Page 72 - Studio International - November 1970

particularity, it would not necessarily (auto­ viduals' expression. And in reading his text, his avant-garde reputation? And what about
matically?) be 'art'. In some ways it would I tend to forget almost everything but what that painting by Mondrian (or a follower)
rather lead to something else. The Uncon­ intrudes most, which is Mr Rubin's own which appears in photographs of the 'First
scious, 'automatically' unleashed, is not histor�: his 1950s emergence with a Columbia Papers of Surrealism' exhibition in 1942 in
expected to result in structured communicative (New York City) Ph.D. in Art History, his New York City? I think that they could all be
consciousness (certainly central to 'art'), and respect for Clement Greenberg's criticism, analysed in terms of the intention to express
it is less likely to result in oil paintings and his personal and precious collection of paint­ 'the true function of thought' which was part
sculpture (which are not necessarily 'art' any ings by Noland and Stella and Newman, and of Breton's initial definition of the word
more than teacups or books). his comfort in writing about an artist in 'Surrealism'. For although the 'pure psychic
I think Marcel Jean's The History of Surrealist terms of other art-historical 'isms' (like automatism' of some painters might result in
Painting (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1960) is a Jackson Pollock and Impressionism and representational 'dreams', others might be
brilliant and beautiful book because his Cubism). His penchant for fitting life into a filtered by more 'abstract' constructions like
writing style and scholarship recognized and neat linear history of dominant styles has those of perspective, proportional systems,
gloried in all the ironies of 'Surrealism' as a reduced the sweat and passion of individual aleatory geometrics, and that sort of 'pure'
multi-faceted and historical complex of parti­ artists to a tamely homogenized art-historical thought in mathematics and music. If there
cularities establishing its own criteria for generalization which makes 'Surrealjsm' seem is indication in some of the 'grand documents'
'art'. And I think that the books by Rubin and just another titled and academically fashion­ of historical Surrealism that such an under­
Alexandrian seem ultimately confused and able band-wagon; that his book is 'compre­ standing was operative at the time, shouldn't
boring basically because they avoid these hensive' in this -bigger and heavier and more there now be a re-assessment of what might
central ironies and thus remain blissfully heroically illustrated than anything else on be included in a category called. 'Surrealist
ignorant of the richness of their subject. They the current market-does nothing to support Art'? There might really be an identifiable
both accept 'art' as being _'painting and its, dustjacket claim of being a 'definitive vibrant 'aesthetic theory' operating over time
sculpture' (Rubin even has a separate section source book for students of these movements', which could be useful in making multi­
for 'Surrealist Objects' and a 'documentary though it will probably and unfortunately sell dimensional historical and aesthetic distinc­
section' for everything else); and they assume like hot cakes to those college art history tions. Like, say, between the early 1930s
that 'Surrealism' is some recognizably fixed departments with library gaps between 'realism' of personal-paranoiac Salvador Dali
entity with a personality which may be Cubism and Contemporary Art. and public-works-secure Thomas Hart Ben­
referred to for instant reader comprehension. No such claims are made for Alexandrian's ton. Or between the all-over personal
For Rubin it seems an art-historical formal more modest chatty and passionate little book, 'primitive' symbology of ¥ir6's paintings
style literally with a life of its own. His open­ whose casual accounts of who-was-there and around 1930 and its decorative use with the
ing to the total text reads 'Dada was born, what-they-said have a sort of 'you are there' almost-photographic representation in his
though not baptised, on the eve of the First vitality. Unfortunately Mr Alexandrian was 1950 Portrait reproduced by Alexandrian.
World War; Surrealism died, but was not not there most of the time, which is relevant To make a reassessment with any constructive
interred, in the wake of the Second' -and his since he gives no substantiation to his anec­ credibility, one would have to drop the pre­
Part V is actually titled 'Surre_alism in Exile'. dotes. He was only born in 1927 (at the conceived associations about 'Surrealist Art'
For Mr Alexandrian 'Surrealism' is also an height of Rubin's 'Heroic Period of Surrealist propagated in these books, and start from
entity, but more as a neuter psychic force: Painting', and-if one continues to believe scratch: with the un-edited documents of
after 1930 he asserts that 'It was now aware of his book's dust-jacket biography-he was 'Surrealism' over time, and precise research
its methods, of its powers to disturb and primarily involved with 'Surrealism' as an on what was shown and signed by whom,
seduce, which it wished to force to entirely administrator (secretary of its international when, and where. This primary art-historical
positive ends' (p 94, my italics). Both authors· bureau, Cause, and editor of Neon) after he activity would itself be a surrealist and revolu­
slice their subject into ancestors of 'fantastic' 'became affiliated with Andre Breton' in tionary act of scholarship: for it would be
art, direct Dada parentage, and a life-span of 1947. If his 'facts' are really gossip, they have truly a leap into a yet-uncharted ocean. D
different phases in the 1920s, 1930s, and an art-world credibility which approaches BARBARA REISE
1940s. This time-structure is not significantly true myth; if his account were only more
different from that of Marcel Jean, and the lurid; indiscrete, essential and really garishly Mistaken identities
artists discussed are no big surprises to anyone illustrated it could be a marvellous bit of
familiar with Barr's 1936 exhibition catalogue Surrealist historical voyeurism for bedtime Artistic America, Tiffany Glass and Art Nouveau
either: de Chirico & Mir6 & Masson & reading. But he seems to have h_ad some art­ by Samuel Bing. With an introduction by
Duchamp & Ernst & Tanguy & Magritte & historical training at the Ecole du Louvre, Robert Koch. 260 pp with 6 colour and 100
Dali & Giacometti · & Picasso & Arp as which might account for the over-all tone of monochrome illustrations. Massachusetts Ins­
card-carrying or also-ran 'members' .. serious-academic attention to balanced-by­ titute of Technology Press, Cambridge,
But Rubin and Alexandrian have different decade text and reproductions. Still, unlike Mass., and London. $12.50.
general concerns in approaching their subject. Mr Rubin, he likes the paintings by Oscar
Rubin's concern with art-historical style in­ Dominguez and Victor Brauner which he On Monday 30 December, 1890 Edmond de
cludes aesthetic criticism of the _type. which discusses; his reproductions are often of work Goncourt, trembling with rage, records his
one might expect from the Curator of Paint­ done in the 1960s; and he unembarrassedly visit to Bing's show of modern furnishings at
ings and Sculpture of the Museum of Modern carries his art-historical account to the 22 Rue de Provence. Is this what the France
Art in New York, and assumes the death of present day, supporting a limping socio­ of eighteenth-century furniture has come to,
'Surrealism' as a historical art style when its logical band-wagon with dutiful consideration these stuffs 'couleur caca d'oie', this denationa­
dominance gives way to that of American of such decorative or would-be-pornographic lisation, the triumphant invasion of alien
Abstract Expressionism. He seems to forget 'masters' as Clovis Trouille, Jacques Herold, literature followed by the victory of 'le
that Surrealism 'lived' concurrently with and Max Walter Svanberg. mobilier anglo-saxon ou hollandais.' On
'Constructivism', 'Neo-Plasticism', 'Social But what about Uccello, Seurat, Derain, January 5 he reports the painter Raffaelli
Realism' and some phases of 'German Matisse's Music-which were cited in Breton's arguing seriously 'a propos du mobilier
Expressionism'; if it 'died' in 1947, it did so by footnote to his first manifesto, before he be­ expose chez Bing' about 'la perversion morale
its own inertia as group and weakness in indi- came the literary backer of artists flocking to engendree par ces meubles anglo-saxons et du

216