Page 20 - Studio International - February 1968
P. 20

critics write? And where and when? Was what they   evaluation is sheer  nonsense  for the  simple reason   wholly independent of man, how does he expect each
       wrote  published  in  New  York-where  it would have  that art always has gone its own way and in tact its  man to determine its function? Of course, it depends
       most chance to  encourage ?-as  my  own  articles  in   very nature puts it out of the control of man.   what you  mean  by control  but  any  view of  art that
       praise of the Americans in the mid-fifties were? If the   It is not Mr  Lynton's views which move me to reply,   ignores the essential premise that it is made by man
       French reacted before we did in favour of American   but  his eminent  position in art  education and  criti­  for man and is the  product of conscious as well as
       painting-where  did  it  show?  And  surely  Mathieu   cism-a position of trust not deserving of debasement   unconscious  factors  is  ludicrous.  i  rather  wonder
       owed  more,  originally,  to  Wols  than  to  New  York?   by pompousness.        what Mr Dallwitz, who states that he lectures in the
       The overwhelming impression I have of the mid-fifties   Perhaps  the  crux  of  Mr  Lynton's  argument  (and  I   history of art, lectures about.
       is  that  Paris  ignored  the  New  York  painting  while   hope I have interpreted him correctly) is that 'happen­  My  point  was  not  that  happenings  are  wicked  or
       London welcomed it, acclaimed it unreservedly and,   ings', as art,  are unworthy because they  are imper­  valueless but that,  at a critical time for art, they dis­
       for the time being, followed it. This was confirmed in  manent. He says, 'The essential function of art is to   tract  attention  and  energies  from  central  problems
       the statement which I quoted In my article by the late   last.'                   and actually encourage the tendency of qur world to
       Frank O'Hara, the American critic.   D    Surely this is a classic example of the mental attitude   equate art with entertainment, personality cu It, instant
                                                against which we as art lecturers and art critics must   effect, etc. I do not say happenings are false gods, but
                                                fight tooth and nail. How easy and how self-deceptive   that  happenings,  when  made  into  gods,  are  false
       Correspondence                           to  make a  clear-cut decision  as  to what constitutes   gods. And I continue in my belief that they are not in
                                                art, and then confidently and categorically condemn   the full sense  art because,  being entirely transitory,
       Gods and Happenings                      certain  aspects  of  art  by  applying the  yardstick  of  they are without communicable and evaluable expres­
       Dear Sir,·                               self-invented  standards.  Such  a  critic  cannot  be   sive form. I did not say that 'they are contaminating
        Norbert Lynton (Studio International, Nov. 1967) sees   wrong-he makes the rules and he gives the decisions.   art'; I have a suspicion that art is not contaminable.
       himself as a divinely inspired Old Testament prophet   The essential function of art is determined by each   Mr Dallwitz offers us his belief that 'the art of paint­
       thundering the will of God from the base of Mt Sinai.   individual  exponent  and  again  by  each  individual   ing will never be superseded', and says that I share it.
       His pronouncements are so wide of the mark of truth   recipient. I have seen a 'happening' which moved me   I do not.  It surprises me that someone with a know­
       as to warrant some repudiation.          and I believe that it will last in my memory for the rest  ledge of art history should wish to think like that, but I
        In Mr  Lynton's eyes 'happenings' are like false gods   of my life. Mr Lynton will no doubt concede this, and I   should certainly  not  want  to assault him  personally
       luring  mankind  from  th� one  true  God.  In  fact  Mr   agree with him that 'happenings' have no connection   for this belief, nor even for expressing it in public.
       Lynton's intolerance is no less excusable than that of   with the art of painting. I am attacking him because
       Moses,  Isaiah  and  other  biased  enthusiasts  of  a   he makes a fuss about it, because he is trying to make   The New York scene
       previous era.                            something sacred out of art, trying to save art from
        The attempt to bring this kind of argument into art   contamination. This is  pompousness on a  par  with   In  this  issue  we  publish  an  article  by  Jean Clay,  a
                                                that of decrying humour in music.        leading French  critic,  on  some  of the  pressures  to
                                                 To  many  artists  and many  art-lovers  'happenings'   which the visual arts are subject in  New  York. The
                                                are an extension of the art of painting. To many others   article is based on impressions gained during visits
                                                they are one of the phenomena which are replacing   last  year,  and  inevitably  certain  details  have  been
                                                the art of painting. We know that this is so because   overtaken  by  time-the  neglect  of  Albers  has  been
       74 years ago                             they have told us so verbally and in their writings.   somewhat  mitigated  by  the  marking  of  his  80th
                                                 Now I believe, and Mr Lynton believes, that in fact   birthday; Gabo is due to have an exhibition; 'minimal'
                                                the art of  painting will never be superseded.  But it   has  supreseded  'cool';  the  'Cheetah'  has  closed.
                                                has been added to and it will continue to be added to.   However, we have chosen to print the article without
                                                And why should Mr Lynton or anybody else be so sure   editorial  'up-dating'  both  because  the  pressures
                                                of his judgement as to state publicly that 'happenings'   remain  and  because  the  criticisms  voiced  by  Jean
                                                are  not  art  or  that  they  are  contaminating  art?   Clay reflect those of a number of European critics.
                                                Eminent  artists  produce  them,  thousands  (perhaps
                                                including  Mr  Lynton)  find  them  provocative.  To   Obituaries
                                                describe them as 'a treacherous line of regression' is
                                                a  presumptuous  attempt to  place  a  straitjacket  on  Arnold Riidlinger-Federspiel
                                                the creative instinct.                   John Plumb writes:
                                                                 I am,                    It is always sad to learn of the death of a friend, and
                                                                     Yours sincerely,
                                                                            David Dallwitz   the  death  of  Herr  Arnold  Rudlinger-Federspiel  on
                                                40 Myrtle Road,                          16  November was a loss which will be deeply felt by
                                                                                         those  painters, sculptors and others  in  this country,
                                                Seacliff 5049,
                                                South Australia                          in Europe and in America, who had the privilege of
                                                                                         meeting him and getting to know well his exceptional
                                                                                         qualities as a man and as director of the Kunsthalle
                                                (Mr Dai lwitz is a lecturer in the history of art. He is also   at Basle.
                                                a practising artist.]                     He was director for some 12 years and in this time
                                                                                         was one of the first to recognise the revolution which
        A patriotic  and  discriminating  few  already insist  on                        had taken place in American art. He was instrumental
       the advantages of English-made silks; it rests with the   Norbert  .Lynton  writes:  Mr  Dallwitz's  letter,  taken   in the  acquisition  by the  Kunstmuseum at  Basle of
       English  designers,  manufacturers,  and  distributors  to   literally,  requires us to accept that   some  notable  examples  of  the  work  of  New  York
       convince  the  many  they  can  secure  equal  instrinsic   1. anyone  seriously  engaged in the field of art and  painters,  including  one  of  the  finest  Barnett  New­
       value and better design  and  colour in silks of English   education is not at liberty to express opinions unless  man's I have seen.
       manufacture.                             he be Mr Dallwitz, and that               He  responded,  too,  to  the  work  of  young  English
              Lasenby Liberty in 'Spitalfields Brocades'   2. anyone critical of any aspect of the contemporary  artists and staged an exhibition  at the  Kunstalle in
                                                art scene must necessarily be against change.  1963.
                                                 This is as boring as his general tone, and I daresay  It was his wide-ranging activity, his obvious love of
       The March issue                          we should overlook both (but I can't help wishing he  painting  and  sculpture  and  his  strong respect  for
                                                had watched his manner of expression when attack­  the artists which made him such a notable director.
       The  March issue  of Studio  International will include  ing mine).               He followed his own convictions and sought out those
       articles on the work of Mary Martin and Jeremy Moon;   He  makes  vague  accusations  and  supports  them  artists who interested him,  and being very little con­
       coverage of the de Stijl exhibition which opens at the  with  curious  assertions.  What  is  this  art  that  'has  cerned  with  current  aesthetic  judgements  he  led
       Camden Arts Centre at the end of February; and an   always gone its own way', whose 'very nature puts it  than followed. His friendship, and constant readiness
       article  on  British  romantic  painting  of  the  19th   out of the control of man'? Who then makes it, and  to  welcome  artists  visiting  Basle,  will  be  sorely
       century.                                 for whom? And  if  he  believes  art  to  be  a  growth  missed.

       64
   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25