Page 42 - Studio International - March 1966

An evolution illuminated

New York Commentary by Dore Ashton

In his essay on Rembrandt, Marcel Proust reminded us Guston began formulating the paradoxes on which his
that the 'end for which artists are made is not fame, but recent painting is based. Here, the rusty shapes, like
the complete statement of this or that conception.' phantom cupolas, live tenuously in a turbid atmosphere.
He pointed out that Rembrandt's mature manner They are formed in a coalescence of long strokes that
consisted in an obsessive exertion to reach a complete can be read either abstractly, or as concrete, space-
statement of the golden light that had enveloped his displacing objects. To emphasize the paradox, Guston
sitters, to 'convey it as a whole, without further care for hangs the coloured image like a curtain on his white
beauty or any other outward verity, but sacrificing canvas, now and then allowing some of the under-
everything to this, halting himself, going over it again painting to flow out toward the edge so that the painted
so that nothing of it should escape, feeling that this is structure comes forward in an illusion of concreteness
the one thing that mattered.' at one moment, and hangs mute as a testimony to the
Proust recognized what must be apparent to anyone reality of the flatness of canvas at another.
who has immersed himself in the mature work of a A year or two later, the strands congeal, forming
great master: that the paintings form a continuum so suggestive shapes that can never be quite identified
that one picture does not differ so greatly from the next, although they look familiar. These shapes are generally
but merely deepens a stated obsessive search. composed of sooty black, broad strokes that pick up
I mention this because the large exhibition of Philip and amplify movements and shapes in the silver-grey
Guston's recent paintings and drawings at the Jewish atmosphere in which they are embedded. A few thin
Museum has occasioned considerable debate. Guston floes of rose or sky-blue seep from beneath the
is recognized as a major painter, grudgingly admired impastos recalling the deep concern with paradox that
for his obvious painterly skill, but criticized for his moves the artist.
ongoing obsessions. Those who have become By late 1964, Guston had all but eliminated colour,
accustomed to scanning paintings at a glance find it preferring to render his image in brilliant, often harsh
difficult to enter the sludgy, grey world Guston offers and glinty greys, blacks and whites. He had reduced
Below
Philip Guston with its events so closely related from canvas to canvas. the dense thing-like shapes to a major and one or two
Air II 1965 Yet, in the high, hard light of Guston's most recent minor agents. Knifelike licks of white shoot out from
Oil on canvas
69 x 78 in. paintings, his evolution is illuminated. His universe of within the trellis of strokes. The air is no longer turbid,
eternal beginnings takes a firm shape. It only wants but sharp like Alpine air.
Right
Drawing No. 18 1965 concentrated attention to reveal itself. In the clarity of stroke, sometimes five inches wide,
19 1/4 x 25 in. The exhibition begins with work from around 1960 there is always a concrete reference. Each stroke,
and 1961 when, as in Close-Up Ill and The Tale, indeed, is like a thing, and each thing moves either in
Photos: Eric Pollitzer