Page 42 - Studio International - July August 1971

[Art museums, like art magazines, act as a filter Guggenheim, both museum staffs had found upon was that they really understood each other
between the public and contemporary art. The that the artists were planning something with in relation to art and their extra-exhibition
structure and personnel of these institutions which the museums could not deal: and told relationships. Obviously the others were not
obviously affects the way in which the filter them so. Within six weeks of the openings, each prepared for the domineering socio-political
functions. It is therefore of public interest to artist had presented different proposals for part concerns of Messer, which led him publicly
present information on their operations and aims. of their exhibition; proposals still difficult to to voice evaluative aspersions on property
In the June issue of Studio International some deal with from the traditional functioning of the `malpractice' attributable to owners (in this
of the issues raised by the withdrawal of Daniel museums. At this point the parallels cease; the case, specific individuals) in rationalizing his
Buren's work from the Guggenheim Museum's Guggenheim Museum's reaction, on the part of rejection of work which did no such thing.
International Exhibition and the Guggenheim's the director, was to attempt to avoid the new Messer was obviously unprepared for the
cancellation of the Hans Haacke exhibition were problems by cancelling the exhibition before its opposition to his stance on the part of curator
argued by the artists and museum personnel public appearance; at the Tate, director Sir Edward Fry when, at last, it came; nor was he
concerned. Norman Reid and keeper Michael Compton ready for Haacke's personal (not artistic)
In the present issue the articles on pp 33o-9 collaborated to create special staff and meetings political activism in circulating a 'politically
provide broader information on the character and with the artist to achieve the exhibition opening hot' press-release announcing the cancellation
situation of two museums of modern or contemporary scheduled for 28 April, only to close the before the museum had said a public word—or
art. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and exhibition within a week because of the actual for Haacke's long-standing relationship with
the Tate Gallery have been selected solely because physical danger which the encouraged the Art Workers' Coalition, which raised such
their recent exhibition programmes have publicly participation with the exhibits was creating for a fuss in co-ordinating artistic disenchantment
raised the questions of the responsible relationship the public. with museums to focus on the Guggenheim.
between artists, art museums, and public.] The fact that the Tate let Morris's work have The simplistic reactions of firing Fry, calling
a trial by public opening is very important. It for Messer's dismissal, boycotting future
was a calculated risk, but one which they were exhibitions in the Guggenheim, seem more a
hopefully prepared to control, and did repetitive piece of publicity of the schism after
—perhaps with more than a little luck. But in the particular fact of schism than constructive
dealing with the exhibition in this manner, they for any rational artist-institutional dialogue,
could share the onus for its abortion with the change, or internal re-thinking of the viability
public and the artist; the statement facing of this relationship to achieve vitality and
visitors on 4 May made this clear by expressing freedom for either side.
the director's regret that 'He has been Memories are short, but only thinking back
A tail of two impelled to make this decision because the can aid thinking forward to avoid a mindless
somewhat over-zealous participation in the
repetition of the past. And the whole history
of the Haacke exhibition becomes important as
exhibitions: The exhibition by some of our more exuberant a sort of model for the infinitely varied
visitors has resulted in excessive wear and tear
aborted Haacke on some of the exhibits which have become particular problems encountered in art-museum
exhibitions of 'avant-garde art'. Ignorance of
dangerous'. The reaction to this objectively-
and Robert Morris verifiable stance could be nothing but rational: these potential problems is no longer
respectable, and responsibility for coping with
the press treated the closure with witty
them—somehow—must be shared by any
shows headlines announcing 'No More Smashing artists and institutions which agree to
Fun at the Tate' and repeated quotations from
one of the attendants that 'We wanted people participate. q
Barbara Reise to participate, the trouble is they went bloody
mad!'; when asked for information about the BACKGROUND TO THE
The problems of art-museums committed to museum functioning and policy in this and FOREGROUND: THE HAACKE
exhibiting contemporary art are partly inherent future exhibitions, the staff requested written EXHIBITION HISTORY
in their mongrel and anachronistic institutional questions rather than off-the-cuff interviews The following history was compiled by Barbara
heritage in monarchical collections of painting —and then collaborated with relish on their Reise from interviews with Guggenheim Museum
and sculpture, great ancient libraries, annual written self-examination. curator Edward Fry and director Thomas
Academy artists' exhibitions, and commercial It is hard to imagine a sharper contrast to M. Messer on 25 April, 1971 . This account has
and educational galleries; their tradition of the situation at the Guggenheim Museum and been checked with the original transcripts of all
bureaucratic procedures, art-historical its manner of handling it. First, in closing the the interviews by both Messer and Fry to ensure
training of policy initiators, and long-term Haacke exhibition before its publicized opening, that it does not misrepresent the situation as they
planning and budgeting do not bring their the Guggenheim took the onus of this breaking presented it on that day.
spirit of activity any closer to that of individual or break-down of artist/art-museum
creative beings with a more contemporary scale co-operation. In rigorously not accepting the EDWARD FRY: I became interested in the work of
of attitude : the (alleged) artists. Such a presentation of photographs with names culled Hans Haacke around 1967 or '68, particularly
disparity would not matter if it did not matter from public records without checking through intensive conversations with a close
to some artists and museums who, for some thoroughly the legal implications of their friend of mine Mr Jack Burnham, and my
reason, try to work together to create some exhibition or their veracity as 'facts' by increased awareness of Haacke's seminal
sort of exhibition/work not previously there. street-walking and title searches, the museum importance in certain major preoccupations of
The Guggenheim Museum in New York rationale for the rejection of this work—and the artists in the 196os in a post-formalist, more
and the Tate Gallery in London committed cancellation of the show—was based on un-tested theoretical direction. I thought Haacke's
themselves a year in advance to one-man assumptions held by individuals within its development sufficiently important by the end
exhibitions of work which were not simply structure; indeed, on assumptions used to of '69 to try to get Mr Messer to agree to have a
pre-determined. Within three months of the criticize the work before it was seen in specific Guggenheim exhibition. I took Mr Messer to
scheduled exhibition openings of Robert form. The most erroneous assumption which see Haacke's one-man show at the Howard Wise
Morris at the Tate and Hans Haacke at the Messer, Fry and Haacke seemed to be travelling Gallery then, and he was much impressed
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