Page 28 - Studio International - September 1969

News and Notes best-known names, from Giles to Herblock, will be models of art writing. The Pop catalogue is a
represented. Most of the British national news- slender thing, its format is awkward, the essential
papers have agreed to subsidise the project and information too densely packed for easy reference
compiled by Frank Whitford most of the work will be for sale, the proceeds going and the introduction just a formality. The reason
to charity. It promises to be an extremely interest- for this is that the organizers of the show, John
ing exhibition, far larger in scope than the one Russell and Suzi Gablik, brought out a book to
Photography plus dynamite organized by Beaverbrook newspapers at the I coincide with the exhibition. Published by Thames
Royal Exchange a few years back. and Hudson, it's a readable and very worthwhile
Those people who were looking forward to the
John Heartfield exhibition at the Camden Arts production. But when, in the catalogue, you are
Centre last year were frustrated by the invasion The continuing saga of Hornsey constantly referred to this book, and numbers in
of Czechoslovakia. Heartfield, in spite of his brackets behind picture titles refer to plate numbers
All the talk and discussion about the Hornsey in the book, you begin to wonder whether it
English name, was an East German and East
troubles has been about the Fine Art department wouldn't have been better to bring out a bigger
Germany was one of the Warsaw Pact countries
there. The Film and Television course has, signifi- and slightly more expensive catalogue which, based
whose troops marched into Prague. Chances are
cantly enough, not been mentioned. There aren't on the book, would have been an infinitely more
that Heartfield, who died before the invasion took many schools in Britain that offer a course of this
place, would have been highly critical of the action, useable and interesting thing than the present pro-
kind and Hornsey has been very successful in break- duction. It's annoying if you're made to feel that
but the Arts Council thought that by putting on the
ing new ground. So far they have only taken on you're missing out if you don't have the two pounds
exhibition, which had taken much time and effort
graduates as students and have kept very much to for what is, in effect, the real catalogue, and it gets
to organize, they would be flying in the face of themselves. Now it looks as though the film depart-
public opinion here. Many people were bitterly dis- exasperating if you're reminded of the fact at every
ment may close down and disagreement with the turn. I hope this particular idea doesn't catch on.
appointed. Heartfield, who lived in Hampstead authorities about financing and about admission
during the war, was very fond of London and gave policy seems to be the trouble. It would be an enor- Catalogues need subsidising, but the subsidies are
a number of lectures on his last visit in 1967 which mous shame if the department were to close, very much worthwhile. Why not a decent cata-
were all packed and all very well received. The leaving a gap which no other school could fill. logue and a full-scale book?
technique of photomontage, which Heartfield pio-
neered, looks like having a new lease of life soon, if Sao Paulo Boycott
the interest of art editors and art directors is any- Walter Gropius
thing to go by. Now the exhibition will be shown in Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus and one of At the time of geling to press the boycott of the 1969
London after all. The Arts Council is putting it on the greatest modern architects died last month. Sao Paulo Bienal has reached substantial pro-
in the ICA gallery starting in October and we shall Gropius, who came from a family of distinguished portions. In protest against the oppressive Brazilian
benefit from the time-lapse between the date of the German architects, became possibly the most military regime, and in sympathy with the large
planned show last year and now. The ICA is taking influential figure in art education in the history of numbers of Brazilian artists and intellectuals who
the opportunity to organize a series of events deal- art schools. have suffered deprivation of rights and liberties,
ing with some of the aspects of Heartfield's life and individual foreign artists and even whole national
deputations have withdrawn from the Bienal.
work: the relationship between art and politics,
propaganda art and the position of the committed Less Means Morley These include the entire Dutch and Swedish
artist in society. It is hoped that lectures on German One of the most spectacular paintings at the Pop deputations, the French deputation 'and subse-
quently a second chosen to replace it, Pol Bury
political history will be arranged and that both Art exhibition is a minutely worked reproduction of
Nazi and East German propaganda films will be a luxury liner. Its bright colours and sharp focus from Belgium, Tovish, Antonakos, Burnham, and
Tom Lloyd from America, and Neymann from
shown. Plans are also going ahead for a teach-in. It throughout reveal it for what it is: an inch by inch
Israel. Among specially invited Brazilian artists,
looks like being one of the most exciting exhibitions piece of copying from a picture postcard. And yet
of the year. it's far more, raising all sorts of questions about Camargo, Lygia Clark, Gershman, Antonio Dias,
Piza and Helio Oiticica have all declined to
Incidentally, when Heartfield was in London on literalism and the value of craftsmanship as such.
his last visit he made up his mind to give the Tate It's also a painting that can't be reproduced, for a exhibit. A special exhibition on the theme of Art
some of his originals. They are very scarce now and reproduction makes the painting revert to its source: and Technology, to have been organized by Pierre
consequently very valuable. Heartfield particularly the photograph. Morley is English, now living in Restany, is now in doubt following the withdrawal
wanted one or two to come to England because he New York and enjoying a degree of success rare of Restany himself and of a large proportion of the
remained grateful for the asylum he had enjoyed even by that city's standards. prospective exhibitors. The British representatives,
here during the war. The Tate expressed interest John Hoyland and Anthony Caro, are expected to
and said they would get in touch with Heartfield Luck of the Irish exhibit. According to a document published in
before he returned to Berlin. They never did, and Paris, the secretariat of the SAD Paulo Bienal
now, after the widow's death, all the originals will It's often been said that without the Irish, English circularized the foreign commissioners requesting
go to East German museums. literature would cease to exist. Recognizing the them to avoid, in their selection, any works which
inherent creativity of the race, the Irish Govern- might be considered immoral or subversive.
ment has passed a bill allowing Irish authors,
Woodstock experiment painters and others working in creative fields, to
Lyall Watson of the Woodstock Gallery has a new live tax-free in Ireland. Unfortunately it only `INNO 7o'
idea. He wants the gallery to specialize in cartoons applies to Irish citizens. APG Research Limited recently announced their
and graphic art and has already enough work by plans to present in 1970 a major exhibition at the
British and foreign artists for a series of small one- Popcorn Hayward Gallery of work resulting from the inter-
man shows. Mr Watson wants to stimulate public action between artists and industrial concerns.
interest in .a sort of art which has, up to now, The cartoon in Tice Sunday Times showing two Under the title 'INNO 70' the exhibition will run
received little attention, and is convinced that men at the Pop Art Exhibition looking at a three- during June and July. It is hoped that several
many cartoonists working today produce work dimensional, free-standing Way Out sign, with one industrial concerns will take artists into their
more expressive of contemporary attitudes than the of the men saying : 'Now that I like' hardly sums up employment and that the results of their associa-
majority of painters and sculptors. Eventually he the feelings of the crowds that have been visiting tions may be shown in the exhibition. APG hope
hopes that some of the top newspaper cartoonists the Hayward in the last few weeks. To judge from 'that the exhibition will provide a ground on
will exhibit at the Woodstock. the numbers of film units and TV camera crews which to debate the role of the artist and the contri-
that were blocking the gallery during the press bution he can make towards the solution of some
view, Pop really is popular and if those visitors who of the problems within the modern industrial
Cartoon jamboree burst out laughing in front of some of the exhibits society'. The search for compatability between the
Plans are going ahead for a large exhibition of are anything to go by, then it's humorous, too. The priorities of the artists and of the industrialist will
newspaper cartoons in London next year. The juke box was a splendid idea, and I hope that be the subject of a conference to take place during
American Association of Editorial Cartoonists will organizers of future exhibitions will consider having the exhibition. An example of the kind of colla-
be holding its annual convention in London and background music where they think it will add boration which APG seeks to foster is the recent
will be the guests of their opposite number here, the something to the things on show. The one aspect of award of a sculpture fellowship to Garth Evans by
British Cartoonists Association, a group restricted the Pop Art exhibition that I found unsatisfactory the British Steel Corporation. Evans, a member of
to people working for national newspapers and was the catalogue. Catalogues can be great things. APG, who teaches at St Martin's School of Art and
magazines. Although a gallery has not yet been Records of the show they can become invaluable as is now exhibiting at the Rowan Gallery, will have
chosen everything else has been arranged and the documents and, at best, the introductory essays are access to the Corporation's metallurgical and
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