Page 59 - Studio International - April 1971

responded differently: IBM personnel were some artists toured the company, returned Whitman at Philco-Ford. Whitman is probably
perhaps offended by Jackson MacLow's home, formulated a detailed proposal, entered the most experienced 'collaborative' artist in the
unconventional appearance and dress, and into residence at a corporation for about three US, and, as I noted above, he had the good
possibly by his politics, but another computer months, executed as much work as time fortune of locating a brilliant and engaging
company (Information International) found allowed, and left. This was basically the optics engineer, John Forkner. With the implicit
him entirely acceptable. Much depended on experience, for instance, of R. B. Kitaj, Oyvind support of the company, a Patron Sponsor, plans
whom the artist might meet at the start, while Fählström and Jean Dupuy. These were the for a radical work—technically innovative and
touring a company: Robert Whitman met optics comparatively simple exchanges to consummate, aesthetically compelling—were drawn up, only
engineer John Forkner at Philco-Ford, and the partly because the corporations with whom to have the company administration flatly refuse
two personalities were immediately sympathetic, these artists collaborated, or specific divisions any funds for construction. The realization of
despite a general doubt on the part of the within them, are primarily industrial (Lockheed, this work required far-flung resources; the
company itself, while Robert Morris could never Heath, Cummins), and partly because of the artist redesigned his work; the engineer came
find a true line of communication with anyone orderly and sequential manner of working up with entirely altered plans for construction;
at Lear Siegler, Inc. characteristic of these particular artists. a display-fabricating firm was hired to create
Often contracted corporations would hesitate Few cases were so simple. Most artists, as certain parts; the Laguna Beach Unitarian
to take an artist into residence when, for has been stated, extended their residence at a Church Fellowship pressed one hundred
technical reasons, they anticipated having to company over a year-long period, leaving and citizens into voluntary service; and finally the
sub-contract a major part of the project. They returning several times. This rhythm allowed United States Information Agency provided
wished to utilize indigenous techniques and for generally advantageous results. We observed scores of labourers (when the work was first
materials. This was the second key factor a definite strengthening and maturing of shown at Expo 70) for the final stages of
determining the ease or difficulty of setting up concepts in the work of Robert Rauschenberg, construction. Similar nightmarish complications
collaborations, and was basically more important Rockne Krebs and Tony Smith, for example. threatened to inhibit the construction of works
than the issue of personalities. This problem Rauschenberg first visited Teledyne in Oldenburg researched and defined at Disney
occurred frequently, but it could not have been September 1968, beginning an unusually long Productions, but in this case we induced
avoided. The central premise of Art and series of visits to the company, entailing Gemini G.E.L. to take over the production of
Technology rested on a one-artist—one-company discussions, the gathering of particular data, one of Oldenburg's several models, and they did
nexus. Early in the programme, the need for a acquisition of materials from all over the US, so with unusual efficiency and despatch.
number of back-up companies to provide raw testing, etc; it was not until October 1970, that Given such obstacles as these, twenty
materials was anticipated, and in fact we sought a final period of residence occurred, and work artists nevertheless are expected to bring
commitments from firms such as Rohm and accelerated. Krebs' and Smith's experiences projects to a state of culmination. In virtually
Haas, for plastics. But it was quickly apparent with companies were also protracted and con- every case there was a particular corporation
that companies required singular identification comitantly enriching. However, there were who made himself responsible, along with the
with an artist in order to produce and perform dangerous moments in these prolonged artist, for the success of the collaboration. Such
significantly. Companies would not give collaborations, for the absence of the artist a man might be primarily an authoritative
impersonally, so to speak, any more readily than from a company tended to reduce corporate officer, who delegated responsibility, such as
patrons of museums make donations availability. It was at such times that the R. H. Robillard at Lockheed, or a genuine
anonymously. To alleviate this problem we Museum's active role was necessary to keep the technical collaborator, such as Forkner at
invented the category of Benefactor Corporation : connection viable. Philco-Ford. In many cases, when a company
we solicited $7000 donations from banks and Since Rauschenberg, Krebs and Tony did give generously of its resources, we came to
other non-participatory firms to be allotted Smith each worked with the company they had find hidden, if not unusual, motives for its
largely for the acquisition of materials or originally selected, there was a certain coherence doing so. Jet Propulsion Laboratory's
specialized services not made available by a in these collaborations in spite of the unusually involvement with Newton Harrison is probably
sponsoring corporation. However, we persuaded lengthy period of time involved. With virtually accountable, in part, to the company's desire to
only three companies to enter Art and all of the others, however, substantial move out of space exploration exclusively and
Technology in this category. involvement on our part was mandatory to keep identify itself with the larger area of
The factor of anticipated sub-contracting the 'marriage' together. Often artists had to environmental research. Some corporations
implicit in an artist's proposal was primarily leave one company for another. After apparently became involved with us in order to
instrumental in the failure of Michael Asher, contracting with us, John Chamberlain promote a particular product or process
Hans Haacke, Max Bill, Stephan Von Huene, developed an ambitious scheme for a work (Cowles Xography) or an area that the company
Takis, Otto Piene, Karlheinz Stockhausen, involving diverse odours at a division of Dart wished to make better known (Garrett's Life
Eduardo Paolozzi and others to make Industries' Riker Laboratories. The president Sciences Department). General Electric was
corporation connections. Some corporations of the company rejected the plan. After other eager to modernize their image. Two major
also rejected project proposals for reasons of trials, Chamberlain became the Rand companies—involved, not coincidentally, with
excessive in-house expense, of course, but this Corporation's artist-in-residence (following consumer-type products—contracted with us
happened less often: IBM studied Vasarely's upon Larry Bell's stint there). Wesley Duke because of their presidents' social connections
plan for weeks and concluded that it might cost Lee came from Brazil to work at Hall Surgical with Mrs Chandler. Three companies—the
up to two million dollars to build, and then Systems. After two months the company smallest ones—joined with us solely for the
would only have a life of four years (due to the declined further participation, prompting publicity. Some companies were exceptionally
narrowing life expectancy of successive thereby the Odyssey of Wesley Duke Lee co-operative because of a tradition of cultural
computer generations); Litton declined through Southern California: the artist worked support dating back for years (Container
Vjenceslav Richter's plan, claiming that it at over a dozen small sub-contracting firms to Corporation of America, IBM, Cummins), but
would cost over a million dollars; RCA similarly develop his project, which had been defined at other companies, whose presidents are art
declined to work on Glenn McKay's project, Hall, racking up fourteen thousand driving collectors, proved difficult to work with,
the cost of which was anticipated at $500,000. miles, in a project that was to last eight months. precisely because that knowledge of art created
Most of the vital collaborative work done It is still not completed. a restrictive bias.
under Art and Technology took place during The outstanding case of a project taxing the
1969 and early 1970. Within this period of time, limits of our capacities was that of Robert In April 1969, after reading a second article
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