Page 16 - Studio International - March 1968

COMMENT vodka at private views can alter this. The new culture themselves? Why should they
subsidize something which they feel they
unhappy fact is that London galleries­
ostensibly dealing in Culture at the highest are replacing?
level-are heavily mortgaged to what is, All this is, of course, a heavily simplified
in fact, a crushingly boring sub-culture. account of the situation; but not, I think,
It's hardly surprising that serious dealers a distorted account.
are threatening to close shop. New York
(which has its own but rather different What can be done? What should be done?
Christopher Finch problems) has, as everybody knows, taken A handful of our top artists can, of course,
over from Paris as evaluator of modern sell the greater part of their output in the
art and the value New York can afford to U.S.A. and this is a marvellously simple
put on the work of even quite young artists solution to their personal problem; on the
I do not think that I am alone in detecting is very high. London, attempting to be an other hand, it hardly affects the London
symptoms of atrophication in the London international art centre, is forced to accept situation except in so far as American
art scene. At least one critic has already these valuations. Put into practical, social success influences home sales.
gone into print with a declaration that terms this means that the London galleries Many artists seem to feel that some
the English mini-putsch has lost momentum are competing with Aspreys. centralized marketing agency is required.
and many people are, in private, giving I have deliberately been using the word There is talk of an information centre which
expression to similar sentiments. Is this 'value' ambiguously. In New York money would co-ordinate the activities of the
simply a reflection of economic recession is used as a standard measure for galleries. The optimistic thinking behind
(which must, inevitably, affect those living spiritual value-which isn't necessarily this scheme is that there are business
artists whose work has not yet been given such a bad thing. At least the people there men and the like just waiting to be sold
that mysterious seal of approval which with money to spend are prepared to try pictures and all that is needed for this
distinguishes a safe investment)? Or and adjust to what they are told are the situation to be brought to fruition is for
does the malaise run deeper? new spiritual values (within the limited these potential buyers to be taken by the
No-one, I suppose, would suggest that field of flne art, that is) and are prepared hand and led to the work. In principle this
the emotional and intellectual dynamics to pay for them accordingly. As Picabia sounds all very well, but I am inclined to
which have always been associated with put it, half a century ago: 'The tables turn, the view that it's an attempt to sidestep
the activity of art are at any less of a - thanks to the spirit; pictures and other the main issue. Such a scheme might,
premium now than at any other time. The works of art might be described as with the right kind of publicity, get off the
question is, are these dynamics supplied safe-depositables: the spirit inside becomes ground and even succeed in unloading a
by the fine art that is publicly available in increasingly inspired as the auction-room certain amount of work on to the public­
London today? And what of the cultural prices mount.' but would this do any lasting good? I very
ambience in which these works are This encourages the artist no end. much doubt it. A good sales.organization
presented? In England, that class of person which is can start any product moving but, if it
The character of art is influenced­ used to having money is too sure of its is to keep moving, the product must be
sometimes subtly, sometimes crudely-by values (in both senses of the word) to have the right one for the market. I have-with
the machinery of merchandising and anything foisted on it. Certainly it is able regret-come to the conclusion that 90 per
patronage with which it is associated. to accept modern art-as a diversion which cent of the painting and sculpture displayed
The world of art galleries and its offers no serious threat (David Hackney is for sale in London does not deserve to
relationship with sponsorship-both public such an amusing boy and doesn't-what's find a market. The 10 per cent that does
and private-has still, in this country., a the feller's name ?-drink rather a lot?). deserve a market has one-despite the
particular social tone. Certainly some In such an atmosphere Aspreys will system. While I appreciate that suckers
dealers have done their best to bring the probably win out. As for the new rich (and should never be given an even break,
atmosphere of their activities into line with semi-rich)-pop stars and the like-they I don't really see any long-term advantage
present-day life as it might be lived; but mostly (thank goodness) keep some kind in persuading potential buyers that they
the fact that they are running art galleries of contact with the values of what is fondly need the other 90 per cent. One day the
goes against them. It involves them in an called 'their proletarian background'. marks are likely to wise up, and that's
obsolete social network on which, In short, they think a thousand guineas your market gone for good.
ironically, they depend for their existence. rather a lot to pay for something to hang on The schemes that are going the rounds
No amount of hip hangers-on sipping a wall. Anyway-aren'tthey creating a seem tied to that bizarre and ill-defined

Contributors to this issue Alan Bowness is Reader in the History of Art at the William Townsend has beel) on the staff of the Slade
Courtauld Institute, University of London. School of Art since 1949, and is now Reader in Fine
Art in the University of London. He has had one-man
Jasla Reichardt, assistant director of the Institute of exhibitions in London at Roland Browse and Delbanco
Contemporary Arts and Dore Ashton, American Gene -Baro, a frequent contributor to Studio Inter­ and at the Leicester Galleries.
writer and critic are regular contributors to Studio national, also contributes to Art International, The
International. London Magazine and other periodicals, and is Contributors to the Book Supplem(;!nt are listed on
London Correspondent of Arts Magazine and Art in p. 165.
Christopher Finch, a frequent contributor to Art America.
International, Art and Artists and Vogue, is currently Correction
working on two books for Penguin Press and is due to We apologize for not crediting Editions Alecto
take up a museum post in the U.S. later this year. John Russell is art critic of The Sunday Times and Limited as publishers of The book of etchings by David
has recently published a book on Max Ernst. Hackney illustrating poems by C. P. Cavafy, from
John Milner is studying European art after 1840 at the which we published an illustration on page 38 of the
Courtauld Institute of Art. January issue.
108