Page 54 - Studio International - June 1974

from the underground and after. Also impressions when Leonard and
like the Millennium, the success of Dorothy Elmhirst came to visit us in
the one-man shows has been Cornwall in 1927 was of two
reflected in continually increasing sensitive and generous people bent
audiences. This has formed the basis on spending a considerable fortune
from which Sally Dixon has been for the benefit of all. This impression
able to raise funds for an increasingly was never altered during half a
ambitious extension of film work in century. With the advice of
the city. She has initiated four other Rabindranath Tagore they attempted
notable developments. Firstly the an unrivalled decentralization of
creation of special production culture from town to countryside in
facilities for film-makers with projects Devon. To a great extent this brave
which they would like to realize experiment has been a success. At
within the city. The most the outset Leonard invited me
spectacular of these so far have been amongst others to work at
the three films by Brakhage, now Dartington saying, "Neither Dorothy
known as the Pittsburgh Documents. nor I are leaders by nature. It is up to
These fulfil his long held ambition to all of you whom we have chosen to
film subjects to which he had make a success of this venture".
previously been denied access—the All through the intervening years,
police, the hospital service and the I as a potter, have had unflagging
morgue, giving rise to the films encouragement and support.
(in the same order) —Eyes, Deus Ex Leonard had a special talent for
and the Act of Seeing with One's Own helping the young with long term
Eyes. In each case the funds for the perceptive assistance. His shared
films came from the purchase of an vision was to evolve a high standard
earlier film, rather than through the of life and work in a rural community
inhibiting obligation of a 'grant'. for all to share. His appreciation of art
Secondly, the beginning of a film in all its branches, music, dance,
collection, which is soon to be theatre, craft, was extremely wide and
Ad Reinhardt Abstract Painting 1960
extended to a collection of film stills News & notes sold at Sotheby's for £24,000 in April international. Never spoilt by
made according to the wishes of the wealth, I shall always remember him
The Venice Biennale has been
film-makers. Thirdly, the building of a for his gentle sensibility and
cancelled owing to lack of finance
completely new section and Wadsworth retrospective (1889- considerate practicality.'
and the uncertain political situation ;
auditorium specifically designed for 1949) in July and August. This will
the committee will be meeting
the film section and in no way be followed by a show of Augustus Richard Huelsenbeck, one of the
shortly to rethink the roll of future
relegated to an education department. John drawings to coincide with the original Dadaists, has died at the age
Biennales. Britain's contribution,
Within this new section, which will publication of a biography by of 81. Huelsenbeck arrived in Zurich
David Hockney, will now be at the
open later this year, plans have Michael Holroyd, and Euan Uglow from Berlin in 1916 and took part in
Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris from
already been accepted for the drawings (September) and Alvara the performances at the Cabaret
mid-October to mid-December 1974.
presentation of film work within the Guevara (December), whose Voltaire where Dada was founded.
gallery space where this is painting of Edith Sitwell in the Raising hell was a natural expression
appropriate to the work. Fourthly, the The winners of the John Moores National Portrait Gallery is the only for his appetite for life, he was
establishment of an extremely well- Liverpool Exhibition are, in order one widely known. obsessed by negro rhythms and with
equipped film-makers' workshop, now Myles Murphy, John Walker, and Janko and Tzara wrote and performed
including an optical printer. Though Craigie Aitchison. Artists on Art, a series of talks, the simultaneist poem L'amiral
this workshop was originally continues at the Architectural cherche une maison à louer. In his
established within the museum in A major exhibition of Association, 34-36 Bedford Square poetry he was a master of the art
1971, in September 1973 all the independent video is being London every Tuesday at 6 pm. of free association. In 1918 he
facilities and equipment were handed arranged by the Arts Council of Peter Schmidt— 4 June ; Tom returned to Berlin and delivered the
over to the Pittsburgh Film-Makers Great Britain, probably to take place at Phillips — 11 June; Mark Boyle — 18 'First Dada speech in Germany' and,
Association and is now independent the Serpentine Gallery, London, in June; Patrick Hughes — 25 June; with Hausmann, founded Berlin Dada.
though retaining close links and a May 1975. Artists' tapes, community Bridget Riley — 2 July. . They quarrelled for many years after
good relationship with the museum. TV, political documentary, and as to who had founded Berlin Dada,
Its aims and services are broadly videographics will be the main areas The Whitechapel Art Gallery, as Huelsenbeck and Tzara quarrelled
comparable with those offered by of video shown. The show will lay London, under its new director, Jasia as to who had invented or discovered
Millennium, though with the emphasis on video in the UK but there Reichardt, has been divided up into Dada. In 1920 Huelsenbeck
difference that film-makers who are will be a section of invited three areas of activity : the Main published the 'Dada Almanach' and
the subject of the Museum screenings participants' tapes from North Gallery an Experimental Gallery 'En Avant Dada' but when Dada died
have often stayed on to spend a America and Europe. Those (upstairs) and an Ideas Gallery (the he lost interest and became a ship's
teaching period at the workshop. The interested in taking part are invited small ground-floor room). The surgeon, a surgeon, and finally
current director of the workshop is to send written information about gallery will no longer spend a quarter psycho-analyst, although he
Robert Haller, who has great their work to : Sue Grayson, of its budget on publicity but will continued to write poetry and do
technical knowledge and a near Serpentine Gallery, Kensington develop a comprehensive mailing some painting. In the 1960s
encyclopaedic memory for the Gardens, London W2 3XA. More list. The gallery will continue to have Huelsenbeck said : 'What Dada was
history of cinema. The main source information is available from the local as well as international shows in the beginning, and what
of funds for the workshop was the outside organizer, Peter Bloch, c/o and each show will be 'humanized' by developed later, is totally
A. W. Mellon Educational and the Serpentine Gallery or telephone introducing each with photos of the insignificant in comparison with what
Charitable Trust. Full membership 01-727 7244. Owing to the flexible artist at work etc. Showing until it means today'.
(with voting rights within the nature of the planning so far there 30 June are David Hepher 'photo
Association) costs $100 per year, may be some delay before realist' paintings, Ray Atkins and The National Council for
though there are other forms of submissions are acknowledged. Henri Chopin 'concrete poetry'. Diplomas in Art and Design
membership. and the Council for National
The workshop also has Colnaghi's, 14 Old Bond Street, Leonard Elmhirst, who with his Academic Awards have merged.
arrangements with local colleges to London W1, who have recently begun wife founded the Dartington Arts Th is means that successful art
provide a 'college-level' curriculum, dealing in contemporary prints, are Centre, died in April. From 1930 to students will be awarded the
providing facilities for over one moving into 20th-century painting 1938 Mark Tobey stayed at Bachelor of Arts with Honours
hundred students in the last two years, and drawing headed by Mark Dartington and developed his 'white instead of the Diploma in Art
and film-makers' employment as Glazebrook who was Director of the writing'. The Elmhirsts financed and Design. Students already on
teachers within the workshop. Whitechapel Gallery until 1972. The Tobey on a trip to the East with Dip AD courses will be offered the
Malcolm Le Grice first show planned is an Edward Bernard Leach who writes : 'My first choice of either awards. The UK art