Page 57 - Studio International - May 1966

new. Like most of the sculptures it has a second title- which a cut-out figure confronts her mask, has the words
Depopulation of the world and the degradation of man. A box `Remember what you said last week' in a cartoonist's
with a half-open door is an important element, recurring `balloon'. These words are from a poem by Burt which
in most of the new sculptures, ambiguously suggesting a inspired the sculpture.
range of symbolism-sex, forbidden areas of the mind, The concern with mystery and the macabre, images
the search for the meaning of life, and so on. The leg and which are powerful, even cruel and demonic, link the
a rounded hip, reminiscent of the helmet sculpture, are Teutonic helmet shapes with a recent work entitled Cabi-
linked by frankly phallic forms. A love-hate relationship net for the un-Immaculate Conception of Dr. Caligari. Indeed
with women, sex, procreation, is expressed in the second the title itself contains an almost perfect description-
title. visual, symbolic and literary- of Burt's sculpture. A simi-
The black box, again, is the basis of Homage to Louis lar element of cinematic Grand Guignol can be seen in The
Mac Neice, Memorial to a Brave New World or Beelzebub's day it rained forever, inspired by a story by Ray Bradbury,
toast to the New Scientists, which actually has a poem by in which a bent, torn umbrella, held in a bronze hand,
MacNiece, etched on a brass plate, riveted to one side. has the words 'drip' and 'dead' superimposed.
An even more elaborate construction, a dressing-table at `I resist the fact that people expect you to do what you've
done before'; that he has certainly done. Burt is not
unaware of the dangers of sentimentality and literary
anecdotage in his new path. These he regards as inherent
in the search for greater participation by the spectator.
Finally, one must acknowledge his deep seriousness. My
description of his images, or juxtapositions, may give
t he impression of naivety or even facetiousness. Face to
face this is unlikely to be the case. The tough assurance
remains in his impressive skill, balanced by the sensitive,
complex poetry of his conceptions.
q

Statement by Laurence Burt

Each individual evolves his own conception of reality.
Mine is the reality of experience; both the imaginative and
that of living. The true world is within but is affected and
formed by the outer world in terms of sensations and
perceptions. Each reflects the other. To be of significance
both worlds depend upon contrasts and contradictions;
birth-death, peace-war, love-hate, happy-sad. Between
these extremes the land of 'Limbo' where the Sleep-
walkers and Imitators live; I would not wish to be one of
them. All experience, if felt intensely, is valid and beautiful
and a kind of poetry, this is really what I would like to
say in my work.
About art: sculpture as a means of total expression
offers some resistance, both physical and formal, the
struggle is necessary, for nothing comes easily. Most of
the objects in the exhibition require some participation
on the part of the spectator; the opening of a box or a
door, a lever to be pulled. There could be many explana-
tions for this because it was not a pre-conceived or
planned idea. However, I explain it as a demand for a more
personal involvement on your part and perhaps to provide
a second and more searching look.
Colour I still find a problem, but perhaps in the next
ones it will be better.
Some of the works allow a choice of title, these occur
generally after the constructive creative act and provide
me with a further opportunity to communicate, or
emphasize in some cases the original idea. In fact a
second chance. Cardiff 1966

Machine A.D.1965
(Depopulation of the world and the degradation of man) 1965
Bronze, iron and wood
Height 64 in. Length 36 in. Width 30 in.