Page 33 - Studio International - May 1972

ruled out by the use of a system. that and say that because of this it is system concepts, without knowing the thing. I
JEFFREY STEELE: But it is also not obscured.... important in order that the work may have its agree ...one would have to have circles, lines,
PETER LOWE : It's heightened—you are made effect on someone looking at it that they should or colours because if you tried to construct a
more aware of what you are doing ... be aware through some sort of linguistic system without that—what I do sometimes is
MALCOLM HUGHES: The way I would see it, medium of what this process of making lay that aside and use letters, numbers, brackets,
going back to Jeff's point and Peter's ... I consists in ?—because this is really what is at arrows, etc ... —but they are standing in, it's
would like to think of the way each layer of issue... just that they are easier to manipulate because
decision that I make enables me to have a JIM MOYES : Yes ... this is really why I had steel, wood or plastic or buckets of paint would
greater choice. The system is still rigorously doubts about the whole argument right at the be too hard to manipulate that quickly.
applied, it's just that the way I work gives me a start.... I think what is important for me is that MALCOLM HUGHES : Yes ... but we will have to be
greater number of choices within which I it seems to me I have very clear reasons for clear here— I think Jim is quite clearly
have to make decisions—but the ultimate the systems I use—the systems come out of the representing one end of the spectrum of
relationship—given the object that one is process of making and the systems are not activity within the group and what you have
looking at, one would be able to retrace and decided before the process of making. actually just said—that it would be possible to
come up with the particular starting point ... in manipulate signs, symbols or whatever it was,
my case it would be the number sequence. But STEPHEN BANN: To shift the ground slightly... which could not be, in the first instance,
each of the layers of choice, from number I have thought of a distinction here which standing in for anything else,—they had certain
sequence to shapes, from shapes to tone, from might help, between a genetic description and a possibilities in terms of their inter-
tones to physicality, or to colour—each of these historical description. A genetic description connectiveness before they could begin to
would be a layer of choice—with an ever would be how the work evolved, or arose, in stand in for something else ...
increasing number of possibilities. so far as that could be apprehended from the JiM MOYES: In that case it would be
TOM CROSS : I can sense a danger here that the work itself. A historical description would be mathematics.
work of art is complete as soon as one has involving it in the actual time and MALCOLM HUGHES : Perhaps ... well, even so ...
thought of it. biography of the artist—involving quite a lot of they would have to have a rightness in terms of
PETER LOWE : One doesn't prefigure the work complex factors about his personal life— their relationship before one could feel in any
before in one's imagination, one might have the whether he did it over four days or five. Now way that one was interested in going further
notation prefigured—but the same notation I would tend to think that the only way in into materialisation. And I think at that initial
can generate a number of appearances —one which the antecedents of the work can become stage one isn't even aware that they are going
is curious, and because of this one continues — apparent are in the genetic sense rather than in to be in relief or colours or whatever it is —I
that's what's exciting, it's that which makes the historical sense. would fight very much that this is a
one want to go on.... DAVE SAUNDERS : That seems to have clarified it possibility.... Simply because that type of
for me. information when it becomes ordered in that
JiM MOYES : In my experience 'ideas' come from JIM MOYES : The thing that throws me in the particular way can be used in a variety of ways—
the process of making through what it is one is end is that the information, if it is it can become this, it could become that—but
handling—perceiving visually, tactilely— information, is irretrievable—it's like cinema before it could become any of those things it
it is through the perceptual understanding of that has gone through my head. would have to have its own degree of order,
things that ideas seem to come. DAVE SAUNDERS: You are quite right when you its own degree of rightness....
STEPHEN BANN : Would you go further than say you couldn't really have these systems, or

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