Page 21 - Studio International - March 1972

News and notes between the speakers and the conference, that No, it is not on

the sector's governing structure urgently
needed reform. The last speaker (David
Warren Piper) pointed out that if NCDAD
merged with CNAA, the sector would be
split, with the elite Dip AD courses inside and
the majority outside in the cold, which seemed
neither sensible nor socially just. Other
Conference on Art and Design in speakers had dwelt on the dangerous position
Polytechnics, 17 and 18, January 1970, North the majority of the sector was now in, a feeling
East London Polytechnic. The following reflected in the motions.
motions were passed: The conference broke up pensively, or
. This conference is deeply concerned at the rather, adjourned until the ATTI conference
decision to set up a body which inadequately on 3 March.
represents professional interests and without DAVID PAGE
an independent chairman to discuss, and advise The McAlpine Collection presented to the
upon, the future of Design Technician Courses. Tate Gallery in 1970 by Mr Alistair McAlpine,
It cannot accept that such a body is competent is to be housed at 16 Chenies Street, London
to determine the future of the entire existing WCI. It will be opened to the public at the end
provision, apart from foundation, outside the of March (exact date to be announced). The
Dip AD. collection will be on show four days a week
2. This conference deplores the decision by the —Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday —
DES to suspend the NACRE, without 10.30 to 17.30, admission free. The selection of
consultation. It is the view of this conference works on exhibition will be changed from time
that such an action demonstrates a flagrant to time.
disregard for the considered views of those
professionally engaged in Art and Design The Commonwealth Institute Gallery is
Education. holding an exhibition of work by painters
3. This conference calls upon the ATTI and Tessa Schneideman and William Kurelek and
the NUS to take steps to formulate, with other sculptor Peter Layton, from 21 March until
interested bodies, a joint alternative strategy for 23 April.
Art and Design Education in England and The Tate Gallery is holding the first large
Wales in an attempt to co-ordinate opposition retrospective exhibition in this country of the
to present Government policy, or lack of it. work of William Scott from 19 April until
29 May.
After the NCDAD Fine Art panel resignations
The 36th Venice Biennale, which opens this
it seemed worthwhile to get an overall view of
the situation of schools which had gone into June, will include an exhibition of some sixty
works by the most representative painters of
Polytechnics and to give people in the
Polytechnics and the sector as a whole a chance this century, selected for their art-historical
to discuss. We sent a questionnaire round the importance; a special show of Italian sculpture,
polytechnics to gather information (eleven also selected with reference to the history of
replied), and then set up a conference for contemporary sculpture; and an international
polytechnic departments, the London Art exhibition of sculpture to be held in the
Schools, and members of NCDAD panels. courtyard of the Doges' Palace, in which all
Twenty-eight people came, and there were countries represented at the Biennale will
three outside speakers; nine polytechnics were participate, each Commissioner choosing one
represented. work.
Some departments have had serious Germano Celant who has been invited to
problems; many have suffered from being participate as a member of the Commission
thrust into new, large, and uncertain for the 36th Venice Biennal, after two meetings
organizations—but not necessarily worse than with the other members of the Committee and
(say) departments of Physics. Again, most have the Secretary General Mario Penelope, has
been hit by the general clamp-down on decided to forgo the invitation to deputy
educational spending which was coming Filippo Longo, Special Commissioner of the
anyhow, polys or no polys, and which is 36th Venice Biennal, 'the reason being that he
beginning to affect staff/student ratios. does not agree with the methodological and
More positively there is evidence of cultural form that the Biennal is assuming, in a
expansive energy in the polytechnics; reactionary sense.' APG was one of a number of organizations
questionnaire replies showed at least fifteen The Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris will hold founded and operated by artists since the mid-
courses to be put up for Dip AD recognition, a show of the sculpture of Agenore Fabbri and sixties. They now appear to have been a series
and at least seven which are being prepared for the painting of Gianni Dova. Both artists are of attempts to resolve aspects of the developing
CNAA. Conference discussion showed a represented by Galleria Arte Borgogna, Milan. larger crisis in which artists and art are seen to
number of working relations growing up be largely irrelevant given the priorities of
between Art and Design and other disciplines 14 Big Prints, a portfolio to be published by capitalist society.
represented in the polys. Bernard Jacobson Ltd. in March has its first In capitalist societies the habitual definition
There seemed to be general agreement, showing at Waddington Galleries this month. of individual freedom is seen as an assumption
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