Page 18 - Studio International - February 1969

Bryan Sometime early in January 1946, I remember and general public their first real experience
sitting in 'Quick's' Coffee-house at the bottom of contemporary American painting. It would
Robertson's of Queensway talking with a young man who be hard to over-estimate the value of the one-
man exhibitions of Pollock, Rothko, Tobey,
was attempting to gather together the des-
perate bits for the first post-war article on Guston, Kline, Johns, Motherwell, and the
achievement at younger British artists for The Studio. That astonishing revelation of the fact that, by the
young man was Bryan Robertson and his time of the Rauschenberg show, thousands
the Whitechapel article appeared in the March issue of that were prepared to travel not merely from the
year. It started with the phrase 'It is time that
home-counties but from the Midlands and
some statement was made on behalf of the the North to this gallery in East London. But
younger British artists', and went on . . Bryan Robertson never lost sight of his other
emphasis on "a nationally conscious" school aim, 'that some statement was made on be-
of painting is sometimes worrying . . . oc- half of the younger British artists', and he
casionally it suggests that British painters are pursued this in two significant ways. First, he
erecting artificial bariers against outside influ- organised a number of one-man retrospective
ences— a dangerous practice. The famous shows of British artists in the middle of their
School of Paris was great only because it was careers— 'For it is at this time in their lives
truly international in feeling and outlook.' that artists may find themselves temporarily
No history of art in England, over the 23-year becalmed in the doldrums of uncertainty or
period that followed that article, can be engaged in the laborious process of re-orienta-
written without a substantial amount of atten- tion which so many have to face—or they find
tion being paid to Bryan Robertson and his themselves, for the moment, outside the
inspired directorship of the Whitechapel Art approval of fashion and the mode'. The list
Gallery. He led the way in providing the shows how unconcerned with fashion he was,
means for British painting to become truly for besides Davie, Armitage, Caro, Tim
internationally conscious because, however Scott and Phillip King, it includes Minton,
much communication through photographs of Ayrton, Colquhoun, Prunella Clough and
works of art and magazine images is extended, Gertrude Hermes. Second, he presented selec-
the real understanding is dependent on direct ted younger artists in his 'New Generation'
physical relationship (there were many who annual exhibitions from 1964 onwards. This
totally revised their previous paper-thin esti- was encouragement of a kind that could never
mates of Jackson Pollock after confrontation be matched by 'Committee-patronage'. The
with the actual works in the memorable artist was aware of a perceptive individual's
Whitechapel show of 1958). belief and backing; Robertson never operated
Within two years of taking over at White- from anything other than a strong personal
chapel, Robertson had launched his pro- commitment to the artists and the works that
gramme of comprehensive exhibitions of major he showed, and this was in itself invigorating
international figures with the Mondrian in a situation that usually professes a deadpan
exhibition, and had also introduced what objectivity. He thus gave many British artists
soon became easily identifiable as 'White- the opportunity to test their strength in a space
chapel-style' 9 x 8 in. catalogues (which had and context that would allow an international
a tonic effect on the prevailing standards of measuring-rod.
catalogue production in many of the smaller His immense achievement at Whitechapel
public galleries). He expressed his beliefs deserves to be saluted, and there is more than
in an early preface : 'The English are not more one generation of English artists who will
backward than their European neighbours. It wish to thank him for his help and encourage-
is simply that the encounter between the pub- ment, both direct and indirect. It will be a
lic at large and the art of their own times is dismal confession of our society's inability to
still quite a new experience, and understand- profit from proven talent if an opportunity
ing cannot be hurried.' does not present itself for his gifts to be en-
Using the versatile space at Whitechapel he gaged in some way in the promotion of the
worked tirelessly to give effect to this new en- visual and plastic arts—faith of the kind he has
counter and was instrumental in giving a exemplified is too rare.
younger generation of English artists, students

Contributors YVES GAUCHER the Canadian artist, has specially appointed Director of the Whitechapel Art Gallery in
designed the cover of this issue of Studio International. succession to Bryan Robertson.
to this issue
MAURICE DE SAUSMAREZ is head of the Byam Shaw GARTH EVANS the sculptor, teaches at St Martin's
School of Drawing and Painting. School of Art. He has exhibited at the Rowan Gallery.
MARK GLAZEBROOK read history at Cambridge and SIMON WATSON TAYLOR who organized the Apollinaire
studied at Oskar Kokoschka's summer school in anniversary exhibition at the I.C.A. last November,
Saltzburg and at the Slade School. He worked for the writes about the modern French literary scene and
Arts Council for four years from 1961, has lectured at translates art history. His translation of Andre Breton's
Maidstone College of Art, and was art critic for the key work on Surrealism, from which come the two
London Magazine for over a year. In January he was essays by Breton in this issue, is to be published by
Macdonald.