Page 87 - Studio International - April 1968

social realism—the European schools. The trend 30 Painting, oil on canvas, 76 x 51 in., by Bram van 32 Ladies on the Avenue 1908, oil on canvas,
towards abstraction removed it too far from Soutine Velde at Knoedler, 14 East 57th Street, New York 22 14 x 11 in., by Abraham Walkowitz at Zabriskie, 699
whose work was grounded in direct observation of from April 2-26. Bram van Velde was born in Holland Madison Avenue, New York 10021, from April 2-27.
nature. The Abstract Expressionists' belief in in 1895. His work contrasts with that of his younger Born in 1878, Abraham Walkowitz died in 1965. The
spontaneity and in an actively articulated surface brother, Geer van Velde, in that it is fluid and show includes paintings, watercolours and prints of
disposed the painters of that movement towards an expressive. the lower East Side. sunny park day scenes and
appreciation of Soutine. But Soutine, essentially 31 Untitled 1967, plexiglass (yellow and pink), bathers which show this pioneer modernist in a lesser
tradition based, was crowded out of modern art 54 x 76 x 13 in., by Craig Kauffman at the Van- known aspect of his work. Figurative work from the
history by anti-traditionalist art movements. So that couver Art Gallery. 1145 W. Georgia Street, Vancou- year 1900 to shortly after Walkowitz saw the Cezanne
no matter how big his personal stature was, his ver 5, from March 31 until May 5. This is the gallery's Memorial Exhibition (1907) in Paris, has been
influence on other painters was not too significant. major Spring show: six contemporary Los Angeles selected.
I personally know of no Abstract Expressionist artists of major creative imagination, chosen as 33 Succulence, plaster, by Peter Agostini at the
painters whose work showed a Soutine influence. individuals and not as sharing a 'Los Angeles sensi- National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa 4, from April 26
The exception may be De Kooning. bility'. The other artists are Larry Bell, Ron Davis, to June 9. The show, 'International sculpture of the
'I myself was intensely moved by Soutine and still Robert Irwin, Ed Kienholz and John McCracken. sixties', has been arranged and circulated by the
am. But my commitment towards abstraction, the Only Kienholz has exhibited before in Canada. Guggenheim Museum, which is currently showing
trend away from working from nature, left little room Organizing the show is the curator of the Pasadena 'Neo-Impressionism'. Born in New York in 1913,
for a Soutine influence. Art Museum, John Coplans. Peter Agostini has held one-man exhibitions at
'On the whole, my judgement is that Abstract Stephen Radich, Columbia University and Richard
Expressionism influenced a deeper appreciation of Gray. He is now resident in New York.
Soutine but that his influence was sidestepped by
the urge towards abstraction.'