Page 60 - Studio International - June 1974

launching quite a career with this country since the last war. Formalism polemics against minimal art. midpoint of the left side to the
kind of thing. Its assimilation sets a dictates that the art-work is If the notion of form supported in midpoint of the right side' and then
lowest common denominator. intelligible and identified by virtue of minimal art is that of physical form, with descriptions of the diagonals
Robert Mason showed several its form, formal abstraction serving the more abstract and extensive the succeeding drawings are based
drawings entitled East End the 'isolation' of the 'pure form' formal specification attained to in upon geometric specifications
Assemblage* Bits of junk apparently divested of extraneous formal conceptual art is linguistic. In (points) introduced in earlier ones
hauled in off the streets were used as constraints by which art is identified. rejecting the particularities of the until the final specification takes up
a referential basis which was then The pursuit of abstraction or formal physical form, the parameters of the nearly 170 words.
subverted. The initial reference is, generalization has historically linguistic specification of the art-work The single line drawings are
of course, Rauschenberg, but the engendered a plurality of conceptions provides a more abstract conception certainly in keeping with his recent
drawings weren't as remarkable as of 'pure form' affirmed by successive of pure formality. wall-drawings exhibited last year at
that artist's earlier work. The avant-gardes (by which they are Sol LeWitt's formal specifications the M.O.M.A. Oxford and at the
drawings utilized various means, but identified), each abstracting upon (i.e. specifications for the art-work) Lisson Gallery in which the profusion
while the resultant ambiguity was the previously 'entrenched' formal in his 'wall drawings' are written and of fine lines is replaced by the use of
interesting, the work wasn't scroungy desiderata. Formalism treats what independent of any particular fewer lines in thick wax crayon and I
enough. John Golding's pastel might otherwise be designated as realization of them. In a sense the believe represent much more incisive
drawings were as strong as some of 'content' as a function of form in 'abstraction' engendered in adopting articulations of the formal 'parts to
the recently exhibited paintings, and much the same way as parts are the parameters of the linguistic are the whole' relation in the individuation
shouldn't have been. The device of related to the whole, formal evinced in the plurality of actual and of the art-work spatially. But his
fixing large rectangles of soft colour abstraction being the successive potential realizations of the single articulation and extension of the
within a frame of drawn edge- eradication of the 'specifics' of the nominal specification, though the identity of the conceptually in terms
incident is too easy as a solution and art-work with a retention of the difference between the work of, for of this relation in earlier work seems
has too many references to the general formal specifications. example, Lawrence Weiner and Sol to have been forgotten in the wake of
recent past. Golding's writings are Historically the general becomes the LeWitt is that whilst Weiner prefers to more spatial and geometric
first-rate, but it is possibly a specific in succeeding ideas of 'pure exhibit merely the abstraction (the involvements.
condition of the particular discipline form', the 'parts to the whole' relation statement), LeWitt is concerned If the imperative of formal
of an art historian that his paintings affirmed becoming concomitantly with the demonstration of the generalization is the discovery and
will always be less than he knows. more and more abstract. The practical abstraction by exhibiting a plurality embodiment of the 'pure form' free of
The drawings were nevertheless process might alternatively be of individual realizations as well extraneous formal constraints
considered and competent. Alan described as 'formal reductionism'. whilst also undercutting the imposed conventionally, it represents
Green's three drawings displayed an Sol LeWitt's position within this significance of the 'artifactual' status a form of 'parameter divining' for art-
encouraging disregard for the development is especially interesting of the works by drawing on walls practice, the discovery of a purportedly
surrounding pretence and common because he bridges two identifiable (which, following exhibition are essential identification for the art-work
tricks. The drawings had an evident concepts of 'pure form' in his work— restored by re-painting). as a basis for action. In this context
purpose. The process of collating those affirmed respectively in The abstraction established and minimal art can be regarded as setting
elements and sorting possibilities for minimal art and conceptual art. In demonstrated in Sol LeWitt's practice the parameter within the realm of the
use in painting is obviously of minimal art the reduction of pictorial is not always in the simple plurality of physical whilst conceptual art places
primary concern. John Walker has and sculptural convention to its cubic instances of given specification, but it within the realm of the linguistically
consistently stressed the crucial sculptures and 'blank' canvases rejects also in the plurality of interpretations citable. The parameters of art are first
aspect of drawing through his work. the more esoteric ideas of 'pure form' which the nominal specification identified with the parameters of the
There were two drawings in the show, in favour of the more general physical permits. (Sol LeWitt does not realize physical and the parameters of the
incorporating chalk, charcoal and formal specification of all paintings (draw) his artificts but leaves them to latter are the more extensive ones
paint. One had an ambiguous and sculptures as respectively others, sometimes never seeing the of language (and in Wittgenstein's
encrusted shape, bright red, canvases and rigid three-dimensional particular result.) This, as I can witness terms are limitless being the limits of
suspended within a darkened ground. objects. Minimal artefacts operate as as a one-time LeWitt draughtsman, the world). The parts of the 'content'
A fine grey drawing was the best in abstractions inasmuch as they can lead to practical anomalies in the of LeWitt's work seem to reside in
the show. A roughly worked chalk attempt to make central to their conflict between economic pressures the former realm whereas the 'whole'
and paint ground had been incised apprehension what is common to all (in being paid an hourly rate) and the form' or identity of the art-work (in
with thin lines. The lines described art-works. Sol LeWitt's sculptures desire to exercise Occam's razor on formalist terms) resides in the latter
shapes which incorporated the which are most clearly associated the linguistic specification imposed. realm of the linguistically citable. This
surface. The scale, large for a with this phase of formal abstraction Economy of means in the realization is ultimately the parts to the whole
drawing, was expansive. Walker has are concerned not with the physical of such instructions as 'continuous relation which Sol LeWitt forwards
always been a prolific and proficient form as much as with the 'parts to the vertical lines not touching drawn free- and embodies in his practice. In
draughtsman, and the latest work is no whole' relation which he 'simplifies' hand from floor to ceiling' might this way he avoids the paralysing
exception. to bland arithmetical progressions. suggest two vertical lines, but the consequences of absolute nihilism in
Mrs Vaizey apparently believes Indeed it is this aspect of the payment by an hourly rate is more an unrestricted realm of art to which
that there is no 'right' or 'wrong' in minimalist conception of 'pure form' likely to suggest thousands of lines. his tradition ultimately commits art in
art. 'Better work happens along when isolated by LeWitt which provides the Faced with such practical the pursuit of the ever-evasive formal
some artists' visions have most overt practical link with its ramifications and entailments the essence as well as avoiding the
communicated to me in such a way successor in conceptual art, alternatives are clear; either one rises comfortable celebration of materal
that I see more, both in their work, indicating a reason for his importance above it and gratuitously accepts attributes which is the immediately
and in other ways, in my daily life.' in both endeavours. every possible interpretation or else, present alternative.
That puts her in the 'I-don't-know- Sol LeWitt's succeeding work as I think Sol LeWitt has done more John Stezaker
much-about-art-but-l-know-what- attempts an 'isolation' of a similar recently, the linguistic specifications
I-like' syndrome. Much of the work in conception of pure formality through are made a good deal less abstract. Joseph Beuys: the secret block
this show attempted to free itself from the eradication of the minimalist This is the case in the drawings fora secret person in Ireland
history, and was included with entailment of physicality (the exhibited at the Lisson Gallery Museum of Modern Art, Oxford.
liberal assurance to be considered emphasis on physical properties), currently. So whilst Weiner and Barry 7 April-12 May (exhibition will later
with approbation. The felt opinion making clear his principal difference engage in more and more abstract and be shown in Edinburgh, London,
reaches out to embrace everything. from other minimalists like Don Judd general linguistic specifications, Dublin and Belfast)
The subsequent, untenable who similarly has made use of the so- LeWitt seems to have decided to go Without our conscious intent
generality is inimical to high quality called 'serial form'. The 'parts to the no further in his pursuit of abstraction. doodling reifies an aspect of our
in art and objectionable. whole' relation or 'relational' idea of The new specifications are for single thinking ; at a higher level, drawing is
P. A. Rosenbloom pure form is 'isolated' or clarified lines each on a square page of a book for Joseph Beuys a way of thinking
through a further abstraction which (published by the Lisson Gallery and out loud. The large and impressive
Sol LeWitt at the Lisson Gallery, takes the emphasis away from the the art-work originals exhibited on collection of his drawings (266 in all)
London, April—May 1974. particular artifact as a physical object the walls). The series of single line produced between 1948-1972
The work of the American artist Sol so that the art-work becomes in a drawings are attended by nominal (one dates from 1936) occupies all
LeWitt belongs to a tradition of formal sense a class of possible 'realizations' specifications of increasing three floors of the lavish premises of
abstraction which might be regarded or artifacts. This abstraction roughly complexity throughout the series (of the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford
as the mainstream of the art in his accords with the conceptual artists' 23). Starting with 'a line from the but represents only a small part of