Page 25 - Studio International - June 1974

DS: But do you not see the commercial galleries estimate the feedback, although in one case it a greater role on the community. Could we
viewing your gallery as 'grooming' their seems to be working. envisage parallel development elsewhere, or is
potential, providing a showcase ? DS: This offers the possibility of another kind this a phenomenon particular to New York ?
IS: What has happened is that they know we of feedback, getting the artist out of the city IS: Well you are really asking about the nature
don't represent artists and that we provide and out of the studio. of an art centre. How could New York be
one-man shows for artists. Because of the work IS: Yes, and possibly in a small way opening up different from London ?
displayed a hell of a lot of energy has been decentralization so that it might become DS: There are common problems in all centres
generated, so that these artists have been apparent to artist and communities that other - what I am saying is that the culture and
bombarded with requests for shows and meeting forms of art centres could exist. It's a real climate, in addition to the geographical position
of the artistic community of SoHo provides this
gallery with its stimulus and direction, but it is
questionable whether this pattern could be
repeated elsewhere.
IS: Are you asking what effect the gallery
could have elsewhere ?
DS: I think certainly it will have repercussions,
but can you foresee a possible direct application
of the principles at work in Artists' Space ?
IS: For example every state in the USA now
has a State Council for the Arts and they will
have certain options as to how they will direct
their funds. We are being watched very
carefully; one of the problems we face, not only
in NYC but in the rest of the State and in the art
community in the USA as a whole, is how to
create viable regional art centres. We have one
or two at the moment but we still need more.
And the kind of public programme we are
doing here is a way of channelling thinking into
that direction. q
DEREK SEAGRIEF

people . . . but the commercial galleries, social need. Correspondence
because of their tight schedules, have DS: As an established art historian and critic,
recommended artists whom they consider you would agree that the initiation of one Ethical doubts
deserving to us. artist by another is in a historical tradition - are The review of the Diane Arbus exhibition
DS: You have already finalized the shows to you more in sympathy with the principles (Studio March 1974) stated: `Many of her
follow this present exhibition. Have you involved than with the work itself ? characters are public figures whether they like it
actually seen the work ? IS: You mean what is my attitude towards the or not.' Can this be justification for presenting
IS: No, once the artist has chosen the artist six shows ? those photographs of the mongoloid and insane
that's it - we don't exert any veto. But this is just DS: Yes, do you not feel that yourcommitment in an art gallery ? Are there not instances where
one programme. We have another that is a to this venture marks a fundamental change ? aesthetic or visual interests ought to be subsumed
simple one strongly urged upon us by artists. IS: No, from the beginning of my involvement by ethical considerations ? I am not implying
Many artists are asked to do a piece or a show by with art I have always been involved in the that art has nothing to do with ethics but
a non-profit institution, such as a museum or a conception of artistic community. It's a suggesting there are occasions in which the
school. But because of finance it can just fantasy, but it's my fantasy. As far back as situation of an art gallery (with attendant
remain an idea. But if the artist is going to do it twenty years ago, when I first became connotations) make it unsuitable for a
he will; so we have set up an 'Emergency involved in the art world with the Cooperative sympathetic presentation of certain subjects.
Materials Fund' where, if a request comes from Gallery, in fact the most prodigious of the One can argue that many of those
a legitimate non-profit-making organization who cooperatives, I was with the 'Artists' Club' a photographed by Arbus acquiesced knowingly
haven't the money, they can refer that artist to focal point for all artistic activities. In the 5os up to the treatment of themselves as interesting
us, and that individual can be considered for a to about 1962 I more or less ran that club, so it's objects. Yet it is difficult to accept that the
small grant of up to $300. been my sort of personal interest. I think it's insane were cognizant of what was being done to
Another programme, also urged upon us by important to the creation of art this communal them - meaning that the responsibility for such
artists, is to consider the present 'artist in sense - a kind of centre. And this Artists' Space treatment rests wholly upon the artist. The
residence' programmes, most of which are tied has that possibility. It can be an artist's own point at issue was made graphically in a lecture
to universities and colleges. We thought that if space; therefore, the idea of the artist's on art and ethics by Andrew Harrison (Bristol
we could locate facilities that an artist could use decision in every facet of this becomes crucial. University Philosophy Department): what
in communities upstate - it might be just space, What is shown in the gallery is not of that much ought our reaction to be to the onlooker at a
perhaps a sawmill, a plastics factory - then find importance to me. fatal car accident who says 'look at the colour
an artist who would want to use that facility we DS: Both the SoHo loft scene and the juxtaposition of the red blood against the blue-
would send him there and at the same time subsequential development of this Artists' grey of the road' ? It is misplaced aspection
activate community arts organizations. So that Space gallery, appear to have grown out of the such as that which I think is the ethically
the artist might interact with the community - artistic climate peculiar to New York, ie the art questionable element in some of Arbus's work.
-
so he is an 'artist in residence' for a community. scene here seems to affect more directly a
PETER DORMER
It's still in an early stage so we cannot as yet broader spectrum of the community, assuming Sudbury, Suffolk
275