Page 77 - Studio International - May 1974

a formula, but Pollock steers well taken right up to the butting colour, ignore the little that is good in favour concentric lines had been incised.
clear of this. Using simple vertical and or curiously rounded off, which was of encompassing the general Ryman and Rockbourne were also
horizontal strips, he manages one of the few things in these mediocrity. The idea seems to be to represented in the Chicago show, and
considerable inventiveness from one pictures to look fussy. The best works point to a common attitude or trend, it's puzzling why they would allow
picture to the next. were those in which the central images and thereby illustrate the similarity or their work to be categorized in such a
All these pictures are rooted in a was most condensed, and had least differences between a diverse group flippant way. Ryman showed three
traditional sense of relationships. connection with transatlantic mores; of artists. The diversity itself is all stainless steel plates, each around REVIEW
There is a strong element of tonal the weakest was, significantly, also right— it's naive to complain about the 9 by 10 inches, covered within a
contrast, and the way the forms are one of the longest, and sagged in lack of a cohesive style or common couple of inches of the left-hand
contained within, as apposed the middle. A blanket word for this goal and then attempt to construct edge with white enamel paint.
to extended up to, or even exhibition could be honest, with a one. Rockbourne isn't exploiting the use of
by implication beyond, the pictorial degree of clumsiness and unevenness In the ICA show each artist was white at all, and her inclusion was
limits, makes for an intelligent object/ roped together with a compelling allotted space in the catalogue to particularly gratuitous. There were
image dialogue. Forms are built up in unselfconsciousness and include a statement, presumably to four drawings, each incorporating 11
layer after layer of colour which has a determination. illustrate the various concerns of the thin black lines and folded creases in
strange effect on their edges, giving Judy Marie participants. Some artists took the the paper. Hilgemann's sculpture and
opportunity to deliver the usual statement was too near LeWitt.
nonsense associated with the use of Recently LeWitt answered an attack
white— 'infinity', 'communion', suggesting that he propagated copies
'primeval'; 'I believe that a white of other artists' work as his own
world is a humane world ...' — while innovation. Two of the three artists
around half of the artists represented cited were Schoonhoven and
discussed only practical Holweck. Holweck showed a folded
considerations. Again half the work paper piece and a sheet of paper
incorporated some kind of relief, but apparently scratched at random
the relationships between the artists through the surface.
were in the main superficial. The use The various arguments about who
of a relief or monochrome suggest did what first and the comparison of
only two aspects. They indicate only the work of artists who've used
a general tendency and not a specific similar materials or devices is
direction. In the introduction to the pathetic. The superficial resemblance
catalogue, Carel Blotkamp, a Dutch of one artist's work to another is
critic, discussed the historicaltendency irrelevant. Followers and imitators
towards the suppression of colour are always clearly second-rate
from Impressionism onwards, and the anyway. The developed invention is
self-imposed restraints by artists more important than apparent
ostensibly attempting to advance art, innovation, and pretty rare.
Malevich showed in 1918 that a Exhibitions like this one give the
white square on a white platform to the second-raters, and
ground could be enough for a only serve to reinforce the attendant
painting. Rauschenberg exhibited misconceptions.
his four white panels in 1951. P. A. Rosenbloom
Neither artist was included in the
exhibition, nor did those chosen Spencer Gore at the Anthony
exemplify similar advances. D'Offay Gallery, London, March.
All the work in the show was from Although the dazzle of international
the years 1957-73, apart from a 1934 achievements has always eclipsed the
relief in carved hardboard by Ben British art scene during the early years
Nicholson. Several artists stated of this century, a number of recent
light as a prevailing concern. Baljeu, exhibitions have helped to unravel
Hughes, Stazewski, Martin, and the threads and stake the claims of
Schoonhoven have allegedly those who made a specific
attempted to continue the contribution. Spencer Frederick
(Top) Fred Pollock Untitled 1973 Basically White at the Institute of constructivist tradition. The general Gore is at least ensured a mention in
Acrylic on canvas impression, however, was that too
Contemporary Arts, London, 15 any attempt to chronicle the events,
John Golding C111 1972/73 March-28 April. little was being taken on. The slight simply by virtue of his position as
Acrylic on cotton duck, 84 x 100 in.
The ICA exhibition, organized by Lucy means produced a predictable and first president of the Camden Town
a slightly convex, volumetric feel to Milton, consisted of forty-nine works conventional result. Yves Klein, of Group, one of the first formal
the stacks of stripes. Pollock is getting by twenty-four artists, all of whom course, had the white empty gallery associations of artists with
things more than one way here. A had used white monochrome. It was a in 1958, and was represented by a progressive ideas. As a group they
strong flatness and plasticity poor excuse for a show. A lot of small horizontal wooden slab with had little in common, however,
combined, with, at the same time, artists have used monochrome, and rounded edges. covered with except for an exasperation with the
very singular resonances in the many have been brought together horizontal inflections of white paint. conservatism of the New English Art
colour. I liked the way he sets up under the pretext that they share a While not as powerful as the blue Club and the friendship of Gore
riffs of off-true hues, like umber-grey, mutual stance. The most recent monochromes, it was nevertheless himself. Members included such men
lemon, rose, then breaks into them example was the 'White on White' single and obdurate. Manzoni, as Wyndham Lewis, Duncan Grant,
with a hard and heavy primary— show a couple of years ago in Chicago, Klein's coeval, had two achromes, Augustus John and Lucien Pissarro—
Pollock gets a lot of mileage out of which was more discriminating in its one a 12 by 16 inch container framing artists who have come to be
ultramarine —then takes up the main choice of artists, with a twelve squares of folded cotton wool. considered as representative of quite
theme again. Surface texture is an correspondingly higherquality of work. Both artists are famous for their distinct trends in British art. The
active component of these paintings, The arguments against this sort of party tricks and their obsession with problem with Spencer Gore's art is
and it is created through a completely grouping should be apparent by now. 'avant-gardism', which consistently that it is not at all easy to pin down
straightforward handling that It demonstrates a spurious quantitative intrudes on their better work. Arp stylistically : although it is usually
naturally embodies the trials and thinking rampant in the sixties. Don had a typical biomorphic cut-out referred to in vague terms of Neo-
errors of evolvement. Judd reviewed an instance of this ten design, which needed the usual impressionism, his career is more
It was a show with a good deal of years ago — 'Black, white and grey, bright colour to further isolate the accurately seen as a kaleidoscope of
loose ends, literally. The point at which like black and white, is meagre as a internal shape. Few works in the show rainbow fragments, kept in motion
stripes met framing edges was theme.' These categories are utilized Arp's residual naturalism or through his interest in successive
problematic, with different solutions arbitrary and too approximate. The single imagery. Dekkers came close to movements of modern painting. The
suggested from painting to painting. current situation is confused, as the latter with two four-foot square pattern was prevented from finally
Their ends were either feathered off, usual, and attempts to simplify it blocks of painted wood, into which settling by his premature death in