Page 16 - Studio International - July August 1971

was for group art, but the organizers had to Correspondence offer a statement taken from a conversation I
resign themselves to the fact that they had called had with Warhol recently that at, least clarifies
into existence only ad hoc conglomerates which how he feels about Reinhardt's paintings.
satisfied no one, least of all the artists themselves.
Obviously there is no simple recipe in the Siegel : How do you feel about Ad Reinhardt's
present crisis. The exhibition Aktiva 71' at the paintings ?
Kunsthaus in Munich, open to artists under 35, Warhol: I went to Reinhardt's studio and I
showed that even those incorrigibles who still think Reinhardt was there and I think he
believe in individual achievement are still showed us all this work and it was so great. I
groping around in a pretty disorientated manner. only liked when he began painting the same
The photographic realism that has been raising `Andy Warhol and Ad Reinhardt' painting over and over— these were my
its head lately is an evasion of the real problem. Although Max Kozloff's article, 'Andy Warhol favourites — you know, the black paintings. But
The manifestations of the younger generation and Ad Reinhardt' (March issue), contained then I was so suprised when he took out all
were pushed into the background by two other some brilliant comments about the '6os, those things—red things and different shapes
events in the south: the large Dali exhibition in Warhol, and Reinhardt, it left me reeling from that he had around the studio—it was strange
Baden-Baden and the second Nuremberg the involved network of similarities and because I always thought he did just the one
Biennale. Even if the artistic value of Dale's differences between the protagonists that he thing....
supershow was disputable, it was worth established. Like a Stella interlace leaves me
considering as a sociological phenomenon: it wondering what band is in front and what is See what I mean ? It's all pretty simple. Warhol
broke all German gallery records with x5o,000 behind, the article had me totally befuddled as sees Reinhardt's paintings just the way, at some
visitors in two months. Above all, young to whether they were finally together or far point, Kozloff described Warhol's.
people —a suspect group to the public, who call apart or did everything cancel out everything ? JEANNE SIEGEL
them the hash generation—streamed in masses to In case anybody else had the same reaction, I New York
savour Dali's mirror-smooth dream world. The
museum as a place of pure visual gratification, as
an oasis for voyeurs and aesthetes ? This is Science in art environmental or otherwise...
rankest heresy to those responsible for the All the activities related to art and
Nuremberg Biennale. They set out to submit technology, and art and science, undertaken by
the spectator to a strenuous educational Marcello Salvadori, director of the Centre for individuals or groups must be fully supported as
experience, as thorough, comprehensive and the Studies of Science in Art, writes : The revival they provide a fresh attempt from which new
involuted as has always been the custom in of interest in science in art emphasizes the very movements can spread out. But I think that
Germany. The overall theme was 'Artist — significant problems that now confront the periodical adjustments are essential to under-
Theory — Work' and the motto, Dürer's remark artist. These problems are many. The most stand the areas in which science and art can
`What beauty is I do not know'. The concurrent serious is long-term planning: firstly for an collaborate today.
celebrations of the sooth anniversary of Diirers understanding of the bulk of technological and Lately a variety of people from different
birth are best passed over in discreet silence; scientific complexities; secondly for the walks of life and disciplines have been joining
they are not primarily a matter of art criticism diversion of the acquired knowledge towards the art world on the administrative side. The
but a tedious chunk of German ideology. Over different emphases and uses. dangers for them are in not taking their
400 exhibits, from Dürer and Leonardo to The first reaction seems to me to be a turning homework seriously (or in not doing it at all), or
LeWitt and Darboven, illustrated the Biennale towards technology and technological in thinking of art as an amateurish exercise; or
theme, which was classified into eleven different application which satisfy both traditional in not seeing the needs and problems of the
aspects; additionally the spectator was hectored object-making and traditional aesthetics. This artist and the extreme seriousness with which
on all sides by signboards setting out the artists' causes fundamental confusion between science the arts must be treated.
theories. By the third section, at the latest, the and technology. The confusion is worse Perhaps it is right to say that the arts
visitor had forgotten that he had actually come confounded by interaction and fragmentation of today, find themselves in the position of
to see paintings. science and technology, creating an illusion `commenting' only on the political, sociological
The trend towards didacticism in German where marginal activities take place in a some- and technological-scientific scenes, but we do
exhibitions might be dismissed as a tiresome times heroic effort to divert the monolothic not actively shape and influence our environment
whim of the museum people, were it not for the activity and attitude of technology. any more. I don't think this a cause for regret—
very real fear that next year's `Documenta 5' In scanning the latest advents one can say because we have yet to understand fully not only
will become a hybrid outgrowth of just such with certainty that the overriding struggle is the interaction of science and art, but also
didactic ambitions. At the last press conference still with technology: a classical example is the human evolution and its possibility of creating
in March this year, it became only too spookily computer art event. As soon as we enter the artificial byospheric changes—and perhaps a
clear which way the triumvirate of Harald world of computer graphics or computer design, complete superimposition of man-made
Szeemann, J. C. Amann and Bazon Brock was the uncomfortable feeling arises that the problem nature on Nature. This dilemma is an essential
heading. Until a short time ago it looked as if this `design' has been left untouched. I do not think part of global knowledge which the artist needs
was to be a Documenta for conceptual artists; it that the acceptance of the tool (the computer), in his training.
has now become apparent that we are going to be its devices, and the adding of technique I have been watching closely the latest
treated to an exhibition of three particular variations, in order to achieve a pattern activity of the ICA, and although their scientific
conceptual artists. The new theme is as follows : (whatever that is, a portrait or a geometrical lectures are admirably organized, the dangers in
(x) Reality of Representation; (2) Reality of the exercise), is an answer to the sociological artistic introducing the sciences to the arts can in time
Thing Represented; (3) Identity or Non- implications that the computer poses. be self-destroying, as from the very first lecture
Identity of Representation and Thing Generally speaking (except in a few research no attempt to inter-relate them has been
Represented. This is to be expounded through instances) the design handled by a computer seriously made (towards the arts) and of course
socialist realism, advertising, kitsch, design, under the headings 'Computer Art' or in the West science and technology are much
traffic signs, caricature, action, sport and play; `Computer Design' does nothing to create order more vulnerable to economic and political
oh, and art objects. 111 or anything different from the existing chaos, pressures than are the arts. D

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