Page 22 - Studio International - November 1966

So one is prompted to ask more questions. The Information wanted André Breton
primary one is of course whether art education is a
possible discipline. Some aspects of the study of art Alexander M. Ross, the Chairman of the Department André Breton, Surrealism's most important theoreti-
clearly are, but in the normal sense of externalizing of English at the University of Guelph, Ontario is cian and one of its most significant practitioners,
an artifact of some kind, one is much more likely to be writing a book on W. H. Bartlett (1809-1854), the died on September 27. He was 80. In place of an
talking about training and craftsmanship of the best illustrator. Bartlett was the subject of a brief memoir obituary, Studio International will publish in its
kind. If one is referring to design then surely one is written by William Beattie, M.D., in 1855, and Pro- December issue an article by Sir Roland Penrose in
developing a solution from a programme. While it is fessor Ross is anxious to find any material relating to which he discusses Breton's contribution to the
not necessary to solve a design problem to under- either of these people. movement. Sir Roland was a close acquaintance of
stand its nature, the ability of a designer can only be Breton and himself played an important part in the
judged by the end product. development of Surrealism both in France and Great
It would seem that in the modern context of design, Britain.
the fear is not that the designer will lose his design Delft documentation
flare by attrition—you cannot really stop gifted de-
signers experimenting on all occasions—but rather Professor A. M. Hammacher is compiling for the
to keep the concepts and creative urge fluid while the Department of Architecture at the Technical Uni- In other publications
disciplined work of fact finding, analysis, pilot versity of Delft an international documentation on
studies, and trials is developed. To become so com- the connexions between art and architecture and its Testigo
pletely taken up with this task of recognition of the problems. The particular topics about which the The Argentine literary journal Testigo will publish in
real nature of the problem is an abiding sin of the documentation intends to collect material are: its next issue—the fourth—a special section devoted
academic scientist, but to do without any such pre- 1. Information about projects. to the plastic arts in Argentina.
paration seems to have been the tendency of all art 2. Photographs of executed works.
academies. 3. Information on the architect and building for Writers Forum Quartos No. 2
There are many dangers before those of us who, like which the work of art has been conceived. Issued at the time of Group H's thirty-sixth exhibition
Professor Black, are attempting the difficult task of 4. Addresses of and information about artists who —held last month at the Drian Galleries—this contains
fusion. One of them may be to assume that we can are interested in the subject and working in the an introduction by John Rowan describing Group
easily influence the character of the human environ- field. H's history, a number of visual and verbal statements
ment. We would be wise, I think, not to depress the The Department is anxious that the documentation by members of the Group, and an anti-statement
currency of this fascinating study by premature should be as complete as possible and would like to statement by Gabi Weissman : 'Programmes, dogmas,
decisions or an irresponsible opinion based on per- hear from artists and architects with possible contri- statements, aims and ends are all anathema to Art;
sonal and subjective reactions. butions. the only activity it takes seriously is pure play.'

the figure for the Choragus; of course (turning to nude In brief
figure) you see it from this side only in the painting.'
Then, as I was about to question Sir Frederic con- A new publication, On View in Great Britain, has just
cerning the draperies he used on these figures, the appeared. It costs 6s., is published by Plaistow
wet muslin arranged in those delightful folds which Publications and lists all the Museum and Gallery
recall the best periods of Greek sculpture, it struck acquisitions in this country between July 1965 and
me details had already been published many times, July 1966. Many of them are illustrated and all
and that even the pleasure of hearing the artist Museums and Galleries in the country are included,
describe his own methods, must not be indulged in from Aberdeen to Westcliff-on-Sea. On View U.S.A.
at the expense of his time. 'You must find it hard, Sir is scheduled to appear next spring.
Frederic, to fulfil your social engagements and yet do
so much ?"Social engagements must always give Alexander Calder is preparing a gigantic stainless
way to art,' was his reply. 'Work is first. I set aside steel stabile sculpture for Expo 67, the 1967 World
regular times for that, and nothing but official Exhibition in Montreal. The sculpture, not only
engagements are allowed to interfere with it; after- Calder's but probably oné of the world's largest work
wards I go out, but I keep early hours.' of art, will measure 67 ft high and 94 ft long and will
weigh 46 tons. As high as a seven-storey building,
In the December issue it will remain permanently on the site.
The December issue of Studio International will in- The Museum of Modern Art has reissued fifteen of its
clude a special feature on 'Mondrian in London', previously out-of-print titles. The Museum's publica-
with contributions from Ben Nicholson, Naum and tions have always enjoyed an enormous reputation
From an interview with Sir Frederic Leighton, Bart., Miriam Gabo, Herbert Read, Barbara Hepworth and and the reissuing of some of its standard works
P.R.A., April, 1893: Winifred Nicholson; an article on Mondrian by David (which are often the only publications on their sub-
'You are early,' were his first words. 'I have so many Sylvester; a detailed discussion of Kenneth Martin's jects) was long overdue. The list includes Alfred
engagements. I am compelled to keep punctually to work by Andrew Forge; Aspects of abstraction in H. Barr's Cubism and Abstract Art, his Matisse: His
the exact time.' In response to some leading ques- Tantric Art, by Francis Souza; André Breton by Roland Art and His Public, and Libby Tannenbaum's James
tions bearing on the subject of sculpture and model- Penrose; and articles by Patrick Heron and Oyvind Ensor. Museum of Modern Art publications are
ling, Sir Frederic said: 'My first essay in modelling Fahlström. distributed in this country by W. H. Allen.
was for a monument to Mrs Browning, at Florence.
Two others, one to the memory of my sister's hus- Forthcoming issues An exhibition of the work of Frances Hodgkins will
band, Major Sutherland Orr, and another to Lady continue at the Hambledon Gallery, Blandford Forum,
Charlotte Greville, are the only works I have attempted Our January issue will be largely devoted to kinetic Dorset, until November 23. This is the first major
besides those you see represented here' (indicating art, and will include articles by Stephen Bann, Cyril exhibition of her work for at least fifteen years and
the casts that stood on a chest in the large bay win- Barrett, Frank Popper and George Rickey, and state- includes pictures from the collections of Sir Kenneth
dow, or upon the long shelf of the fireplace to its ments by Soto, Cruz-Diez, Le Parc, and other kineti- Clark and Lucy Wertheim. The exhibition concen-
left). cists. It will also include an article by Tom Hudson trates on the work of the last period.
'When I was at work upon the Daphnephoria it and a commentary from Argentina by Jorge Romero
occurred to me to model some of the figures', Sir Brest. Ben Nicholson has presented to the Tate the painting
Frederic continued; 'that group of three girls, if you The February issue will include a major article on by Alfred Wallis entitled St Ives which is reproduced
remember, appears at the left of the picture. This was Vasarely by Jean Clay. in colour on page 243 of this issue.