Page 20 - Studio International - December 1969

On exhibitions Robert Barry, N.E.Thing Co., Jan Dibbets, tant criticism being 'yes' or 'no'. After that

Douglas Huebler, Stephen Kaltenbach, Joseph
his decisions should be in the realm of the
and the Kosuth, Sol Le Witt, Lawrence Weiner); and practical and logistical, not the aesthetic. The
organizer should have as little responsibility
an exhibition and multi-lingual catalogue
as possible for the specific art.
world at large from July-September 1969 for which eleven CH: Have the conditions for exhibitions
artists made work in eleven different locations
throughout the world. C.H. changed as art has changed, and if so, how?
Seth Siegelaub CH: Do you think exhibitions effect looking ss: Until 1967, the problems of exhibition of
art were quite clear, because at that time the
in conversation with at art? 'art' of art and the 'presentation' of art were
coincident. When a painting was hung, all the
Charles Harrison ss: They can. But usually pejoratively. In a necessary intrinsic art information was there.
large sense, everything is situation. In an
exhibition situation the context-other artists, But gradually there developed an 'art' which
During the last two years Seth Siegelaub has specific works-begins to imply, from without, didn't need to be hung. An art wherein the
acted as a dealer and exhibition organizer to certain things about any art work. The less problem of presentation paralleled one of the
assist and present the activities of those artists standard the exhibition situation becomes, the problems previously involved in the making
to whose ideas he has felt committed. Rather more difficult to 'see' the individual work of and exhibition of a painting: i.e. to make some­
than attempt to push this art along the art. So that an exhibition with six works of one one else aware that an artist had done anything at
channels through which art is customarily artist and one of another btgins to bring to all. Because the work was not visual in
given currency, he has established situations bear on the art pre-exhibition values that nature, it did not require the traditional
suggested by the radically different nature of prejudice the 'seeing' process. All choices in means of exhibition, but a means that would
the art itself. Exhibitions have recently tended the predetermination of the exhibition hinder present the intrinsic ideas of the art.
to be dominated by prestigious objects. Siege­ the viewing of the intrinsic value of each work For many years it has been well known that
laub has been principally concerned with of art. Themes, judgmental criticism, pref­ more people are aware of an artist's work
artists for whom work does not necessarily erences for individual artists expressed by through (1) the printed media or (2) conver­
result in the creation of anything visible or differences in the number of works, all pre­ sation than by direct confrontation with the
discrete. More energetically and more imagi­ judge art. art itself. For painting and sculpture, where
natively than any other defender of the con­ CH: Can exhibitions ever serve the intentions the visual presence-colour, scale, size, loca­
ceptual in art he has worked to provide new of the artist, and if so how? tion -is important to the work, the photograph
conditions of exhibiting and publishing ss: When artists show together their art or verbalization of that work is a bastardiza­
whereby the ideas of the artists may be made shares a common space and time. This situa­ tion of the art. But when art concerns itself
as widely available as possible without the tion makes differences more obvious-if only with things not germane to physical presence
risk of spurious identities becoming attached by proximity. If all the conditions for making its intrinsic ( communicative) value is not
to them. art were standard for all artists-same materi­ altered by its presentation in printed media.
Siegelaub's ventures have included the pub­ als, size, colour, etc.-there would still be The use of catalogues and books to com­
lishing of a Xerox book (with Carl Andre, great artists and lesser artists. The question of municate (and disseminate) art is the most
Robert Barry, Douglas Huebler, Joseph Ko­ context has always been important. The neutral means to present the new art. The
suth, Sol LeWitt, Robert Morris and Law­ nature of the exhibition situation begins to catalogue can now act as primary information
rence Weiner), and of a book of Statements by assume a 'neutral' condition as one standard­ for the exhibition, as opposed to secondary
Weiner; the opening (for the month of izes the elements in the environment in which information about art in magazines, cata­
January 1969) of a 'gallery' and publishing of art is 'seen'. I think exhibitions can function logues, etc., and in some cases the 'exhibition'
a catalogue for a group show of Barry, to clarify or focus in on certain dominant can be the 'catalogue'. I might add that
Huebler, Kosuth and Weiner, which included interests of an artist. As we know now, things presentation -'how you are made aware of the
such work as Barry's 1600 KC Carrier Wave that look alike are not necessarily alike. Cer­ art' -is common property, the same way that
(AM) and Weiner's One standard Air Force dye tain exhibitions present differences better paint colours or bronze are common property
marker thrown into the sea; a group exhibition than others. Most exhibitions stress similari­ to all painters or sculptors. Whether the
in March 1969 which took the form of a ties, at the expense of the individual works. artist chooses to present the work as a book or
catalogue with one page and one day for each CH: If the responsibility of the organizer is magazine or through an interview or with
of thirty-one artists invited to participate, to standardize, what sort of choices can he sticker labels or on billboards, it is not to be
distributed free to a world-wide mailing list; take upon himself? mistaken for the 'art' ('subject matter'?).
the mailing of a postcard to publish the times ss: The choice of specific artists and of the en­ CH: The organizer's response to an art 'idea'
and place of a gesture made by Jan Dibbets vironment in which their work is to be placed. is still primary. Where no other information
in Amsterdam; a group exhibition and cata­ CH: What conditions these decisions? is available, the man who takes responsibility
logue for Simon Fraser University, Canada ss: The personal sensibility of the organizer, for making someone else aware that an artist
(Terry Atkinson and Michael Baldwin, obviously. We're all critics, the most impor- has done something can still make his own

Contributors SETH smGELAUB, dealer, publisher and curator-at-large, JOSEPH KOSUTH lives and works in New York. His most
recent one-man exhibition was held during October in
has been actively involved during the last two years with
to this issue finding new means to promote new art. fifteen locations throughout the world. He is American
PATRICK HERON's work has been described in a previous editor of Art-Language. Parts I and II of 'Art after
issue of Studio International by Ronald Alley. An exhibi­ philosophy' were published in the October and
tion of his work will be held at the Waddington Gallery November issues of Studio International.
in January 1970. His essay was commissioned for a BARNETT NEWMAN, the distinguished American artist,
monograph on his work under preparation by ESM had an exhibition of paintings of 1959-69 at Knoedler's,
Documentations, an �chive of contemporary art or­ New York, last April. His article was first published in
ganized by Edward Mcneeley. Art News in Summer 1968 and is printed here by kind
PETER CAREY is manager of visual arts in Camden, permission of Mr Newman and the Editor of Art News.
London, and has organized exhibitions at the Camden RALPH RUMNEY, artist and theorist, is currently con­
Arts Centre and elsewhere. cerned with Futures.
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