Page 15 - Studio International - March 1974

(p. 287) including among others 'international part: L'Exposition des
collective manifestations', 'didactical and `With reference to your letter which we have
historical retrospectives,' and 'symposia and just received today. I have to inform you that Impressionnistes
work projects' (pp. 286-87). What and where the tape Life with Video was not exhibited only (This review by Louis Leroy, published in Le Charivari,
these 'international collective manifestations' in the afternoon period, when the Bienal was Paris, April 25 1874, was the first piece ever to appear
were I do not know. Nor did I see or hear visited by colleges, with children under on the subject of Impressionism and to refer to the artists
concerned as 'Impressionists'. 'Impressionism', an
symposia. 'Communication' seemed never fourteen. This is a problem of my country. exhibition commemorating the centenary of this first
really defined, nor was the relationship between `Though its high cost, your project has been show, continues at the Royal Academy, London, till
28 April.)
`art' and 'communication'. Besides the showing very much praised, keeping quite a good
of a film on a Brazilian soccer player made by audience frequency specially at night. Oh! ce fut une rude journée que celle ou je me
several Americans who work in documentary `For the future, if you think so, we may be risquai a la première exposition du boulevard
and industrial motion pictures in New York, I able to study the way to realize it, without the des Capucines en compagnie de M. Joseph
have no idea what the Bienal actually did with rush that time imposed [upon] us this year, and Vincent, paysagiste, élève de Bertin, médaillé
film and the idea of the art of film. principally, with an equipment of our own et &core sous plusieurs gouvernements !
One could best call the Bienal structureless. system.' L'imprudent était venu la sans penser a mal;
In spite of its claims and aspirations, there was The day I took my leave, Mario Beni's last it croyait voir de la peinture comme on en voit
no focus. What could one say as one walked words to me were: 'You're now leaving and partout, bonne et mauvaise, plutôt mauvaise
through the Finnish exhibition of fine wooden we've just gotten used to you.' I doubt that I'll que bonne, mais non pas attentatoire aux
pieces, most apparently there to demonstrate be shuffling off to Brazil again soon. Moreover, bonnes moeurs artistiques, au culte de la forme
the exquisite Finnish forests rather than upon publication of this, I will probably join et au respect des maitres. Ah ! la forme ! Ah ! les
sculpture, as one previewed these in the ranks of other personae non gratae of that maitres ! Il n'en faut plus mon pauvre vieux !
relationship to that country's handmade crystal vast country whose beautiful terrain I never Nous avons change tout cela.
bowls and platters. Or a strategically placed quite found the time to see. En entrant dans la première salle,
Kandinsky retrospective by France, the Perhaps the following list of artists and their Joseph Vincent recut un premier coup devant la
outsides of which room were draped with works included in 'Video Tapes by 17 American Danseuse, de M. Guillaumin.
France's 'contemporary' offering, printed and Artists' might be considered an addendum to `Quel dommage', me dit-il, 'que le peintre,
woven wall-hangings. Or passing through the the XII Bienal de Sao Paulo . . . Catálogo: avec une certain entente de la couleur, ne
rooms of kitsch from Spain, or the odd dessine pas mieux: les jambes de sa danseuse
assortment from England, or 'Made in Chicago', Vito Acconci. Undertone. 1973. Black and white. sont aussi floches que la gaze des jupons'.
3o min. Sonnabend Gallery, New York.
a most provincial and unindicative show, `Je vous trouve dur pour lui', répliquai-je.
Lynda Benglis. Collage. 1973. Colour. 9½ min.
allegedly representing the US. So much was a Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. 'Ce dessin-là est très serré au contraire'.
disgraceful pastiche. In sharp contrast was the George Bolling. Generations. 1972. Black and white. L'élève de Bertin, croyant que je faisais de
15 min.
German exhibition including Rinke and Hanna l'ironie, se contenta de hausser les épaules
Peter Campus. Three Transitions. 1973. Colour.
Darboven, whose works were serious and 6 min. Production at WGBH-TV, Boston. sans prendre la peire de me répondre.
demanding. Hermine Freed. Waterglasses. 1973. Black and white. Tout doucement alors, de mon air le plus
6 min. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York.
The title of a piece in a Brazilian paper: 'This naif, je le conduisis devant le Champ Labouré
Hermine Freed. Two Faces. 1973. Black and white.
Bienal Is Not An Art Exhibition It Is A 6 min. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. de M. Pissaro.
Punishment' well sums up most of it. There is Frank Gillette. Tetragramaton Part I. 1973. Black and Ala vue de ce paysage formidable, le
heavy criticism of the Bienal among many white. 23 min. bonhomme crut que les verres de ses lunettes
Joan Jonas. Vertical Roll. 1972. Black and white.
serious Brazilians and in conjunction most of 20 min. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. s'etaient troubles. Il les essuya avec soin, puis les
the interesting Brazilian artists, I was told when Paul Kos (with George Bolling on video camera). reposa sur son nez.
Death Valley Zoom. 1971. Black and white. 10 min.
I arrived, simply refused to participate. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. `Par Michalou I' s'écria-t-il, 'qu'est-ce que
True to form, as one would come to expect, Paul Kos (with Marlene Kos on video camera). c'est que ca ?'
the Bienal's best example of carpentry and Roping Boar's Tusk. 1970. Black and white. 7 min. `Vous voyez . . . une gelée blanche sur des
only well-appointed installation seemed to be its Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. sillons profondément creusés.'
Paul Kos (with George Bolling on video camera).
`Art Sales Room', which assailed one at the Warlock(ing). 1972. Black and white. 8 min. `Ca des sillons, ça de la gelée ? . Mais ce
entrance. The seams were hidden, the mostly Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. sont des grattures de palette posées
Richard Landry with Tina Girouard. One, Two,
glass walls were uncracked and it looked Three, Four. 1969. Black and white. 8 min. Leo Castelli uniformément sur une toile salle. Ca n'a ni
comfortable inside. But I don't know, I never Gallery, New York. queue ni tête, ni haut ni bas, ni devant ni
went in. Andy Mann. Ocean and Stream, from 'Four Part derrière.'
Tape'. 1973. Black and white. 20 min. Leo Castelli
Gallery, New York. Peut-être . mais l'impression y est.'
Robert Morris. Exchange. 1973. Black and white. `Eh ben, die est drôle l'impression! .
Postscript 32 min. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. Oh ! . et ca ?'
Bruce Nauman. Lyp Sync. 1969. Black and white.
On 8 January the equipment finally reached the 55 min. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. `Un Verger, de M. Sisley. Je vous
rental company's office in New York, three Anthony Ramos. Watermelon Heaven. 1972. Black and recommande le petit arbre de droite; il est gai;
weeks late. And the next day I received the long white. 3o min. mais l'impression .
Anthony Ramos. Water Plastic Bag. 1972. Black and
awaited cheque via the American Consulate in white. 20 min. `Laissez-moi donc tranquille avec votre
São Paulo for the materials and rentals. The Richard Serra. Surprise Attack. 1973. Black and impression! . Ce n'est ni fait ni a faire.
tapes are on their way, I have been informed. white. 2 min. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. Mais voici une Vue de Melun, de M. Rouart, où
Richard Serra. Television Delivers People. 1973.
Shipping charges must still be attended to. Colour. 6 min. Leo Castelli Gallery, New York. it y a quelque chose dans les eaux. Par exemple,
In November a friend in São Paulo informed me Keith Sonnier. Color Wipe. 1973. Colour. 3o min. l'ombre du premier plan est bien cocasse.'
Leo Castelli Gallery, New York.
of the Bienal's censorship of a tape by Willie William Wegman. Non Verbal Tape. 1972-73. `C'est la vibration du ton qui vous étonne.'
Walker. I wrote to Beni; knowing that it could Black and white. 20 min. Sonnabend Gallery, New `Dites le torchonné du ton, et je vous
only be a gesture, I nonetheless felt that such an York. comprendrai mieux. Ah ! Corot, Corot, que
act could not slip by unprotected. To my William Walker. Life With Video. 1972. Colour de crimes on commet en ton nom! C'est toi qui
version 13 min, black and white version, 14 min.
enormous surprise I received a letter, responding as mis a la mode cette facture lachée, ces frottis,
to the censorship and other matters. It reads in REGINA CORNWELL ces éclaboussures, devant lesquels l'amateur
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