Page 59 - Studio International - June 1969

New York The general restlessness characterizing Ameri- tions. The logical position, put forward by
can cultural life has at last reached her visual Carl Andre, is to call a halt to all activities
commentary artists who have, for the past few weeks, set which in any way involve the artist with that
up a diffuse but voluble clamour. Many hateful entity, the 'art world'. But that is
artists have been uneasy all their lives in their asking a kind of withdrawal which has never
ambiguous situation vis-à-vis the social in- been typical of the artist. The dilemma the
stitutions that support them, but others have protestants face will not be easily resolved.
only recently discovered the sources of their Meanwhile, a number of activities in the art
discontent which they conveniently shape into world have been put forward in the name of
a prominent target; the Museum of Modern radical change. While by any other name,
AT THE JEWISH MUSEUM Art. Whatever might be said about the quality they would still represent the tight squeeze the
LOUISE NEVELSON AT PACE GALLERY of thought that has brought about an organiza- artist finds himself in, and while these
GEORGE SUGARMAN AT FISCHBACH GALLERY tion called the Artists Coalition, the fact activities are still co-opted by the art world in
WALTER DE MARIA AT DWAN GALLERY remains that a genuine crise de conscience has its most chic guise, they do satisfy the nagging
assailed a great many artists. I think that the anxieties of those artists who are not quite
important questions—such as the role of the ready to follow Carl Andre's exhortations.
`pure' artist in social revolution— have not Such a manifestation is the important ex-
been raised so passionately since the mid- hibition at the JEWISH MUSEUM called `Super-
1930s when the Popular Front posed the limited: Books, Boxes and Things'. It is
great challenge to the modern artist. important because it is the first comprehensive
It is perfectly clear that the profound political survey of the production of art and artifacts in
crisis in the United States has altered not only multiple editions. It includes many recent
the attitudes of many artists, particularly the productions of industrially-oriented enter-
younger ones, but also the way in which they prises that can fabricate in large editions
approach the results, or works, which justify relatively complicated three-dimensional ob-
their calling themselves artists. One of the jects. It includes elaborate and cunning boxes
arguments that seems to be running through in the Duchamp tradition. It includes deco-
the heads of the youngest of the art workers rative items such as banners, wall hangings and
is focused on the slogan, 'Art is the Artist'. light boxes. It also includes the new versions of
If challenged to produce evidence that art is the book which range from Alison Knowles
indeed the artist, they usually point to the walk-in environment replete with working tele-
various phenomena indicating the struggle to phone, radio, ash trays and fragmentary works
remain outside the domain of the institutions, by friends, to Lucas Samaras's inspired jig-saw
such as earth works, street happenings and collection in an edition of 100 described in the
even the quasipolitical meeting called to discuss catalogue as 'silkscreen, die cut, lithography,
the Museum of Modern Art. thermography, embossing'.
However much they struggle, the behemoth These and many other variations on the
capitalist society finds a means to assimilate multiple idea are put forward by the organizer
the dissident artists, which is, naturally, a of the exhibition, Susan Tumarkin Goodman,
source of great consternation for the artists as evidence that there is now a 'greater art
professing certain social revolutionary aspira- egalitarianism'. She suggests that these artists

Lucas Samaras, Book 1968, collection of stories by
the artist. Silkscreen, die cut, lithography,
thermography, embossing, 10 x 10 x 22½ in.
Edition of 100. Published by Pace Editions Inc.,
New York. Courtesy Pace Gallery, New York