Page 20 - Studio International - July August 1974

which replace a 'sense of community' which I have not the honour of knowing Ms Matiushin wrote more than one text during his
was part of the original conception of a higher Douglas, but I ran not resist the temptation to long life ? Mrs Compton's title and date are
state of consciousness, and which played a part create for myself a personalized image of the quite correct. I can add that there are several
in subsequent Russian theories of art. writer of this vehement philippic. Ms Douglas versions of the same text, all written during the
This essay probably appeared when it did intrigues me, for observing her style and the winter of 1912-1913. If Ms Douglas wasn't a
as the result of the exigencies of the publishing rigidity of her scientific principles I feel victim of hasty exigencies of the publishing
business. Written in haste and without obliged to refute her juvenile sophomoric business she would complete her research on
sufficient time for research, it will now assume monologue. I see this image of Durenmatt's the subject and perhaps use more reflection in
a life of its own and perpetuate its errors. It is a Indignant Old Lady seated in front of the her criticism. There are pages and pages of
sad fact that the growth of literature about classical colonnade of her Texas temple of documents on this subject.
Malevich and about this period of Russian art knowledge; she knits her impeccable shawl I would rather ask Ms Douglas if she has
history in general seems only to multiply the of scholarship, quietly sipping her read the texts of Malevich, if she dare pretend
mountains of dubious scholarship which already positivistic glass of iced tea. With her patient that there are 'suprematist works with
is making it difficult to separate reality from spider's weave and her immaculate conception representational elements'. Is she not confusing
wishful thinking. One wonders whether it will of scholarship, she breaks the web of silence the a-logical experience with the suprematist
ever be possible to fight our way clear of the around Malevich. She enlightens us with the stage ? For Malevich repeated since December
morass of error, half-truths and faulty reasoning ultimate TRUTH on the Victory over the Sun. 1915 that the superior stage of matter —
now in print. How very lucky we are ! Finally we know Suprematism of pure colour, etc. — manifests
CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS there was no Black Square in Victory over itself only through non-objective forms. Or
the Sun. does Ms Douglas challenge Malevich's theory
I must thank Ms Douglas for the information Now that our eyes have been opened we of Suprematism ?
that Voloshin's translation of Du Cubisme impatiently await a cascade of new revelations. Already 16 years ago, James Ackerman* was
into Russian contained all of the illustrations in All the morass of error that these ill-argued warning American art historians against the
the French original. However, Matiushin's European art historians have produced will danger of positivism which is hidden behind
interpretation of Gleizes and Metzinger's text disappear in the sunlight of a new dimension the sophisticated façade of the predominant
in the light of C. Howard Hinton and of thought (not to be confused with P. D. American conception of factual art history
P. D. Uspensky preceded this translation and Ouspensky, 1909). that prohibits creative imagination.
no doubt coloured the minds of those who But to amuse ourselves, let us play the Unfortunately, Ms Douglas's letter is one more
subsequently studied it for themselves. I am devil's advocate. Is it not possible to suppose confirmation of Ackerman's pessimism.
sorry that Ms Douglas does not choose to go that Ms Douglas's letter is a psychological A. B. NAKOV
into details about 'the Russian translations of projection of her own method. Is she not •COn American Scholarship in the Arts', College
Hinton published before (Concerning ignoring for the sake of her arguments an Art Journal, vol. 17,1958.
the title of this exhibition Ms Douglas should existing drawing by Malevich for Victory
look again at my footnote and see that I wrote over the Sun where it is written by the Pamela Cohman Smith
`MAY stem . . . '). The 1970 edition of painter's own hand, 'Square'. Perhaps she I am doing research for an exhibition of the
Uspensky's 'Tertium Organum' is a reprint doesn't know it ? which I cannot believe for a
(not a revision) of the translation by N. person with such a highly ethical conception work of the American-born artist Pamela
Colman Smith (1877/78— ?) who took up
Bessaraboff and C. Bragdon of the second of art historical scholarship. residence in London in 1899. A painter and
edition of the original. (It may be of interest to Or, as for the problem of Du Cubisme, illustrator, she was associated with William
point out that in his introduction to the Matiushin published an article on Gleizes' and Butler Yeats, Jack Yeats, Arthur Symons,
translation, written in 1921, Uspensky singled Metzinger's book (without illustration) in Lady Gregory, Gordon Craig, and Walter
out Claude Bragdon's 'Man the Square' (1913) March, prior then, to Voloshin's translation in
as having reached him 'a number of years ago July. Crane, among others. She dropped out of sight
about 1915, and her contribution has been
in Petrograd'). Unhappily, the knitwork of Ms Douglas is largely overlooked. Considering the prominence
I find the assertion 'There was no Black made of synthetic fibre and we know very well
Square in Victory over the Sun' as how fragile these imitation products are; of her associates and the striking originality of
her work, she deserves further recognition and
unacceptable as Ms Douglas's interpretation unfortunately they are lacking the qualities of study. I would be pleased to hear from any
of Livshit's description in her article on the fine wool (an Englishman apprehends readers who have information about her later
opera in 'Art in America' (March-April 1974). immediately the difference). life or who own her works.
I could equally assert: there were no That is why the dignified brilliancy of
WILLIAM I. HOMER
`freestanding geometric shapes onstage' nor any Ms Douglas's letter is reinforced by
`mobile lighting', but such unqualified arbitrary suppositions and finally comes to a University of Delaware
statements would help neither Ms Douglas very pretentious lecturing in her own morass Newark, Delaware
nor any other serious students in the field. of error. This vestal of scholarship could
No doubt, interest in publishing both our have chosen better arms than banal mistrust. Sauce
articles was stimulated by the recent She is asking herself where Malevich saw In the last issue of Studio International there
exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum; we Hinton's (Charles and Howard together) was plenty of garnish, I mean if you like fish,
must look forward to the development in print illustrations. Apart from the press, Hinton's then I suppose it was great, but if you get
of Ms Douglas's tantalizing footnote: 'After books were part of Matiushin's library in 1913. Studio for its 'art' content then the last issue was
"Victory over the Sun" Malevich made Does Ms Douglas not go so far along the path a joke, but a joke at our expense. I mean it cost
sketches for another opera by Kruchenykh and of research to know this simple fact ? Wishing 90p which is two tubes of paint, not that I mind
Matiushin "Victorious War" ' even though it to parade her extensive knowledge, the the money if I get some `art-language' for
was never completed.' indignant knitting lady teaches us ex cathedra which Studio is famous — that is something else.
I hope this is not too long — 'Art in America' that the text of Matiushin, 'The Sense of the Shall I renew my subscription ? Yeh I think I
appears not to publish letters so I have taken Fourth Dimension', was written 'after the will, cause I don't think Studio is that stupid.
the liberty of referring to it here. Revolution' and that the title given by Susan PABISHOP
SUE COMPTON Compton is inexact. Does she not know that c/o The Slade, London
8