Page 39 - Studio International - December 1974

NSCAD

PRINTS

ERIC CAMERON

(Right) D. Oppenheim Stills From Project II 1971
Two-colour lithograph, 30 x 22 in.

Gerald Ferguson (then Director) described the point, the nature of the enterprise the print was often extremely problematic,
Lithography Workshop at Nova Scotia College predetermined its objectives: they could this is most evident in the area of
of Art and Design as 'a unique educational evidently provide a technical facility of some performance.
experiment' [1]. It may be so, but the range and resourcefulness, and perhaps through Dennis Oppenheim's first prints, Stills from
educational strategy is indirect. The Workshop communicating the sense of the medium to the Projects, I and Stills from Projects, II of 1971
is always open to students taking print-making artists they worked with, they could contribute comprise assemblages of photographs, some of
courses across the corridor, but it does not to the enrichment of the art at a more which are clearly based on videotapes or re-
teach. Its function is to produce prints for fundamental level. Paradoxically, the most photographed from projected films. The print's
invited artists, and that may be as important — spectacular feats came about through the status is that of a vehicle for a vehicle
and as legitimate in that context — as any of failure of artists deeply committed to forms (photograph) for a vehicle (video or film image)
the educational benefits that may be expected developed in relation to other media to respond for the suspended action of the performance.
to accrue. fully to the challenge of a new situation. (A The work derives its interest and special
The Workshop began its operations in the year later Gene Davis came back and did emotional quality from the very remoteness of
autumn of 1969. The first Director, Jack another print in one colour only, with an the actions it purports to convey. This is
Lemmon, and Bob Rogers, whom he brought upright block of vertical yellow lines bleeding emphasized by the fact that the assemblage is
in, had both been trained at the Tamarind off the top of a horizontal sheet, that must be made up from photographic negatives, and as
Workshop that had been responsible for the among the most formally sophisticated works borders with sprocket-holes and manufacturer's
revival of lithography in North America since of art to have emerged from the shop.) specifications are included, so these details
1960. In the early days, there were some However we assess the merits of these signify (even when printed as positives) the
impressive achievements: like the twenty-two- endeavours, they are of a type general to such initial stage of the photographic process, and
colour print they did for Gene Davis in 1970 — situations. What made Nova Scotia special was interpose yet another layer of meaning. Titles
at that time that was the most colours ever used that an increasing proportion of their work came are printed in blue over parts of the border, but
in a lithograph — or a work for Toronto artist to be for artists who were concerned with these too seem only to redirect attention towards
Gordon Rayner involving the application of systems, with performance or with language, the structure of the information itself and point
twelve individual colours in fifteen bands, at a more recently with 'story' for whom the out the ultimate distinctness of action and
different angle on each of four plates. To a accommodation of the art with the object of objecthood.
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