Page 26 - Studio International - June 1974

Lax stuff However, I did not take this as the simple White Abstract of the same period, who
I am most concerned about the involuntarily message. Le Grice was, in effect, perpetuating attended on behalf of University College
misleading references to Emil Antonucci and the time-worn problems the underground Magazine the 1936 Surrealist Exhibition but
Robert Lax in Jeffrey Steele's letter on the film-maker has had with the commercial cinema, could not write because of lack of
history of the 'Systems' group. It states that and aligning (thus irritating) these with the art comprehension, I write to ask, in the hope that
they 'were included in the "didactic" section of world, with, I suspect, the implication that if it will be answered, what has happened to art in
the (Whitechapel) exhibition' . . . This may, `Artists' become involved with the medium they the 197os ? This letter is prompted by a recent
inadvertently, suggest that their work is either are, in some way, encroaching upon hallowed look at your number of January 1964 (vol. 167,
of pedagogical or of didactic intent. Nothing territory. (In fact, it goes without saying that the no. 849) with work meaningful but difficult of
could be further removed from the truth. roots of present film art stem directly out of Tilson, James, Nevelson, Tapies, etc.) and the
Robert Lax is a poet and it should be added recent movements in painting and sculpture; contents of your January 1974 number
that he has written some of the most movingly that present concerns are often synonymous; (vol. 187, no. 962).
beautiful English verse of our time. There has and that most of the more substantial In the former there was some communication
never been anything systematic in his approach. contributors are, or have been, 'Artists' : if the observer did some thinking but what can
All his works are hymns or psalms. Warhol, Snow, Sharits et al. To even consider one do with the illustrations to the article on
As for Emil Antonucci, it is little known that such polarities at this time is totally absurd.) David Lamelas on page 45 ? What is he trying
he is one of the pioneers of minimalism in That is not (he would claim) the nature of his to do and when it has been done what has been
sculpture as well as graphics; but he is also in the argument, and indeed on the surface it is simply, achieved ? What does the article 'On Purpose'
forefront of the new, quasi-academic realists. and in certain instances rightfully, a dig at by Harold Cohen say; and when he has said it
Indeed, both Antonucci and Lax are among the gallery management. But, below the surface does it have any more relevance to the function
freest spirits of our time. Their work has a there lurks a typical gripe implicit in, for of art than the specifically psychological and
commitment only to the much-abused concept instance, the innuendo in his very brief passage behaviourist study of comprehension of 'How
of the inspiration and the unintentional blunder on my recent show at the Tate: 'No criticism of to Look at Pictures' by Guy Thomas Buswell . . .
to present them as less than that could do the work intended, but it is unfortunate and University of Chicago Press 1935, which merely
immeasurable harm. predictable that the first film artist to get aims at this intention; rather than at 'Art
R. C. KENEDY extensive presentation is one whose initial Criticism' about which, presumably, Cohen's
Lugano, Switzerland reputation was made as a sculptor'. Why article is intended ?
unfortunate, and for whom ? Does he have In fact has not art got so embroiled in formula
someone else in mind ? (minimal, conceptual, computer, etc.) that the
Missing Morris It is sad that he should contrive to imply that basic fact that it is made by man for the pleasure
Professor Bernard Smith in his interesting my show came about solely on the basis that I of other men become increasingly lost ? One
article on Art and Industry in your April issue was once a sculptor. I would hope it had does not want to return to the Victorians or even
remarked that William Morris 'succeeded in something to do with the quality of the films the Edwardians but must one therefore
elevating a select group of crafts to the level of themselves. More important, I would have eliminate all sensuality and reduce it to a
academic art'. It is worth emphasizing that this hoped that he would have seen it as a succession of intellectual games that are so arid
was far from Morris's intention as I am sure furtherance of the 'cause', in precisely the same that one suspects those who engage in them
Professor Smith will know. Morris realized that way as the show he was involved in there have forgotten what their bodies are for ?
he was trapped in the contemporary system of himself last year. Is not the proliferation of bad airport art
`competitive commerce'. He regarded the whole It is also sad that this attitude should impede produced in the Continent in which I at the
Arts and Crafts movement as merely a stopgap his responsibility as the magazine's film moment live, and which, regretfully is bought
until the new society had been evolved when art columnist, and prevent him making a more by those who do not know any better, an
would be infused through 'all details of daily constructive comment on the show. In fact, I indication that a cul-de-sac has become less
life'. By this Morris literally meant that suspect this tactic was an excuse to evade the important than a boulevard ? Is this not also
everything that men and women did would be issue, since it is clearly apparent that he is only shown by the article on Newman by Roelof
beautiful and enjoyable, from the action of prepared to put his critical attention to a Louw in the 1974 issue which has to use
sweeping a floor or rowing a boat to specific area of film art development in Britain, emotive words and phrases like 'he brilliantly
embroidering clothes and erecting buildings. which seems more to do with the geography of reduced the manner'; 'in turn poignantly
Morris said that he did 'not want art for a few, its origins, than a thoroughly objective defines'; 'create a terrific physical impact' and
any more than education for a few or freedom appraisal of the total endeavour. the final concluding sentence show that art is not
for a few'. The idea of raising the crafts to the The paramount issues concerning the merely a series of photographs of a situation as
level of High Art runs counter to his belief that exposure of film art (in whatever context) taken by Daniel Buren in the article on page 17
art should be produced as an unquestioned should be brought together as a common cause of the same issue.
`expression of man's joy in labour'. by film-makers with common intent, rather than Finally, thank God for Lucy Lippard, who,
ALASTAIR GRIEVE being polarized by such biased and protective although I totally disagree with her attitudes, at
University of East Anglia anachronisms, particularly when many of us least seems to understand that art is for the
have been advocating demystification as integral human being and not for some time study man
to the work. who seems to be eating away our society like the
Malcolm Le Gripe DAVID HALL ubiquitous white ant whose sole construction in
I was disappointed, though not surprised, at London SW2 Africa is a large heap of dead earth.
reading Malcolm Le Grice's views (May issue) You will appreciate from my address that I
on the apparent success 'Artists' films are Down to earth write from a part of the world where art is still
having at present over 'Film-makers' films, due, As one who was privileged as a young student in a thing done for social and, shameful word,
it seems, to the comparative sympathy from 1934 to see the first exhibition of Paul Klee at religious reasons with a part to play in the total

`Artist' orientated public galleries. If the Zwemmer Gallery but alas had not even £to culture of the society, and remains in close
`discrimination' abounds, as he suggests, thus to buy a small one; who saw, appreciated, and touch, like Antaeus, with the earth.
creating factions of independent film (viz. 'Film has ever since regretted that lack of money P. V. TURNER
Art'), then this obviously must be changed. prevented him from buying a Ben Nicholson Zomba, Malawi

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