Page 19 - Studio International - December 1970

their realization must be put at his disposal, Correspondence as major works of art, when within so short a time
At this point the educational problem merges opinion is completely reversed. Or do you believe
in being fashionable only; so that when stuff is in
into the political, and is perceptible as such,
fashion you praise it, and when out of fashion you
so far as the student goes into everyday life damn it. The second impressive note from Mr
and must make an adjustment to the existing McLean's outburst is the use of language. What is
order'," he is really expressing-particularly Crumbling crimble all this sub-Brando inarticulacy doing in a chic art
in the profound ambiguity of the word 'adjust- After reading the definition of crimble crumble magazine? OK, so perhaps SOme artists have
(Studio International October 1970) I wasn't sure if trenchant, even bloody-minded views, which con-
ment' - the helplessness of an idealist tradition
Bruce McLean was for or against it; although tain serious grains of truth; yet are unable to
faced with a real social and political situation.
crimble crumblers are described as potential con make up readable sentences. That's all right for
men, masters in the art of deception, talented and those hesitant, slightly embarassing scraps of con-
full of tricks, Mr McLean appears to admire them versation at gallery openings, but surely not for
41 R. Tucker, Philosophy and Myth in Karl Marx, CUP, beneath his cynicism. the pages of Studio International. We have recently
1961, p 130. The words crimble crumble are I feel part of their had a lively correspondence about the semantics of
42 R. Tucker, Ibid, p 130. own definition, their invention and use fall into the art criticism; McLean's constipated effort can
43 R. Tucker, Ibid, p 131. category of 'craft tricks'. Mr McLean hasn't much only be labelled art-cretinism.
44 Marx, quoted by R. Tucker, from Marx and Engels: valid criticism to make about the ICA exhibition Roland LawSOn
Historische-Kritische Gesamtausgabe. Vol. 3, p 84. `British Sculpture out of the Sixties'. He does London WC1
45 Marx, The Phenomenology of Mind, Ibid, p 53. question whether or not the artists who exhibited
46 R. Tucker, Philosophy and Myth in Karl Marx, p 133. posed themselves questions about space and its Letter to the Editor. BRUCE MCLEAN?
47 Marx quoted by R. Tucker from Marx and Engels: relationship to their work. David Hall
Historische-Kritische Gesamtausgabe. Vol. 3, p 88. East Twickenham
46 Marx, Ibid. Was this exhibition a retrospective one? If so
49 R. Tucker, Philosophy and Myth in Karl Marx. should not its criticism be treated within that Middlesex
50
Marx, Manifesto of the Communist Party. Progress context? [David Hall writes: 'Bruce McLean specifically
Publishers, Moscow, 1952, p 71. I presume that the photograph opposite the title
51 Marx, Capital. Afterword to the Second German page in Mr McLean's article contains the author/ stated that hardboard was specially laid down on
Edition. artist sprouting from a green- or glass-house. I feel top of the existing floor SO that my "Displacement"
52 Engels, from a letter to Bloch quoted in the Pub- could be displaced. This implied that in effect a
that this photograph (although I liked it) becomes
lisher's Preface to Plekhanov's Materialist Conception of the article and in fact, partly by its lack of explana- structure was made rather than a removal occur-
History. Lawrence and Wishart, London, 1940, p 7. ring. This was not true. Hardboard was not speci-
53 Plekhanov, The Materialist Conception of History, p 29. tion (written not visual, for visually it explains the ally laid down, it is a permanent floor area and has
54 Marx, Capital. Afterword to the Second German article), also falls into the same category as the been so since the Toys exhibition. I chose that area
Edition. other photographs of work. Probably because they as it seemed most appropriate for my idea.
55 From Lenin, by L. Schapiro and P. Reddaway. Pall are photographs. Mr McLean seems to be aware of `Incidentally, he carefully omitted to state the
Mall Press, 1967, p 48. environment in his work; the title I'm a bit sus-
56 Ibid, p 57. picious of though; it's a bit slick, contrived and full title which is significant.']
57 Ibid, p 59. trendy. I think the title crimble crumble would
58 Ibid, p 61. have been more meaningful. Brillig idea
59 Lenin, 'The Tasks of the Youth Leagues', 1920. My main objection to Bruce McLean's article is As your magazine has probably the widest circula-
Selected Works, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1967. tion among radical artists in this country and
Vol. 3, p 464. that the criticism is non-existent. He disapproves possibly elsewhere too, I should like to use its
60 Lenin, 'Left-Wing Childishness and the Petty- of almost everything in sight at the exhibition with
Bourgeois Mentality', 1920. Selected Works, Vol. 2, words like 'old hat' and 'load of rubbish'. He sug- pages to announce an exhibition that I am organiz-
p 687. gests the disintegration or 'smashing up' of military ing during the next Edinburgh Festival, that is
61 Lenin; 'Left-Wing Communism: an Infantile Dis- operated scenes-might be a good idea-but what c. August 1971.
order', 1920. Selected Works, Vol. 3, p 356. happens then? His verbal attack on British The exhibition will be designated ' ', and
62 Lenin, Ibid, p 362. sculpture and the establishment (ICA) is not roughly speaking will be concerned with the area
63 Trotsky, Literature and Revolution. Ann Arbor Paper- strengthened by any constructive criticisms or of synaptic connection.
backs, 1960, p 9. ideas. However it will be different from previous exhibi-
64 Trotsky, Ibid, p 19. I have a suggestion for the Peter Stuyvesant tions in this field, such as Mr Szeeman's 'When
65 Trotsky, Ibid, p 135.
66 Trotsky, Ibid, p 206. Foundation or a similar body. Attitudes become Form', in that it will be the first
67 Trotsky, Ibid, p 186. SponSOred initially by such a Foundation: the wholly unsentimental showing of this form of art. I
68 Lenin, 'Left-Wing Childishness'. Selected Works, organization of a workshop/studio/gallery for non- refer of course to the elaborate paraphernalia that
Vol. 2, p 690. established ex-student artists. Equipment provided surrounds such manifestations, and most particu-
69 Trotsky, Literature and Revolution, p 185. for artists who are unable to work in their particular larly to the catalogue. The production of a lush
79 Trotsky, Ibid, pp 193-4. medium, e.g. etching, litho. printed object which rapidly takes on all the cult
71 Tatlin, The Work Ahead of Us. The New Arts Lab in Robert Street, London is attraction of the art object itself seems to me to be
72 Tatlin, Ibid. trying desperately to keep this idea alive. in direct contradiction of the works of art shown.
73 Tatlin, Ibid.
Rather than sponsor and collect the work of The perversion of the art form therefore has started
74 N. Gabo, The Realistic Manifesto, 1920, Moscow.
From Gabo, by Sir Herbert Read and Leslie Martin. established artists who have 'made it', I would like almost before the form has coalesced. Just as
Lund Humphries, London, 1957. to see Foundations sponsoring artists who need Heisenberg's act of photographing electrons altered
75 N. Gabo, Ibid. help. the path of the electrons, so the unsubtle method of
76 N. Gabo, Ibid. Clive Eaton exhibiting SO-called conceptual art has altered its
77 N. Gabo, Ibid. Walthamstow effect. My aim will be to exhibit the art in its most
78 N. Gabo, Ibid. London E17 unadulterated form.
79 N. Gabo, Ibid. This does raise SOme small problems of presenta-
89 N. Gabo, Ibid. The trendy piece by Bruce McLean in your tion. To actually exhibit works of art (i.e. SOlid
81 N. Gabo, Ibid. October issue, with the ick-making title 'Not Even multi-dimensional works) in a finite location means
82 N. Gabo, Ibid.
83 Marx, Manifesto of the Communist Party, p 66. Crimble Crumble', was impressive for a number of that one is exhibiting 'documentation' which
84 El Lissitzky, 'New Russian Art-a Lecture', 1922. reasons. Firstly because of your courage in rapidly pre-empts the original work. Therefore
From El Lissitzky, by Sophie Lissitzky-Küppers. printing an article taking the mickey out of all ' will have no specific location nor will it
Thames and Hudson, London, 1968. that modern British sculpture which your magazine have specific duration in time, there being no
85 El Lissitzky, Ibid. has been asking us to take seriously all these years. point in committing oneself to any limiting tem-
86 El Lissitzky, 'Suprematism in World Reconstruc- Surely there must be some critical rationale to an poral continuum. Nor do I intend to select. The
tion', 1920. Ibid. art magazine, no matter how open it is to opinion. imposition of the SO-called expert has always struck
87 El Lissitzky, Introduction to Veshch No. 1, 1922. From Gene Baro, after all, is one of your regular contri- me as a monumental act of arrogance and lack of
El Lissitzky by Sophie Lissitzky-Küppers. trust in the artist.
88 El Lissitzky, Ibid. butors, and he has written often, if I remember
89 Moholy-Nagy; The New Vision, 1928. Fourth Revised rightly, on British sculpture. If it is now all crap, All artists therefore who wish to are invited to
Edition, George Wittenbom Inc., New York, 1947, p 15. according to McLean, and presumably you don't participate. Should they so desire they may com-
99 Moholy-Nagy, Ibid, p 16. disagree with him, should you not be a little municate their projects to me at the given address,
'91 Moholy-Nagy, Ibid, p 17. chary about dishing us up with all this new stuff, and I hope that in one year's time you will enable