Page 41 - Studio International - February 1970

matte grey against the resonant depths of the those verticals to a viewer moving in relation against the fullness of their central red, and
oil-stained zip to its right; the raw canvas to their fixed, but perceptually changing their effect is more solidly physical than the
between shimmers like compressed light in positions. In paintings like The Third, Triad, optical planarity of the . . . Red, Yellow and
contrast to its wider expanse—much in the and Treble of the early sixties, Newman gives Blue series. . . . Red, Yellow and Blue II is less
manner of the heightened intensities of Uriel's such a variety of what might be counted as self-expressive as a particular object through
juncture. In White Fire II of 1960, solidly `one' that the notion of even number as equal colour-pigmentation, and more tough as a
black lateral bands compress an internal raw units is soon destroyed. And in the more plane in which symmetry of position of
canvas area zipped with dry-brushed edges in recent Now II and Profile of Light, it is the line is allied to symmetry of primary colour;
the centre into a symmetrical set of bulging sheer scale of colour contrast and area which at first it reads like an intellectual exercise,
curves which gives credence to Newman's subordinates the symmetry which had been but its dark blue centre and sharp light sides
comment that this painting 'lays herself out avoided through subtleties of detail in their begin to buckle the surface into energies not
like a woman.' Symmetry and proportions Onement precursors. unlike those of White Fire II.
more lofty than the landscape size of Uriel Symmetry within the spectrum of academic Similar principles are used in Chartres to
give the black mourning of Shining Forth (To colour theory of the last century is recently tackle the epitome of triangular symmetry by
George) its calm beauty as a requiem. combatted with witty irreverence in New- sheer position and area scale of the primary
Symmetry itself is a category which Newman man's series of Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow and triad of colours. The lateral reds, confined to
confronted directly in the 1960s. Any three Blue. This series returns to Newman's the lower half of the triangle, maintain one's
elements regularly placed have a tendency twenty-year-old confrontation with Neo- attraction to the sides and bottom of the pain-
to be perceived as a hierarchical structure of Plasticist dogmas, as well as constituting a ting and combat the upward sweep of the
centre and subordinate sides, a geometrical confrontation with 'colour-field painters' like three blue verticals and the perspectival
idea of such traditional strength that it can Poons, Noland, and Olitski whose reticence in shape of the canvas. The central field of
easily separate from and dominate the pre- the face of such aggressive primary colours is yellow radiates light against all the limitations
sence of a painting or sculpture as a particular noteworthy. The three paintings of this series of the canvas. But the difference amongst the
whole. Judd, Morris and LeWitt have avoided have virtually identical colours, with the blue vertical zips (ultramarine in the centre,
using three elements for just this reason. aggressive cadmium red dominating in area thalo blue at the sides) is the ultimately
Characteristically, Newman has confronted it as well as in intensity. Numbers one and three vitalizing element in the painting— breaking
directly and worked through the symmetrical have the same format of central red flanked the surface plane by spatial jumps as well as
triad into something else. In Shining Forth, the by lateral edges of solid yellow versus trans- bending the yellows in arcs held by the lower
verticals are symmetrical in placement, but parently spatial ultramarine; the difference red corners.
utterly different in drawing. Here II of 1965 in lateral hue and band width makes assy- It is difficult for many to see the triangular
presents the symmetry of three verticals set metry out of symmetry. A parallel in simi- shape of Chartres and Jericho as other than
in two planes almost like a triangle in three larity of format and difference in scale-size is being a Newman version of 'the shaped canvas'
dimensions. As a free-standing sculpture it found in White and Hot and Anna's Light; but of post-Stella and -Noland popularity. Of
presents an infinite variety of relations amongst their lateral whites work more sculpturally course all canvases have 'shape', and

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