
When it comes to choosing for the Venice Biennale, a never likely to be shown since they would not be valid
special sub-committee is appointed. Their decision is candidates for prizes; nor, one feels sure, would a major
final; they report to the main Committee but it is recog- neglected figure such as Bomberg or Wyndham Lewis
nized from the outset that they have been asked to choose, unless the Committee had a hunch that he might catch
not recommend. Mrs Somerville is always a member of the international jury's attention. And with the cult of
this sub-committee, and as with the Government and youth and the need to give evidence of a `with-it' ex-
the Civil Service, or a Board of Directors and its execu- perimental culture, living veterans or even middle-
tives, she and her staff exercise some influence. Sir Philip generation artists not yet seen at Venice inevitably have
Hendy, Sir Herbert Read, David Thompson, and Alan the dice heavily loaded against them. Studying the list
Bowness were asked to choose this year's entry. The fact since 1948 it is clear that the average age of the British
that four of the five artists turned out to be from one representation has dropped steadily. q

The British five
Anthony Caro Early One Morning 1962 Bernard Cohen Floris 1964
Aluminium and steel painted red 9 ft 6 in. x 20ft 4 in. x 10 ft 11 in. Oil and tempera on canvas 60 x 60 in.
Collection: Tate Gallery Collection: John Kasmin, London