Page 52 - Studio International - September 1972

old-fashioned and antiquated, the photos are evolution of an object. Painted in acrylic red The Dutch
cliched views of romance and the 52 inch lacquer, Mouse B stands approximately
horizontal frame, like a bed's headboard, is a 43 inches high, depending on the positioning situation
copy of the cheap oak frames that flourished in of its hinged ear. Like its ears, its eyes and nose
the early part of this century. Another of the are hinged and can be opened and closed. Two
better recent multiples is Richard Artschwager's moveable tear discs hang from each eye on Surveying the situation in Holland, it is quite
untitled wooden box. Co-published by black brass chains. A theme in Oldenburg's obvious that the line of thinking which years
Multiples and Castelli Graphics, the enigmatic work since the middle 196os, Geometric Mouse ago gave impetus to the multiples explosion,
14 inch high box has an insistent presence. Cold relates to Mickey Mouse and houses, and in its and the subsequent abundant market supply,
and forbidding, the box's drawers open to formal shape to other Oldenburg objects, to rested on a superficial discernment. The
reveal more enigmas—formica, hair, and light switches, ice cream bars and self-portraits. idea of cashing in on that development was
mirrored glass. Classified by their ear diameter, the largest is based on a relatively unstable substratum. The
Unlike Van Hoeydonck's Fallen Astronaut, Mouse X with an ear diameter of 9 feet, the underlying notion that, in the context of the
the editions thus far discussed convey, if not smallest is cardboard Mouse D with an ear welfare state, multiples in general would
serious, at least genuine artistic intentions. diameter of 6 inches. This most recent Mouse B contribute to making art more accessible
Really serious intentions require a history, a has an ear diameter of 18 inches. Between to the public was misconceived. The main
gestation period of trial and error. Failure 5000 and 6000 geometric mice exist. causes of this lagging behind of expectations
precedes success. The two best objects According to Oldenburg, his geometric mice are of a structural character, absolutely not
published this year were by Rauschenberg are 'an exercise in quantity as scale'. But influenced by the economic recession. Vide
and Claes Oldenburg. In both, concepts long typically contradictory, Oldenburg has drawn a for instance a comparable development: the
present in each artist's work are realized. hierarchical pyramid of mice which represents market for graphic art in Holland, which is
Robert Rauschenberg's Opal Gospel, 9 pure scale triumphant as scale not quantity. In booming. The diagnosis is evident. Many of
American Indian Poems is formed of ten his pyramid drawing, the largest Geometric the available multiples are considered nothing
transparent 18 x 20 inch acrylic panels. Mouse, Scale X is on top. The background is more than expensive gadgets by the public. Of
Published by the Racolin Press, Briarcliff formed by the small Mouse D. In the natural the many series started by various galleries and
Manor, New York, Opal Gospel is a plastic order of things the biggest are on top. But by artists acting as their own producers, very
illustrated book; each panel represents a leaf `quantity as scale' relates to another sort of few were really successful. Many editions were
and is screenprinted in colour with an Indian natural order, to the world of manufacturing not finished, others went on the scrap-heap.
poem and Rauschenberg's corresponding and mass-production. Oldenburg's mice force Both the gallery Swart and the shop Seriaal
imagery. The panels fit into a slotted, clear the viewer to acknowledge the manufacturing made serious efforts to introduce multiples
acrylic base and can be rearranged by the process. In fact, the mice humanize the process into Holland. Gallery Swart commissioned a
viewer to read or look through. Opal Gospel is as Oldenburg has used the mouse's formal number of Dutch artists and exhibited their
directly derived from Rauschenberg's earlier, shape to render his own face. work in 1968; the result was practically nil.
influential Shades (1964), a lithographic In viewing Oldenburg's mice, his own idea The only artist who emerged successfully from
object/book published by Universal Limited of 'quantity as scale' must be put aside as mental that exhibition was a foreigner, the German
Art Editions. Shades is made up of only six acrobatics, an appealing detour on the way to Adolf Luther. Since then he has produced
panels. Printed in black on clear Plexiglas, the formal concerns. Geometric Mouse Scale B fifteen multiples for the gallery. Gallery Seriaal
photo-engraved images on each panel of doesn't need the support of other mice. A good was, to start with, mainly involved in combining
Shades can be rearranged on their aluminium multiple object exists by itself. Mouse Scale B multiples and prints. Now the policy has
frame. Opal Gospel is a continuation and succeeds as an object because Oldenburg changed and multiples have become secondary
expansion of Shades. In Opal Gospel words understands the multiplication process. Each to prints. Apart from internationally available
can be read as well as images, colour effects the new mouse and change in scale force him to multiples the gallery has a few interesting objects
final vision. But in its starkness and aesthetic and manufacturing decisions that by Dutch or foreign artists published under
immediacy, Shades remains the more successful. create the object. Geometric Mouse Scale B its own label, i.e. sculptural objects by Carel
Rauschenberg in refining his concept has doesn't look too much like a mouse anymore. Visser and multiples by Jeroen Henneman.
diminished its strength. It is red, and shiny, and smooth, its geometric Three series of Carel Visser are sold out, two
On the other hand, Claes Oldenburg's most shapes stand stately in their formal balance. new ones have appeared this year. In the autumn
recent mouse, Geometric Mouse Scale B (red) You see the point is had Oldenburg sent a Henneman's third multiple for Seriaal will be
published by Lippincott Inc., North Haven, mouse to the moon, I might have charged it published.
Connecticut, in its scale, manufacturing and to my American Express card. Seriaal's change in policy is an example of
final presence, represents the successful JUDITH GOLDMAN the whole tendency in the multiples trade. On
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