Page 20 - Studio International - February 1969

that there are scarcely any wrong reasons for artists, whom we have not seen properly or much as I hate purely didactic propaganda
liking works of art. One can have a natural at all in England. I was very glad to dis- theatre, films, poetry or novels, but I think a
leaning (as I do) towards an art which is cover that Bryan Robertson had made firm way could be found, using closed circuit tele-
emotional rather than intellectual in. its im- plans for a Helen Frankenthaler exhibition in vision, projected colour slides changing every
pact without wanting to scratch Marcel May and early June. It also seems probable few seconds, photographic blow-ups and
Duchamp from the history books. The pri- that there are some very remarkable artists architectural models, of presenting an exhibi-
marily intellectual nature of his work has working in Canada at the moment. North tion on this theme which would be visually
made him a most creative critic of twentieth- America will not be the only source, of course. lively and at the same time inspiring and
century art. In late February an exhibition of the Brazilian constructive from the point of view of provid-
Two more points arise out of this. We expect artist Helio Oiticica will open at the White- ing information to the people who will be
artists to have exceptionally deep and pas- chapel. This will be the first one-man en- responsible for future building and planning.
sionate convictions. The one-sided view that vironmental show that the Whitechapel has A boring exhibition plus a shrill protest in a
some, though not all artists hold as a result of ever had. It will be an introduction to a new catalogue, blaming the Spillers of spilt milk,
these convictions, their deliberate refusal to and special Brazilian sensibility. It will also would be worse than useless. The art of dis-
become detached when they leave their own give the art critic Guy Brett an opportunity play is undergoing revolution at the moment,
studios, is often an inseparable and valuable to present his views on an artist in whom he and although there are many exhibitions
part of their make-up. Their judgements may passionately believes. Even if certain purists which should be left to speak for themselves
be based on formidable knowledge even about jib at the participation that the exhibition in the beautiful architectural surroundings of
the type of art they dislike; the sort of know- requires (taking off shoes, walking in sand, the Gallery, it would be good if the White-
ledge that professional critics might do well to putting on exotic cloaks) the Whitechapel will chapel could help lead the way in a certain
envy. It is natural that artists should feel and have done precisely what it should be doing sort of exhibition design.
think more intensely than the rest of us, but it in drawing critical attention to an unfamiliar Another year the same sort of thing could be
would be shallow for the rest of us to pretend artist of originality and integrity. done for book illustration. It is rather upset-
to the same sort of intense participation and 2. At least one retrospective of a British artist who ting to discover a French edition of an English
enthusiasm and by being partisan miss out on may not have shown in London for a long novel beautifully illustrated by the best foreign
developing a wider taste and understanding. time or if he has shown in a dealer's gallery, has artists but not available in English.
Second, although I am in favour of a catholic only 'shown two or three years' work. There The following year one could go on to furni-
taste in art, I am most certainly not in favour are and will continue to be a number of ture. Later, at the risk of being thought
of the mushy 'anything goes' school or non- British artists, and there are more coming on, frivolous, one might exhibit the most usefully
school of exhibition goers, which thinks that who more than merit (and would benefit from) and beautifully designed clothes.
everything in modern art from winking lights a large show where we can see works stretched That leaves two exhibitions. One of these
to blank canvases is equally 'fabulous' and out over ten or more years. might be a réclame for a dead artist who has
`great'. Putting on exhibitions is in a sense a 3. A group exhibition of British artists. I sincerely been neglected perhaps because he over-pro-
branch of art criticism, and if the Whitechapel hope that the Peter Stuyvesant Foundation will duced but whose reputation could live again
could do something to raise critical standards continue its most generous support. There are if one carefully selected fifty or sixty of his
in London (and I think it could as I will plenty of groups, themes, schools and genera- best works. Another possibility would be an
explain) that would be something worth- tions that have not been tackled yet. artist whose work had suddenly gained new
while. We do not have a mind to equal 4. An annual theme show from which the White- relevance, as Monet's did for the Abstract
Clement Greenberg's here either in breadth chapel would gain force as a centre to counteract Expressionists.
or acuteness. He is also too great a critic, I am philistinism in the visual arts and all the ways I also hope to work out an exhibition that is
sure, to claim the infallibility that others that this philistinism has affected the quality both aesthetically sound and at the same time
sometimes thrust upon him. Some of our critics of our lives. I am aware that this is the first connects with the East End of London as a
are perhaps less industrious than those in New new idea on the list. locality, so that local residents could feel
York. But such critical writing as we do have, Let us take architecture first. One does not doubly proud of the Whitechapel.
though this may surprise the editors of the have to be a genius to notice that those who Then one would want to leave a space for a
Pseuds Corner column in Private Eye, is less jar- commission architects in this country are ill- possible exhibition on offer from the Stedelijk,
gon-ridden than most American criticism and, informed and that the English architectural Amsterdam, or Moderna Museet, Stockholm,
given the right circumstances, perhaps we can establishment is, with a few brilliant excep- or the Museum of Modern Art, New York; or
develop a clear language which artists and tions, either corrupt, mediocre and insular, or for the undiscovered hoard of African shield
critics can share and in addition communicate all three. How is it that we waste our own painting or miraculously transportable mud
to the intelligent and interested public. native talent so that the best architects in this sculpture. Or perhaps, now that the British
To return to my commitment theme: I feel country do not get the best commissions? Why Museum is becoming increasingly responsive
that the Whitechapel's commitment should have the great architects of the twentieth to the demands that more of its treasures could
be devoted to values rather than schools and century such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Cor- be on display one might persuade them of the
I outline a tentative, balanced exhibition busier, Mies van der Rohe, Aalto, Nervi, value of temporarily transferring some Greek
policy which would both follow Bryan Robert- Gropius, scarcely ever been asked to build in pottery, say, to where it could be seen under
son's achievement and build something new London or anywhere else in England ? Why is ideally spacious viewing conditions.
on it. so much energy of intelligent people wasted All this is beginning to sound like fantasy. I am
The six shows a year might be made up as in noticing that eighteenth-century archi- brought sharply back to earth by the thought
follows (some of this may make dull reading tecture has more pleasing' proportions than that even in the field of contemporary art,
as I do not intend to mention the individual Victorian architecture without distinguishing which is the Whitechapel's main responsi-
artists I have in mind until I have consulted the good Victorian buildings from the bad ? bility, we will have to compete with the Tate,
them) : Could we not spend this energy on doing which now has more money for temporary
1. A retrospective of a major foreign artist. There something about the fact that most twentieth- exhibitions; the Arts Council, who will be
are still a number of modern American mas- century buildings in England are in many putting on shows both at the Tate and the
ters, some of whose work (e.g. that of Barnett ways worse than nineteenth-century ones? Hayward and elsewhere; the ICA; and even
Newman) has retained its relevance to young I hate didactic propaganda exhibitions as the Royal Academy, who accommodated the