Page 49 - Studio International - September 1971

installation of bricks and string at the the originators of unmarketable art, and of and articulate. And while Victor Burgin on his
SERPENTINE GALLERY, or Alan Sonfist's ecological discrediting the preposterous critical orthodoxy own work and, obliquely, on conceptual art
systems art at the ICA GALLERY, or Rose that questions of value are settled on the generally, was less well served by a partisan
Finn-Kelcey's absurd Black Hand at S.P.A.C.E. distinguished retina. audience that divided too sharply, the ICA's
in Twickenham. What these works share is an On this last point, that we must not only adopted role was vindicated: current art,
assumption that the eye is part of the active look but think and talk as well, three perhaps now more than ever, needs a public
mind and no mere patch of nervous tissue lecture-discussions at the tail end of the ICA's forum. Conceptual art, in particular, seems to
waiting to be agreeably tickled by coloured 1970/71 programme deserve notice. Mel Bochner have divided people at an emotional level where
light; and a lack of evident potential to sustain on his own work and David Bohm on some controlled burning in daylight might generate
their authors economically through the metaphysical and other implications of the more useful energy than the fitful explosions
traditional operation of shopkeeping. laser hologram both provoked discussion of an that are heard from underground. q
The main problems in art now, I should say, exceedingly high order, such as only a metropolis
are to devise really effective ways of supporting can generate : argument that is pointed, serious

Peter Hide writes: My purpose in writing this is earlier works. The force of gravity opposed to the in terms of my own preoccupations, but reinforced my
twofold. First, to make a public record of a large and strength of steel here actually shapes the sculpture. resolve to develop this aspect of sculpture.
for me significant work which will not be seen in In earlier works the opposition of forces was never The work to be shown at the Depot this year all
England; secondly, to underline various considerations meant to do this. Occasionally a miscalculation relates closely to Arch; some of the pieces were
which have gone into my show at Stockwell this year. would cause sagging and gradually I came to conceived before and led up to it, whilst others
The sculpture Arch represents a first attempt to recognize this apparent failing as a quality represent a development. However, as the Stockwell
conceive a work in direct relation to a landscape. It underlining the precarious nature of many of my works were executed in relation to the Depot's spaces
consists of an eighty-foot bar of mild steel angle structures. In this direction I must also acknowledge they differ significantly in terms of scale, and partly
supported on two steel stanchions which in turn bolt a certain debt to some of the works of Roland Brener through this tend to function more as objects relying
on to two three-ton concrete plinths. The stanchions and Roelof Louw; namely, those works of Brener's on the confinement of a bounded space. q
are so positioned that the bar adopts under its own that rely on springing steel into curves by concrete [Peter Hide is exhibiting at the Stockwell Depot,
weight a form of catenary curve. weights or steel wires, and the hanging ropes of Louw. Combermere Road, SW9 (tel. 01-733 0019) from
This piece is a summation of trends latent in These highly original works left room for developments Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.]

91