Page 19 - Studio International - December 1972

showed four very minimal two-screen films, About the films: I was most impressed by two Feedback
all based on a methodical examination of the new films by William Raban, Colours of This
`fade': two films incorporating a static camera Time, and Broadwalk. His work as a painter has
image and fading both to white and to black, largely been concerned with taking 'traces' from
and the other two working entirely with the natural events like tide or weathering on trees,
fades but no image. All the films established a onto canvas, leaving it in the landscape for long
strong perceptual content, but in spite of this, periods. His earlier films, which he made jointly
the audience was aroused to chanting, and with Chris Wellsby, all used fairly simple
heated argument (for and against) all through variations of time-lapse, compressing long (Items for review should be sent to
the screening, in a way which the Heins have periods'of natural events into a graspable time. Clive Phillpot, Studio International,
an uncanny knack of precipitating. There were This is a familiar technique which has been used 37 Museum Street, London WCI .)
two strong programmes of English films scientifically for a long time, and occasionally by
including works by David Crosswaite, Peter film-makers for 'creative' purposes. Raban has Ten years ago the first issue of Artforum was
Gidal, Annabel Nicolson, Stuart Pound, made it a fundamental basis of his work. `published for art by John Irwin' in San
William Raban, Mike Leggett and myself, His persistence with it as a 'form' has led both Francisco. From being a specifically West
although the English section was limited by a his new films into subtle new possibilities. Coast magazine its horizons have broadened
simultaneous show in Paris for IMEDIA (75 rue Colours of This Time is based on an experience until it now ranks among the most useful half
Dutot, Paris 15e). Together with the newly that the different times of the day had slightly dozen magazines in the world which cover
formed Paris Film Co-op, IMEDIA is the different colour temperature effects on the modern art in general. Not that it has changed
first popular response to Underground film emulsion, and when exposure times were so drastically in ten years, for the tone of an
making so far in France. (Paris Film Makers increased these differences became more article in the first number entitled 'Conformity
Co-operative, Les Friches, Preaux Du Perche, marked. So he worked out a technique to hold in the Arts' which saw doomladen clouds
Orne, France. The Paris Co-op arrange regular the camera shutter open, and compensate for the gathering over art, is unfortunately evident in an
screenings at the American Centre, 261 Bd. extra exposure by a strong neutral density filter. essay by Max Kozloff: 'The Trouble with
Raspail, Paris 14e. Tel : ODE 9992.) Another effect of this is to change the Art-as-idea', one of five essays which 'consist of
characteristic 'funny' motion of people in time- a synoptic overview of the art ambience during
Gallery House London, run by Rosetta Brooks lapse films, to much more stable 'blur' traces. the past decade', in the September 1972
and Sigi Krauss, is a new gallery at 5o Princes This characteristic is also attacked in Broadwalk, anniversary issue dedicated to Philip Leider.
Gate, Exhibition Rd., London; beginning with where sections of the time-lapse film are The basic difference between the two pieces is
a four-part survey of the avant-garde in Britain, subjected to freezing of some frames, expanding that while the earlier article can simply be
Part Three concentrated on film and video. the time compression back towards a 'real' time forgotten, some of Kozloff's criticisms demand
Survey is a little misleading, more like a slightly duration. Both these films have escaped the attention. Three quotes : conceptual art
random scan, certainly in the film and video familiar, predictable, trick effect and are strong `vulgarly indentifies a stabilized mode (say
section . . . . but, for the first time, bringing the authoritative works. In the same programme painting) with a restriction on freedom'; the
artist making film and the film-maker artist David Hall showed his latest film Time check conceptual artist prefers 'deliberately
together in one context. The gallery attempted to which was also largely built around the undigested accretions of data, documentations
present the work in a compromise between a time-lapse technique; however, this film never without comment, the purveying of information
casual, enter and leave at will format, and a got beyond being a string of ideas and effects, for its own sake'; 'art as idea is highly
more conventional seated audience/screen many of the notions being familiar and conservative. It exemplifies an almost rote
situation. There is obviously a new set of predictable. It includes a classic trick-effect joke dependence on an art context'. The negative
possibilities in the art gallery presentation of first used by Hans Richter in one of his best films slant of the essay precludes a view of the recent
film; harsh criticism of the first foray is unjust Vormittagsspuk (1928) where a host of people, rapid developments in art as an extension of
but there are many lessons to be learned from including composers Darius Milhaud and Paul creative activity or as comprising a new seed bed
this show. To begin with, there were a number Hindemith, disappear one by one behind a street of ideas, and since the criticisms are
of simple technical problems, unfamiliarity with lamp post, failing to emerge the other side. In generalized their effect is rather like firing a
the projectors, rooms with bad accoustics, or the Hall film the lamp post is replaced by a shotgun at a colander.
inadequate amplification/reproduction of window pillar; though lacking Richter's zaniness, Artforum has a propensity for publishing
sound, bad black-out, and people entering the the effect is identical. David Hall's video seminal articles side by side with the merely
room at the screen end causing the maximum installation in the same exhibition was much verbose and this issue is no exception. Only
of distraction. The most important problem more satisfactory, and in that gallery had more two of the other special essays are worth
though, is much more fundamental. None of the `presence' and appropriateness than any of the remarking on: 'Notes on Patronage: The
films shown was made as a special exploration other work. He simply brought together as many 1960's' is a piece of informative and lively, even
of this new context for film, except Bill TV sets as he could find, placed them all around punchy, writing by Francis V. O'Connor.
Lundberg's 8mm presentation of his Fire the room, tuned some to BBC 1 and the others Lawrence Alloway is also in a provocative mood
Construction films. They were shown in the to ITV. Apart from the strong visual impact, the in 'Network: The Art World described as a
gallery space where the actual fire events had piece gave a real insight into the nature of System'. His main endeavour is to describe the
taken place, leaving their traces on the walls and `broadcast' TV - the great power, energy and forces at work in the 'art-world' and the
on the films. However, his own 16mm film of the priority given to extreme trivia, a symbolic interdependence of the constituent elements.
same subject shown in the film programme awareness of exceptional numbers of people Part of the essay is concerned with
looked particularly uninteresting. Either film receiving the broadcast and its soporiphic social reestablishing the role of the critic in the face of
makers must make films which deal with the function. As with Warhol's multiples the the 'overuse' of artists' statements : 'This
gallery situation, as David Dye has done in his repetition of content allowed normally ignored documentation constitutes authenticity without
installation at the ICA (June '72) and with his factors of the medium to become significant. context. The authority of the interview has the
contribution to The Hayward, 'The New Art' The picture distortions, frame roll, etc., became effect of freezing critical discussion of artists at
show, or the gallery must provide a more more significant events than those of the early points in their development.' Another
suitable conventional cinema viewing space; endlessly repeated quizz game. observation: 'A work of art consists of at least
probably both. MALCOLM LE GRICE two levels of information: one that can be
213