Page 50 - Studio International - December 1973

(Left) An inscribed Sonnabend poster
these works have a chance of being an invitation to take part because the
(Centre) British artists serving free tea in a seen as a signifying system'. Commission refused to answer the
corner of the museum courtyard. Nobody
Hence, the reality underlying the questions he posed them in response
knows if they were invited and nobody knows
opening of the Parisian season and to their initial questionnaire. He never
their names.
this 'signifying system' consists of an intended this response to be treated as
(Below) A work by Sarkis on the Pont des Arts
all-out race for money, prestige and an 'artwork'.)
power. Seen from this angle, The Sonnabend show at the Musée
everything becomes comprehensible Galliéra brought together the stars of
and the real motives appear. As art is the gallery, a few young artists who
only a pretext for this joyous feast, all are not known in Paris, and a few local
commentary concerning the works artists. A maximum effort was made to
themselves or their authors becomes present the show in accordance with
useless. This article intends to deal official dictates concerning the
with the centre and the purpose of all Festival d'Automne as a whole, thus
these activities : the institutions. ensuring it of the selection refused
The Paris Biennale was organized Yvon Lambert last year when he
this year by an international committee proposed the exhibition 'Actualité
consisting of twelve members backed d'un Bilan'.
up by correspondents in many The three stars had one room each.
countries. A 'hanging' committee The other artists were bunched
divided the works between two together in a fourth room at the back.
museums (Musée National d'Art The exhibition was organized
Moderne and Musée Municipal de la according to the traditional formulae
Ville de Paris). The national sections of Parisian Salons. In this respect,
were suppressed and the exhibition however, it is worth remembering
ran until 21 October. In principle, the that in the last few years even the
artists had to be presented by a obsolete 'comité du salon de Mai'
correspondent to the International has had the good sense to make the
Committee whose job it was to make presence of artists such as Picasso,
the final decision regarding each one Hundertwasser, Pignon, etc. less
and draw up a list of those invited. imposing by distributing their works
The result of this is : among those of the other exhibitors.
The Sonnabend Gallery's
(a) An abstract system that
calculations became all the more
operates through the maintenance of petty when it was revealed that those
the established hierarchy ; the artist's
few local artists who were chosen for
work is transformed into a dossier
Galliéra were already supported by
forwarded from the correspondent to the establishment: in the last
the committee until the final analysis, it is on account of their
judgement which is rendered without
presence that officialdom accords
appeal.
such importance to this gallery.
(b) Everything is justified by the The show at Galliéra was also
bureaucracy ; committees endowed with dance, music and
systematically decide what works will theatre performances each evening ;
be chosen and where and how they these performances, done by
will be hung. Collective decisions different artists, took place in a fifth
spare everyone the risk of personal room in the middle of the museum.
involvement and responsibility, which But make no mistake : the artists who
is what they are afraid of anyway. The took part in this —some with
artists selected are thus subject to a unquestionable talent— basically
process of negotiation and mutual served only to add prestige to the
concessions. Obviously those works gallery. The exhibition itself remains
that lend themselves most readily to the important thing because down
this kind of manipulation are those there, there are objects for sale.
that are the most mediocre, i.e. the Moreover, the rewards were soon in
least controversial. It is no wonder the sight : Le Monde published a half-
exhibition looked so desolate and page interview with Ileana
old-fashioned. Sonnabend, and long articles
Paris: A multitude of exhibitions, of (c) The hanging of the works, appeared in other newspapers. It is
very likely also that in the near future
openings, a gallery that celebrates its
official consecration ; a Festival which was done by a collective the CNAC will make large purchases.
committee made up of a few well- The fact that Sonnabend feels
d'Automne in Paris as well as a
Festival Biennale to publicize and promote known personalities, only obliged to have more and more
these manifestations, ... these are the emphasized the prevailing paucity of recourse to official power shows that
talent. the gallery has run out of energy and
events that have marked the confused
d'Automne opening of the season in Paris. The (d) Examples illustrating the indicates panic and weakness.
It would bea mistake to think that
confusion arises from the fact obtuse, totalitarian and improper this situation is unique to Paris. In
attitude of the organizers :1.
and the that everything was shown (painting, Representatives of the old and varying degrees, it is repeated almost
happenings, dance, related events ...)
for the implicit purpose of gaining academic Parisian Salons were everywhere, rendering illusory the
consulted with regard to the selection
idea that exhibitions abroad might be
Biennale official consecration. This was a of the works. 2. Selection is also different. The reason for this is that
condition of which all the artists were
well aware beforehand. made retrospectively : in the catalogue artists, considerably more concerned
with their personal well-being than
one can see a 'Proposition for the first
1973 These works seem only to exist to win five Biennales' : a selection of names with the work that is to be done,
prizes, accumulate honours and be
manipulated by museums. J. C. chosen from all the artists who increasingly resemble their gallery
Ammann, one of the organizers of the participated in these Biennales. directors or museum curators. The
Paris Biennale, defined this precisely 3. In the preface of the same only basis of their activity is to haggle.
in a declaration published by catalogue, the reasons why Charlier and art plays the role of an oxygen
Le Monde (14 September) : 'It is only refused to participate have been mask to be used in case of emergency.
within the context of the museum that falsified. (This artist did not accept Caderé
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