Page 52 - Studio International - December 1973

Works of Piero Manzoni', first demonstrates a logical mode questions in the 'action' category are ourselves into one long series of
published before his death, of art theory and practice which encoded in the other three ; the term corners' .The problematical nature of
consisted of a title page and blank offers a way out of the paralysis 'law' encodes the inadmissibility of their discourse is frankly admitted —
white sheets. The second edition, which afflicts so much recent art. choice in 'action' and moves in 'we don't know what we are doing' —
produced after his death had the Stezaker's emphasis on the fact that 'custom' ; 'actions' are changed into but uncertainty is regarded as
same format but this time the sheets art is the product of conscious 'customs', by 'learning'. A full inevitable, almost a guarantee of
were both blank and transparent. human deliberation and that description of all the intellectual probity. The
It is in this sense that the achromes artworks are primarily meanings or interrelationships and ramifications significance of the microfilm is that
were also intended. The progression is intentions restores to the role of of Mundus are given in Stezaker's now the viewer is invited to share
reduction. The first achromes were artist a dignity which it was in great text. the problematical nature of their
canvas soaked in stucco and formed danger of forfeiting. However, his general intention has discourse. The microfilm material
into a relief shape. By 1959 the relief Stezaker is generally described as a been to produce a work with internal avoids the linear argument of essays ;
had become an allover pattern. 'theoretical artist' because he is logical consistency and one in which it is not a tidy reasoned package but
The work became less dependent concerned with theory for art rather the dual principles of objectivity/ 'an arbitrary fragment comprsing
upon the process of making in than the theory of art. His output for subjectivity and attainment/ what went on during a particular
favour of selecting ready-made white the past two years has largely apprehension are 'ideally' related period'. The user, like Art-Language
materials. The last group of achromes consisted of writings developing within the semiotic system and in the itself, is faced by a 'multiplicity of
began to explore chance, with the this idea, and his present artwork nodal point 'x'. How Mundus choice' and has no guidance as to
use of tiny pebbles. Manzoni was represents the first full articulation of functions is also the subject matter what direction to take, nor can he
responsible for the context, the the theory-practice synthesis which he of Mundus. It is by these means that it distinguish 'between the minutiae and
result was beyond his control. advocates. His overall purpose is to 'acts as a prescription by the maximae' of the argument. Like
He intended to direct painting reverse the usual order of priorities exemplification'. Evidently Mundus the members of Art-Language the
towards the infinite not into typical of Post-Duchampian art by deals with highly complex issues but user is confronted by the problem of
dematerialization. moving from the abstract to the their articulation in physical terms reading. 'How do I go on ?"Do I in
particular, by allowing theory satisfies two criteria of good science fact want to go on ?'. One wonders
conceptual precedence over practice (and presumably good art), namely how many will be prepared to
and by putting 'ends' before 'means'. simplicity and elegance. accept their invitation to enter an
Mundus— Latin for 'world' or The Art-Language show consisted intellectual maze.
'system' — is described in an of statements in red ink pasted Stezaker sees art as a prescribing,
accompanying text Beyond 'art for poster-like to the wall, typescripts, constructing activity which derives
art's sake', as a 'functionalist and material on microfilm. The group its meanings from frameworks of
artwork', ie. it does not describe continually document their discourse belief. The Art- Language group reject
external 'reality', rather it 'prescribes by means of tape recordings and this approach but at the same time
to a world of meanings' and functions writings (even hesitations, deletions, they seem to be aware of the danger
as an 'exemplaire for action'. Hence bad language and noises-off are now of musing endlessly upon the nature
Mundus is an 'ideal type' which, like included). They also monitor each of their musing. Hence their
Plato's universals, is to be others' progress by means of preoccupation with mapping,
apprehended by the intellect, in annotations. Their discussions for clustering, indexing, thesauri, etc,
contrast to work presented to the 1972-73 —typed and hand written which appear to be devices aimed at
The problem now is not to isolate senses. Furthermore Mundus is an notes—are presented in their raw uncovering the hidden structures of
and find the individual significance of 'ideal type' in more than one sense; state on microfilm. Each expression their discourse.
an aspect of his work but to establish (a) it proffers a function for art in the notes, or 'concatenations' as John Walker
the link between the two areas. That generally, while simultaneously they prefer to call them, has been
link is the life and work of Piero itself embodying that function, indexed and the user of the microfilm Jim Dine at Gimpel Fils, London,
Manzoni. Nothing more and nothing (b) it embodies ideal interrelations reader (which is to be available 30 October-24 November
less. within a microcosmic system. permanently) is invited to enter the John Loker at Angela Flowers
Lynda Morris Mundus is displayed on a wall and Art-Language discourse at any point Gallery, London, 16 October-10
in use somewhat resembles a by random use of the index, and is November.
John Stezaker at the Nigel sophisticated snakes and ladders then encouraged to pursue various Jim Dine has become a facile artist ;
Greenwood Gallery, 23 October- game. Physically the apparatus pathways through the notes, exiting his works have the highly finished
10 November. Art-Language at consists of a series of square perhaps via the bibliographical pictorial sheen that is a feature of a
the Lisson Gallery, 16 October- compartments containing images references to further readings. well developed style. Such suavity
10 November. which can be illuminated one at a There is a mass of material on film. may be inevitable, but it is a little
Readers of The New Art, the Hayward time by operating two control buttons. Its content is, by its very nature, retardataire for an artist whose trade
Gallery catalogue, and the letter Beginning at screen I the user impossible to summarize or mark has been gutsy, self-orientated
columns of Studio International will proceeds via two logical pathways to abbreviate. One can only say that it and tough with materials. The
be aware of the ideological dispute a nodal point 'x' at the bottom of the appears to continue their investigation paintings in the current show are well
between John Stezaker and the work. Each screen is divided into four by means of probes drawn from thought out, visually penetrating,
Art-Language group. By a fortunate categories arranged in a kind of philosophy, logic, linguistics, and superbly crafted and include some
coincidence the protagonists were structuralist schema : information retrieval theory. The
both showing in London last month, work on film is presented
thus enabling the disinterested anonymously in that individual
Jim Dine Blackbeard 1973
viewer to make a direct comparison of statements are not ascribed to
their respective solutions to current particular members of the group.
dilemmas. The casual visitor may Such collectivity—their word is
assume that there is a similarity of 'group-hoodness' — is surely unique in
approach since both present the history of British art.
'machines' for learning : Stezaker's The shift of emphasis in the form of
device, Mundus has been specially These generalities are made presentation, ie. away from the
fabricated, Art-Language's is a concrete by the most economical of publication of essays in journals
microfilm reader; both exhibitions means. Cutlery on a table indicates towards filing systems, instruction
are user orientated and invite the 'custom' (the etiquette of setting a indexes, and microfilm might seem
viewer to share the artist's place at table) ; 'learning' is indicated unimportant to a layman. But in terms
experience; however in purpose and by a 'tree' diagram which reveals the of the development of Art-Language
mode of operation the 'machines' are two routes— predictive and it is highly significant. A transcript
radically different. constructionist — by which nodal by Ian Burn and others reveals that the
In my view it is hard to overestimate point 'x' can be reached. The four Art-Language investigation ran
the importance of Mundus (its categories are various kinds of sign- into 'real trouble' on more than one
programme is amazingly ambitious, directive, iconic, indexical, symbol, occasion and the document
nothing less than the 'revolution all of which interrelate as the symbolic Instruction index ax contains the
to end revolution') because it game is played ; eg. successive remark 'we've really hounded
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