Page 26 - Studio International - December 1973

Correspondence dismissive abuse. e'..g'.. 'everything is reduced to a single,
levelling stratum, a hazardous equilibrium',
I am not suggesting here that an artist can be
entirely separated from his work, some with her rather more generous conclusion — 'it
Aesthetic valuation — a final rejoinder
consideration of his views and general posture did serve a vital function'.. It was a terrific
I must admit that I was quite looking forward to
as an artist are often of substantial interest'.. This catalyst ... a fertile place to be.'
Mr Czerniawski's reply to my 'straw man'
of course is equally true of the critic; it is Her misunderstanding of the nature of the
challenge (Studio International, September illuminating to know something of the beliefs whole event derives from the totally misguided
1973); he did not disappoint my expectations'..
and opinions upon which his reviews are conception of it as an attempt to 'infiltrate the
Although he agrees with my definition of predicated'.. Celtic skies with twinkling cultural luminaries',
aesthetics (as that area of philosophy which In the course of time most critics do reveal using 'superstars from the art world''.. In fact,
is concerned with the language and concepts themselves and their opinions even if they had she participated in the whole programme,
that are used to describe and evaluate don't wear them on their sleeves'.. However, she might have seen that the breakdown of
works of art), Czerniawski fails to
see — or at least accept — how the Mr Rothon graduated only recently from the distinctions between 'important artist' and
Slade School (cf'.. 'notes on contributors') and
student led to a new and more truthful
hypothetico-deductive approach is in fact we have, unfortunately, had neither the time recognition of what was good and bad, so that
complementary to his own (as far as I can make
nor the opportunity to take his measure'.. some established artists could be seen to be
out from the limited information he has
Perhaps eventually he will reveal himself and trading on overblown reputations, while many
presented), and not irrelevant as he claims'..
it will become apparent that his patronizing students' contributions (e'..g'.. the dance and
However, I wholeheartedly agree with him that remarks about Alan Davie and Mark Boyle and theatre workshops, or Rusty Roberts's
`experimental psychology logically cannot his contemptuous words for Carl Plackman and beautiful sculpture) had great value'..
provide a yardstick of aesthetic valuation' (his
Ken Kiff are predicated upon deeply-felt In a way, Beuys's 12-hour 'lecture' was a e l
italics), and in no place have I said this.
convictions about the irrelevance of painting paradigm of the whole course'.. He started in the
The experimental psychological approach to
and sculpture or on some political or social normal lecture format, moved into a more
aesthetics is simply concerned with notion'.. dramatic, theatrical mode (reading from
determining what people like, not what is good
In the meantime Mr Rothon might consider Anachasis Cloots, the theorist of the French
in an absolute sense. Psychologists would not
the proposition that abuse is no substitute for Revolution), and for the last eight hours — how
profess to make any contribution to this
considered criticism'.. His review does no long did Ms Hershman manage to stay ? — went
tenuous epistemological problem'..
service to art or to the public and brings little into the middle of the audience and participated
I simply feel that systematic evaluation of
credit to Studio International'.. in an exciting open discussion, the end (at 12
problems, based on sound principles, is
HUBERT DALWOOD midnight) marred only by the ill-considered
preferable to piecemeal attempts to resolve London Ei interjections of a 'critic''..
issues in aesthetics, which, at best, only result in
conclusions that cannot be refuted in any way'.. Flayed and furious? MARK FRANCIS
Headington, Oxford
Such a solifidian outlook, Mr Czerniawski, will
not do'.. On this point I rest my case'.. Mr R'.. J'.. Rees's article on John Edwards's
painting could be described as a crumbling
MAURICE YAFFE, Institute of Psychiatry, London
rag-bag of misdirected, ill-conceived comments Your correspondent on the visual arts at the
fit only for the refuse tip'.. Edinburgh Festival makes brief but interesting
A Rothon review However before this final journey I would comments on the Demarco-run lecture series'..
Mr Rothon's scathing review of the 'Magic like to make suggestions ! The sentence, 'The William Buchanan of the Scottish Arts Council
and Strong Medicine' exhibition seems to me surfaces appear to be flayed and furious, but are did indeed give an informative talk'.. But on
to raise more (and more important) questions really scroungy and debilitated', doesn't mean `Charles Henry McIntosh' ? Who ? Is this
about criticism than it does about the quality of anything'.. The painting is its appearance, and some newly discovered flower of heather
the work on view. the appearance is the painting, it cannot be culture ? In fact Miss Hershman means
In a previous letter to Studio International I anything else'.. The surfaces were therefore Charles Rennie Mackintosh, possibly the
suggested that although searching criticism may flayed and furious'.. greatest Scottish (and British) architect of the
be unpalatable to an artist it is only resented I would like to thank him for explaining that century. But perhaps she didn't catch the name
(and unprofessional) when it is couched in what appears to him doesn't appear to him; that properly'.. After all her next sentence reminds us
dismissive and intemperate language. during the 6os a student called Mondrian how 'Patrick Rentiens elaborated on the loss of
I am not intent here to defend my own work painted grids so nobody in the Ios should (he memory in modern man'.
or the work of other artists exhibiting at is a spoilsport); and that students paint lousy This Freudian juxtaposition prompts me to
Liverpool from proper criticism; however the paintings because they use paint that is 'cheap ask how your critic could possibly fail to
general tenor of Mr Rothon's remarks about art school stuff''.. (The last comment is a bit mention George Melly's talk on Magritte'..
Stuart Brisley, Ken Kiff and Carl Plackman is class conscious and Mr R'.. J'.. Rees should know Nothing could have been more surrealistically
so offensive that it goes beyond the bounds of better than that'..) enthralling than Melly's near two-hour tour de
reasoned and reasonable criticism and, I think, His article does not further art, artist or force while the acolytes of the Demarco
needs some reply'.. criticism'.. Gallery scoured Edinburgh's streets, pubs and
In my view all valuable criticism (now and in Mr Rees should sign off, not sound off. golf courses for a man who had a key to a
the past) has been written by critics who have BARRY MARTIN building in which was a room in which was a
an immense respect for the art that they London SW, cupboard in which was a box in which were the
describe'.. A respect that is nourished by their slides which the organizers should have
insight into and understanding of the problems A little too Hersh, man provided in the first place'.. Chance happenings
and difficulties confronting any artist'.. As a student on Richard Demarco's 'Edinburgh of this order are rare — fortunately or
It is only necessary to consider the work of Arts 73', I would like to comment on Lynn unfortunately. Melly was magnificent. One
(say) John Berger, Herbert Read or Greenberg Hershman's review of the six-week 'Summer only regrets he did not sing out the last half
(critics with very different views of art and School' in Studio International, October 1973'.. I hour'..
society) to recognize that however searching find it hard to believe that she can reconcile the FRANK A'.. WALKER
their criticism it never descended to vitriolic or views expressed in the first three paragraphs, University of Strathclyde
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