Page 18 - Studio International - September 1971

see total expenditure on the arts grow from year paying audiences. Of course, if there were no Correspondence
to year, but how is it to be financed ? Only, I feel subsidies these companies would not be
sure, if we can achieve a better balance between playing at all, and that would be even more
the money that comes from the Government deplorable. There must be, I do not know how
and the money that comes from both the Local to describe it, a range of artistic activities `Art Systems' and Sao Paulo
Authorities and private patrons. The between what the 90 per cent now appreciate Why I originally decided to participate in the
Government should be reluctant, and not for and what the 5 per cent who are connoisseurs São Paulo Biennial with 'Art Systems' and why
budgetary reasons alone, to increase its grants enjoy in their enviable sophistication. I now decided not to participate.
unless they are better matched by increases It is an essential part of my job to help the In January of this year, when I received an
from the other two sources. Does anyone really 90 per cent to enjoy first this middle-range and invitation from Francisco Matarazzo to organize
want to see a gradual take-over of all then to go beyond it. It must be right to look for a show called 'Art as Idea' and another one
professional art by the state ? That would be a ladders of experience for all the millions of men called 'Art and Cybernetics' for the XI Biennial
peculiarly dangerous form of nationalization. and women who do not share the highly of So Pauãlo, I thought over my decision for
But it would happen if the subsidies voted by developed culture common to you and me who quite a long time.
Parliament, whether or not they are channelled are now in this hall. One cannot doubt that the Finally, in spite of what had happened in
through the Arts Council, became the wage-earners have a capacity, untested in its 1969 and of the anachronistic structure of a show
overwhelming proportion of all the salaries and depth and power, to enrich the culture of the like the São Paulo one, I decided that it would
expenses of the major artistic activities in the whole nation, but are we giving this capacity its be a good thing for Brazilian artists to have a
country. Any institution, company, or person chance ? The taxes which these millions pay chance to become better informed, and to
who thinks it can live off public money to the contribute a large part of all the subsidies which establish a dialogue with representative
tune of 70 or 8o per cent without coming under the Government gives to the fine arts. Are we works and artists from the rest of the world,
close Parliamentary scrutiny should go and returning a fair share to them ? thus enabling the former to break to a certain
learn some history. Artists, or at least those I come to the second reason why the arts degree with the isolation to which they are
whom I have talked to, realize how uncomfortable should be more widely fostered. Wherever you subjected by police power.
and menacing it would be for them if instead of go, in all parts of the country, you find people Notwithstanding the offer of 4500 square
several paymasters they had only one more determined than ever before to participate metres of physical space and airplane tickets
Paymaster-General. The rabbit confronted with personally in the decisions which affect their for artists and critics of my choice, I travelled
a single weasel is immobilized and lost, but if he life; they also want to do more for themselves, to to the United States during the months of
meets with a second and third weasel he glances do their own thing. This is not a fashion. It has February and March in order to make personal
from one to the other, regains his mobility, and come to stay. contact with the following artists : Vito
runs off alive and free. The Local Authorities tell us about the Acconci, Arakawa, John Baldessari, Robert
Another reason for raising more money pressure to put on more art courses in their Barry, Mel Bochner, Donald Burgy, James
locally is that this kind of money ensures a technical colleges. The public libraries are being Collins, Christo, Walter De Maria, Terry
spread of artistic activities and keeps them asked to lend many more copies of plays and Fox, Dan Graham, Hans Haacke, Michael
related to what the people in each area are sheets of music. The enthusiasm of dramatic Heizer, Douglas Huebler, Peter Hutchinson,
interested in and can appreciate. The political, and musical societies is remarked on in large and Alain Jacquet, Lee Jaffe, On Kawara,
administrative, cultural and social centre of small towns. No doubt the plays these societies Joseph Kosuth, Christine Kozlov, Les Levine,
London is where the Government's money put on, the music they make and the pictures Gordon Matta, Robert Morris, Dennis
comes from, and this highly educated centre of they paint are seldom up to professional Oppenheim, Dorothea Rockburne, Richard
the capital can never know precisely what the standards. But it is socially good that they are Serra, Robert Smithson, Keith Sonnier, John
regions want because they do not talk the same doing what they are doing, amateurs though they Van Saun, Bernar Venet and Lawrence
language. Indeed one of the lessons which I are. I have been struck by the size of the Weiner.
have learned in the last year is that the regions audiences which they can draw — and not all All of them agreed with my position, and
can only fully express themselves to themselves. members of the performers' families. What these thus—backed by that consensus—I decided to
When London is uncertain of what the regions amateurs need is not contempt but professional accept the job of organizing a show which I
want the obvious test to apply is the quality of advice and guidance. called 'Art Systems'.
the art which is to be supported, and the quality, This leads to my final question. The opening Only after my return to Buenos Aires did I
of course, is what the metropolitan paymasters out of government policy towards the arts calls mail official invitations explaining that this was
say it is. But in real life unless the choice of for fresh initiatives beyond the support of to be an independent show, organized according
programme is related to what the local people activities of international standard. It would be to criteria different from those used for the
can comprehend and enjoy the audience will unthinkable to reduce the support for the best official selections from each country, and that
never appear. They will stay at home. music, opera, ballet and theatre. But how can we `Art Systems' artists would not be eligible
This then is the problem which fascinates reach the much larger audience that can, for prizes. In addition to personal acceptances,
me : How do we raise the level of appreciation whatever their level of appreciation, never get a I also received written confirmation of their
of the mass of the people, who have a vocabulary seat at Covent Garden or Stratford-on-Avon ? participation from the following artists :
of very limited extent and who cannot advance An audience not just a little larger but a thousand Eleanor Antin, David Askevold, Terry Atkinson,
at one bound from their working-class culture times as big. I am asking myself, and now I ask David Bainbridge, Michael Baldwin, Manuel
to the art which the metropolitan middle-class you, whether we have the institutions and the Barbadillo, Otto Beckmann, Stanley Brouwn,
think interesting and of worthwhile quality ? staff to operate successfully in this enormous Pierpaolo Calzolari, Don Celender, Barry
How do we handle this problem ? Not by field ? Who will be their leaders ? Who will be Flanagan, Herbert W. Francke, Hamish Fulton,
pandering to what the general run of the their allies ? By what channels should Jochen Gerz, Gilbert & George, Rafael Hastings,
taxpayers already like and giving them nothing government help be provided ? Please give this Harold Hurrell, Richards Jarden, Kirby,
but that. This is the accusation levelled, perhaps problem your attention and be sure I shall Kirili, John Latham, Auro Lecci, Richard
unfairly, at television. Not by giving them art so welcome your ideas, for I am very conscious that Long, Mario Merz, Mauricio Nannucci,
far above their heads that even the most as yet the branch of government responsible for Georg Nees, Naum June Paik, Claudio
celebrated companies in the land sometimes the arts does not know how to do its duty by the Parmiggiani, Bernardo Salcedo, Jean Michael
play to houses of scarcely more than 3o per cent whole body of the taxpayers. q Sanjouand, Gilberto Zorio.