Page 51 - Studio International - July August 1968

Documenta IV: the German contribution

Documenta IV, the quadrennial international exhibition of painting, sculpture, graphic arts and objects, is at Kassel,
Germany, from June 27 to October 6.

Robert Kudielka

Is every exhibition as good as its organizers? In all fairness to taking was promptly threatened with a boycott. We clearly couldn't
Documenta IV it must be said that the exhibition is better than the afford to stage a Documenta more often than every four years—it's
lapses of those responsible for its organization might lead one to altogether too strenuous.
suppose. Exhibitions of international standing, such as the Venice In view of such gloomy portents the Documenta opening day is
and Sao Paolo Biennales, are usually subjected to a barrage of criti- always accompanied by a universal sigh of relief at the ingratiating
cism after the opening, when prizes have been awarded and dis- innocence of the actual exhibition. The plan to show experimental
appointments felt. The Documenta, however, causes a stir even before art since 1964 by no means results in a perspective of exciting new
it has been decided who is to take part. terrain. What we in fact get is to a large extent a Pop Art retro-
As with everything else in Germany, Documenta IV first had to spective; it should be remembered that the last Documenta four
submit to an examination of its Weltanschauung. The organizing years ago was still completely under the spell of Informalism. There
council fought to decide whether the exhibition should be a pantheon is hardly a new discovery to be made at Documenta IV. The organiz-
of art history or a documentation of experimental art—and this before ing council took pains personally to select each artist so as to retain
art as such was mentioned at all. The jurors then incurred the wrath its independence of the art trade. The majority of artists chosen are
of the German art public by expressing a preference for the American nevertheless `names'—in other words, such artists as have done the
and English over the home product. After the proponents of the round of big exhibitions in recent years, and graced the pages of the
`experimental museum' party had won the day and national interests art journals. Many of the jurors had too scanty an acquaintance with
had been taken care of, the horizon clouded over once more. The the more hidden movements in art since 1964, such as for example
organizers began to lose confidence in their own decisions. Invitations the new English sculpture of Annesley, Hall, Scott, Witkin and
already sent—for example to the American, Kienholz—were retrac- Woodham. These artists are not represented, whereas Caro, King
ted. To cap matters, the German art trade found out that the and Tucker enjoy the advantage of being known from the last
Cologne art gallery 'Der Spiegel' was planning to publish a collection Documenta. What else can be expected of a jury which has to send
of serigraphs by the participating artists on behalf of the Documenta representatives abroad to visit gallery owners and go through the
council—and to make a profit on the venture. The worthy under- visitors' book to find out what is actually happening?

Diter Rot Packesel 1968, mixed media, 10 x 10 x 6 in.
Galerie Neuendorf, Hamburg Joseph Beuys Manresa element 2 1966, mixed media