Page 55 - Studio International - September 1970

A discussion I'm saying. You can call it what you want, but LEVERETT: Personally I don't think it's my
a limited edition of ten is one thing and prerogative to define whether this is art or an
on multiples making things in quantities where you can artifact object. I think that the only way that
reach a certain standard and make them for
I can operate as an artist is from this partic-
a very low price is another thing. ular standpoint: that I would like to think
LEvERETT: I'd like to go back to what about my age and that I'm responding to the
Paul Overy, you were saying, in that I think that any materials that are peculiar and related to this
Rory McEwen, creative artist, living in a technological age. What is going to emerge is going to have
society, could not help but be excited and much more effective values or virtues behind
Joe Studholme, stimulated by the materials of his age. And it as opposed to an area which has been very
David Leverett the age that we're in happens to be about ably exploited, which is a miniaturisation
producing and material processed things process of an artist's work. The artist thinks,
which are to do with mass production auto- `Right, now here's a market because there's a
matically, because the whole technological lot of people that can't afford six thousand
development is geared up to not the one pounds but can afford thirty pounds' or
article but the bulk article, the large turnover whatever it may be. So he then miniaturises
article. So that automatically when an artist his work to be made on a large quantity
becomes fascinated, his curiosity in fact simply because he's trying, obviously, to get
directs him towards a particular material some more cash.
because he finds some quality in it that he has MCEWEN: There's a very important point, to
some sympathy or empathy towards. my mind, there which is that I don't think it
OVERY : Perhaps each of us could say what STUDHOLME: I'd like to divide multiples is like a reproduction as opposed to an
the word multiple means to us. And then into two halves in fact. Into the purely original. What I really feel about using a
perhaps we could discuss that. aesthetic object, which is an extension of an process such as, shall we say, injection mould-
MCEWEN : As far as I'm concerned, the artist's work in unique form—his painting or ing, which is used in the plastics industry
thing should use methods of production drawing or whatever it is—and to characterise throughout the spectrum for mass produc-
which are related to mass production using that as something for which there's probably tion, is that if you get involved you have to
technology, so that the thing is not hand a very good justification for making a limited get involved, as an artist, at the absolute basic
fabricated at any stage, but assembled the edition—and another whole group of multiples level. You get involved from the drawing
way you would produce any mass-produced which actually have sOme function, even if it's board. And therefore you have to think in
object. I don't say that' that's the only only that you pick it up and move it from terms of the means of production. What finally
definition; this is the area I'm interested in here to there. comes out, ideally, at the end of the process,
because I got interested in the idea of MCEWEN : Well I think we're talking about is something which is each time in a sense
multiples for what I take to be Vasarely's different areas of the market. I mean there unique.
fundamental interest in the subject, which is are human beings who buy an incredible OVERY : So your definition is that a multiple
partly sociological, i.e., that the work of amount of stuff in any sort of modern con- is something where each object is unique in
artists and the ideas of artists should be made sumer society. And a lot of it actually fulfils so far as it's one of many, not a reproduction
available in a realistic situation in the market that kind of function in their lives, that we're of an original ?
that exists, at a price that people can really talking about. I mean it's to put on the wall MCEWEN: My definition of it would be that it
afford. I mean Vasarely doesn't seem to fit or to enjoy for its aesthetic beauty, but if you is an object which turns out to be what the
actions to words, or the words that he's go, for instance, to any of the gift fairs that artist's brain wanted it to be, which you
written, because his things are very much operate, several times a year throughout the know is going to be produced by the million,
more expensive than one would expect. But world, you will see several million objects or whatever it is, and it can be produced by
this is primarily the fault of the dealers rather being offered for sale to dealers and none of the million and is, in fact, a multiple original
than Vasarely himself. them have anything to do with anything that each time. Does Studholme agree with that
STUDHOLME: In talking about multiples I anyone is doing in modern art, and this is a definition? Because George Segal's Girl on a
would like to include any work which comes situation that I believe can be altered. Chair which Alecto sells are called multiples,
from an artist's brain and happens to be made OVERY: What you're really saying is that the but are not available by the million. They're
in more than one piece. And to include things multiple could be a better designed gift object available in a very small quantity at an
which are called graphics now, things on or a better designed souvenir. enormous price. Relatively.
paper, or any of the accepted graphic media, STUDHOLME: What I'm saying is that the STUDHOLME : I think the Segal thing can very
and in fact any other media. Not to worry artist, whoever he may be, should be given profitably be called a multiple. What we
about whether it's made on paper or plastic access to a market which at the present asked him to do was to think about making a
or metal, who makes it or whether it's made moment is completely unfamiliar. Now how three-dimensional object which could be
by mass production in a factory and then he gains access to it, what his work is like in made by technical means in a number of
have somebody put a dot on it later on. I terms of aesthetic quality when it finally copies.
mean there's some legislation going through appears on the market at such and such a OVERY : Isn't this really an edition ? Aren't
in New York State at the moment, they're price, there are a lot of variable factors you using the word 'multiple' as the word for
trying to define prints, and they got hopelessly involved. One hopes to produce something a three-dimensional equivalent of an edition
bogged down saying a real print is this and which genuinely reflects an artist's work. of prints ?
an unreal one is that. OVERY : But in a sense the people who design STUDHOLME: Yes, but I think that's true of
MCEWEN: No I was just saying that if I'm souvenirs would regard themselves as being anything. I mean I think that McEwen's piece
asked to define what I'm concerned with in artists, they might even have been at art is also an edition; it happens to be unlimited.
this area, I'm concerned with making things school! LEVERETT: Yes, but the point is that it need
that can be made available very cheaply and MCEWEN : Tretchikoff does a print and regards only be one or it could be ten thousand. The
this almost immediately involves you in himself as an artist as well. I mean he has a choice is dependent upon the people that are
processes of mass production. That's really all right to do so . . . going to market it.