Page 64 - Studio International - April 1970

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David Leverett David Evison Roland Brener
Extended Windmill 1970 Levels Three 1960-70 Deep Space Installation 1970
Acrylic on canvas Steel painted and galvanized
Photo: Ray Sacks
108 x 48 in. 79 x 62 x 98 in.

initial interest or problem, the fundamental rectangular space down at the end of it. He
question has now become : how to compose has done it by stretching strings across these
these complex shapes, and it is a problem spaces in depth and laying the sticks at sub-
which seems to have overtaken Mr Leverett jective random on the strings.
by stealth, to have snuck up on him from I gather the corner installation which looks
behind. The first thing that an arrangement of more symmetrical, suggestive of a musical
shapes demands is that their arrangement score, was pre-planned. The other, which is
should make sense. And Mr Leverett's arrange- wedge shaped (the triangle comes out at you)
ments of geometrical shapes indeed do this, with a whole host of random rods, was in-
they set up tensions, suggest movements and vented on the spot as a complementary piece.
play with feelings of poise and balance. It is, They have a certain underlying geometry of
however, as though Mr Leverett believes that structure based on the measurements between
this is not enough, as though he needs to prove the strings and the relative proportions of rods
to himself that he can master all aspects of and string. There are two sizes of rod. The big
painting in one piece. Starting therefore with ones are four times the thickness of the small
the intention of emphasizing what is sug- ones. The string is half the thickness of the
gested by the shape of his canvas—whether small rods. If Brener is interested in behaviour-
formal ambiguity or illusion of movement or ism it could become a do-it-yourself kit with
balance—he begins to make each element different programmes and of course the
itself complex. He plays with two tones of the element of chance.
same colour, juxtaposes complementaries, From the viewpoint of his work generally
emphasizes shape of the edge to deny it else- these things seem absolutely logical. He has
where. In short, he complicates an already always been preoccupied with the progress of
complex configuration to the point where any the thin line, with things seen in perspective
individual effect is lost and the whole be- and with experiment. At last autumn's
comes much less than the sum of its parts. Stockwell show there was a piece with a flight
Painting of this type is at its best when it con- of little yellow rods balanced across small
centrates on, is 'about', one particular formal curved sheets of steel; the rods sped into the
problem. The more resolutely this problem is distance down the room. There was also
pursued, the clearer the aim of each painting, sculpture which clung to the wall.
the more satisfactory the result. Mr Leverett But in taking over a large area of actual space
does too much, allows what should be the real (the one at the end of the room is around
problem to become confused, to be concealed 7 ft 6 in. x 20 x 12) the artist is to a consider-
by an embarrassment of riches. This is a pity, able extent controlled by it. He can't as with
for the ideas, the formal notions in almost all solider sorts of sculpture invent his own space.
of the paintings are very sound. If Mr He can only delimit, activate, articulate some-
Leverett were to restrict his work to the work- thing ready-made. David Hockney is doing
ing out of a single idea, rather than to an very much the same with the perspective
contended with if the painting is to get off the investigation of many, he would come closer effects of his portrait of Henry Geldzahler and
ground at all. to realizing his potential as a painter. q Christopher Scott.
David Leverett now uses shaped canvases FRANK WHITFORD Brener seems to follow this up in the intan-
exclusively, and extremely complex they are gibility of the materials, their physical light-
too, demanding the expertise and patience of Two of the Stockwell Depot sculptors had ness, in the fact that you have to stand back to
a skilled carpenter and joiner to get the work on view February to March. Roland see the installations in focus, otherwise the
stretchers right. Each piece is in fact an Brener showed 'outside the gallery situation' illusion is lost and you still see the space as it
amalgam of many smaller pieces, a fitting- in the upstairs studio at NIGEL GREENWOOD'S in was. He respects the quietness of the space.
together of a large number of separate can- Glebe Place. David Evison temporarily went He doesn't bring the walls in conflict. If there
vases which are slotted into position like the `inside' — at KASMIN. are tensions they are between the sticks, which
shaped bricks in the box of a child's building Brener's two 'deep space installations' are no more call attention to themselves individ-
set. But these shaped canvases have not arisen only visible for a fortnight. One is immediately ually than do particles of dust.
out of a need to solve the problem of the aware of being involved with the current Focus, randomness, rhythms back and forth in
organization of surfaces. They are rather a exciting instalment. Someone whose business space, tangibility: one could discuss similar
development from earlier work, from rectan- is thinking about line in space has come into things in connection with Anthony Caro's
gular paintings which were also made up the room with a bundle of tarred balsa-wood 1962 piece Hopscotch. Viewers of Brener's
from separate elements fitted together. These sticks, a big ball of the same brownish-blue- installations haven't failed to make the com-
in turn came from paintings in which the indi- black coloured twine and a few dozen strong parison with Caro's poles in space, short poles
vidual forms had become increasingly separate eye-screws. He has left behind two compelling laid across them and sheets of corrugated
—in colour, tone and position. accounts of things going on in the triangular metal corresponding roughly to Brener's
No matter how they arose, no matter what the space in one corner of the room and the bigger rods.