Page 53 - Studio International - June 1974

in 1949) by an American sculptor and 1970. Henley-on-Thames, Aidan (The NY Co-op itself seems to have
art instructor which discusses Ellis, 1974. £1.80. ossified into a highly efficient
modelling figures in clay, plaster A somewhat pretentious book distribution service, albeit with a new
casting, stone carving, metal casting heavily indebted to the ideas of catalogue in preparation which will
and architectural sculpture. This type Marshall Mcluhan. It first appeared in be even more like a telephone
of manual always describes 'how' the United States in 1970 and already directory in scale than the present
but never 'what', though this one does seems dated. Carpenter describes it as one.) Guttenplan is particularly aware
illustrate forty-nine great sculptures. 'a notebook of juxtaposed images and of the need for the workshop
explorations ... organized around structure as the main basis for the
Degas' drawings. ix, 100 plates; 100 correspondences between certain cultural extension of independent
illustrations, 8 in colour. New York, preliterate and postliterate film. If the workshop is interesting, the
Dover, 1973. London, Constable, experiences', ie comments by text and screening record at Millennium is
1974. £1.96 (paperback). photographs on themes typical of exceptional. The main basis of the
A selection of Degas's pastels, pencil 1960s culture : the body, hair, fashion, programme has been the 'one man
drawings, charcoal sketches and black/white violence, Pop art, show' with the film-maker present to
studies for paintings produced 'sensory programming', etc. introduce and discuss his work. Most
between 1856 and 1902. Subjects of the major American underground
include landscapes, portraiture, horse Estève: collages 1965-1973. and avant-garde film-makers have
racing and, of course, ballet dancers. Introduction by Jean Leymarie. 75 pp; shown there at least once, often
The illustrations are reprinted from 61 illustrations, 22 in colour. Paris, giving the first public screening of
a limited edition portfolio, first Editions Galerie Claude Bernard, 1974 new work. However, it has also been
published i n Paris in the 1920s. The (no price given). the screening organization in New
book has no text. A book produced to accompany an York most willing to risk the
Degas Portrait of Manet standing c. 1864 exhibition held at the Bernard presentation of unknown film-makers,
Leonardo: 'The Last Supper' by Gallery. Estève, a leading treating them with equal consideration
Ludwig H. Heyenreich. 123 pp, 1 abstractionist of the School of Paris and publicity. (They also show the
Books folding plate; 66 illustrations, 1 in in the 1950s, looks over his shoulder most interest in extending American
at Schwitters and Matisse but his
awareness to include European work.)
colour; bibliography. (Art in context).
Concepts of modern art edited by Allen Lane, 1974. £2.25. decorative collages are not in the same Of course the programmes have to be
Tony Richardson and Nikos Stangos. A fascinating account of the genesis class. the result of selection, but there is a
xii, 281 pp, 80 plates; 111 and subsequent vicissitudes of weekly 'open screening' allowing the
illustrations; bibliography. Leonardo's famous mural. The Americana in miniature by Estelle completely unseen film-maker some
Harmondsworth, Penguin, 1974. painting has been progressively Ansley Worrell, photographs by exposure. A by-product of the one-
£1.25 (paperback). decaying since 1517, therefore early Henry Wedick. 64 pp, fully illustrated, man shows, is a tremendous collection
For 'concepts' read 'movements' : copies are an important source of 30 in colour. New York, Van of sound tapes, readily available for
sixteen essays by a galaxy of art i nformation about its original Nostrand Reinhold, 1974. £2.95. study. The current address of
critics, aimed at the general reader, condition. An appendix is devoted to American social history presented in Millennium is :46 Great Jones Street,
describing the major movements of copies. the form of photographs of miniature (4th floor), New York 10012. They are
modern art from 'Fauvism' to settings containing costumes, expecting to move into a larger space
'Minimal'. The essays vary markedly Marc Chagall by Werner Haftmann. furniture and activities from soon and I shall give any change of
in length and quality, eg Aaron 162 pp ; 140 illustrations, 49 in particular periods. The author is a folk address as soon as I have it.
Scharf covers 'Suprematism' in only colour; bibliography (Library of artist and historian who constructs In the last couple of months I have
three pages and Paul Overy great painters). New York, Abrams, miniatures as a hobby. This book may discussed the issue of film in
describes Vorticism in four, whereas 1973. London, New English Library, be of interest in junior schools. museums ; there is much more to be
Charles Harrison's scholarly 1974. £9.75. John A. Walker said on that topic, and this is
'Abstract Expressionism' is fifty-two Chagall will be eighty-seven this year. something of a continuation.
pages long ! In view of the title of this Haftmann, now director of the Pittsburgh is an unexceptional,
book an essay on 'Conceptual' art Nationalgalerie, Berlin, ranks Vision wealthy 'steel' town, and except
was surely mandatory. Chagall with Klee and characterizes for its world-famous collection
them both as 'painter-poets'. An I have recently been touring the of dinosaur fossils would seem
Art delinquency notes by Tony introductory section outlines New York area with a film programme, to offer nothing special. But it
Rickaby. 20 pp. (published by the Chagall's career but the main body of and generally looking into the film does offer Sally Dixon. Her official
author at 67 Mordaunt St., London the book consists of high quality and video situation there. Two role is Curator of Film at the Museum
SW9).1974. 60p. colour plates, each of which is situations impressed me particularly. of Art, Carnegie Institute. In a way
Aphoristic statements noting accompanied by a page of analysis. The first was the Millennium film which seems typical of American
connections between the behaviour workshop, which was begun in 1966 museums (generally not the
of artists in groups and delinquent The stained glass of William Morris by Ken Jacobs, but since 1969 the responsibility of local, state or national
boys in gangs, between art and and his circle by A. Charles Sewter. director and driving force has been authorities, but the result of
aggression, between art and xii, 119 pp, 248 plates ; over 650 Howard Guttenplan. There are two foundations established on individual
vandalism. Rickaby was trained as a illustrations, 17 in colour; glossary, sides to the organization —the fortunes) she was offered a
sculptor at St Martin's and is now bibliography. (Studies in British art). workshop and weekly, public curatorship provided she could raise
producing books; in format they New Haven & London, Yale screenings. The workshop has all the funds for salary and running costs.
blend aspects of Concrete poetry University Press, 1974. £19.50. standard facilities for viewing and Her extreme enthusiasm for the avant-
and Minimal art. Other titles include A major contribution to the history of editing film. Though not so well garde cinema, and above all her
Casts (some of the top sculpture Victorian art published by Yale U. P. equipped as the Co-op workshops in respect for the artist and demand that
stories of 1958)1974, 60p ; Site for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies London or Amsterdam, Millennium, they should be well presented and
(Such a) 1973, 90p ; and A nove in British Art. The author, an art unlike them, runs a well organized properly paid for their work, has
sculpture of 1958,1972, 60p. historian at Manchester University, teaching programme on all the created a unique situation. In its
Rickaby's frequently humorous describes the stained glass of Morris, practical aspects of film-making. fullest extent, and for a provincial
analysis of the artist's delusions of Burne-Jones, Rossetti, Maddox Though it has been financially self city, the developments there
grandeur avoids preciousness by Brown, Webb and Dearle and sufficient, for some years it has been overshadow the work of any other
being grounded on a firm documents the history of Morris's greatly assisted by generous support museum in the field of film. I have
appreciation of working-class firm from 1861 to 1940. A further from the New York State Council for found no other museum which has
culture. volume is planned to contain a the Arts. Workshop fees and treated the new film art as seriously.
complete catalogue of the firm's membership are a basic $5 per Like the Millennium, the core of the
Sculpture: principles and practice by output. half-year, plus $10 per month for use programme is the one-man show with
Louis Slobodkin. 255 pp. 253 of all courses and facilities. Though the artist present, though in this case
illustrations. New York, Dover, 1973. They became what they beheld by not a co-operative, the Millennium supported by programmes on the
London, Constable, 1974. £2.24 Edmund Carpenter, photographs by workshop was the only organization history of film particularly geared to
(paperback). Ken Heyman. 160pp, 88 illustrations. I found in New York extending the the 'independent' cinema, and
A traditional manual (first published New York, Outerbridge & Dienstfrey, 'spirit' of the co-operative movement. including a large proportion of works