Page 60 - Studio International - June 1970
P. 60
New York Robert Morris 3
Frank Stella
Installation shot of Untitled 1970 Coney Island 1958
commentary Courtesy Leo Castelli Gallery, New York Oil on canvas
7 x 64 ft
2
Robert Morris Coll : Mr and Mrs Larom B. Munson, New Haven, Ct
Untitled 1970
Courtesy Leo Castelli Gallery, New York
There is an enormous room at the WHITNEY ing, and there must have been a cheer ringing
MUSEUM—slate floor, white walls, waffled through the hallowed hall when all those
ceiling—and it is currently filled with the bulky elements acquiesced with the sculptor's
fantasy of Robert Morris. His fantasy is con- design.
siderable, although fantasy is heresy in the Something of that excitement lingers. The
books of most of his apologists. Yet Morris has visitor doesn't want to come too close. Some-
fairly often presented wholesome paradoxes thing, still, in this pick-up-sticks operation,
that contradict the theory of his 'school'. Here might budge, and disaster follow. What is
is what this particular escapade looks like : seen is the rough and pleasing texture of
The visitor, who hasn't taken advantage of the blocky timbers, the rhythms leading always
open policy which allowed for witnessing the forward, and the intricacy of the balancing.
construction of the sculptures in situ, comes up There is almost-symmetry and almost-balance
on the elevator. The door opens and he sees : a and almost-phrasing in this piece that puts it
great mass of the biggest timbers this side of very nearly into the orthodox sculptural con-
the Wild West, arranged at first glance in a text. It was not hard for me to regard this as a
herringbone pattern, punctuated with what monumental sculpture that would enhance
appear to be enormous concrete blocks the approach to some nice museum with a nice
precariously tipped. What team of corduroy bit of turf around it. In fact, the only reason to
road-builders went berserk here ? The visitor linger in the room is the decidedly sculptural
cautiously enters and notices another grouping parsing of that piece.
of splayed timbers, these so long that the eye Yet, those who write about Morris, and parti-
can hardly reach their terminus—very roman- cularly the curator who writes the catalogue,
tic far-across-the-horizon composing. Before Marcia Tucker, are profferring constant dis-
confronting the pike-de-resistance, which travels claimers. They do this in the name of some-
some ninety feet through the room, the visitor thing they always call a new vision. They are
probably casts a quick glance at the other scholars of the psychology of perception, and
piece near the elevator which is a great square above all, Merleau-Ponty (although his name
of very expensive, untouched steel, laid ramp- isn't mentioned much). They have been try-
fashion, on a porphyry column. If he knows ing to found a new perceptual frame of refer-
any steel sculptors, he might resent a little ence in which the old sculptural values will be
this extravagant un-use of that precious steel, annulled. But the experience of Morris's
but his resentment will be allayed by the pieces would be less than impressive if all the
encounter with the central nervous system of strictures Miss Tucker applies were honoured.
the show, that mammoth fantasy road to `Our attention is drawn,' she writes, 'to other
infinity in the centre. factors, which are part of a phenomenological
I was not fortunate enough to be present at system of exploration : we must focus on the
the assembling of this rugged piece, but the external, on the gestures or modes by which
guard was pleased to report the vicissitudes to things are made known to us, what they
me. First, Morris laid two rows of timbers, appear to be and what they are, how we
like a track, down the centre of the room. Then become aware of them and behave toward
he put the cross ties on. Then he carefully them; we must concentrate on the very act of
arranged the steel pipes, some three or four on engineering was complete, there was an event being.'
each segment, which were to support the something like a ship's launching. Morris This is of course acceptable and familiar
cement blocks (which the guard confided were gingerly moved the steel pipes and the cement phenomenological theory. What it does,
probably wooden cases covered with concrete, blocks lurched down into their pre-ordained properly, is describe a mode of perceiving which,
but still heavy enough). Once this delicate places. All this was very dangerous and excit- when checked against our own experience,
