Page 26 - Studio International - October 1966

empathetic shift is crucial to all such work, for without matter or go along with it; the meaning of the piece is
something of this mysterious transference the sculpture this complex interaction of the observed and the felt.
becomes a lesson. Finally, the effect is of confrontation.
The problem again is one of presence, of the subject­ This one-to-one system is reasonably pervasive. It is
object relation. In current British sculpture, the sense of appropriate to the scrutiny ofCaro's work, with its appeal
a psycho-physical engagement is all-important, the plus to closeness and its axial and linear organizations. It
factor. Among the younger men in particular, the work serves the purposes of Turnbull's instantaneous per­
will often be seen to make a demonstration; sculptural ception. It makes looking an act of sympathy. Attention
form will be developed serially, or metamorphically (see is its requirement, with all of the physical overtones that
Bolus' Number 5, 1966, where a volume becomes planes), a state of alertness implies. Most important, it is anti­
or it will exploit physical-spatial improbabilities-Hall's environmental, the opposite of current American modes;
phrase-as some of Phillip King's cones have done. A the impression of the work in a context is not at issue. You
clear intellectual line will be taken and made visible don't have a view of it, or an impression of it, but a look at
(Annesley, Bolus, Tucker, and Woodham-to mention a it. You and your gaze are focussed toward the floor when
few-all offer good examples of this); the sculpture will you see Hemsworth's Easy Squeeze ( 1965-6) or Robert­
seem to be there to be read; but also in its formal son-Swann's Contact ( 1965) or Ian Spencer's Curly Goes
arrangement and scale it will project a presence-a Straight ( 1966) or Annesley's lntumescence ( 1966). Indeed,
Derek Woodham visceral character-that involves the spectator intimately. the floor might be thought to have in sheer psychological
Y 1965
Fibreglass This character may go counter to the intelligence of the terms an aptness for this sort of involved experience of
17¾ X 42¾ X 43¾ in.

Below Above Below
Ian Spencer Waldemar d'Orey Eduardo Paolozzi
Curly goes straight 1966 X // 1966 Hidra 1966
Mild steel Painted aluminium Chrome-plated steel
6 ft X 2 ft X 1 ft 6 in. 36 X 12 X 8 in. 15 X 37½ X 50 in.

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