Page 36 - Studio International - November 1974

Contributors One of Rote's most recent original closing date for submission of some way of presenting this kind of
Clive Phillpot is librarian at Chelsea activities has been to convert an projects and other contributions has spectrum of British work. Extension
School of Art, London ... Malcolm edition of an exhibition catalogue been extended from mid-October to of the closing date for project
Le Grice is a film-maker and teaches at into an edition of art works. This 20 December. submissions has been necessary because
St Martin's School of Art, London ... summer an exhibition of his books Since the demise of Gallery House so few entries have been received.
John A. Walker is an artist and stopped off in the town of his birth, in 1973 there has been very little This may be due to a lack of urgency
writer ... Paul Martin teaches Hanover, at the Kestner Gesellschaft. opportunity for the exhibition of for a show which is not to be mounted
sculpture at Goldsmith's College, The exhibition catalogues which are video work by British artists. In fact until May, the simple result of a lack of
London ... Brian White is organizer of published by the Kestner Gesellschaft there has been very little video work information, or to the fact that
South Hill Park Arts Centre, Herts.... are always well turned out in an by artists seen in Britain at all. At potential exhibitors are not clear about
Frank Whitford is at present working identical format: square cover, 'Project '74' in Cologne this summer, what kind of attitude the show will
on a book on Japanese Prints to be decorated with four identical squares the video section was very extensive, present. Some people like Mike
published in 1976 by Studio Vista. He of colour which differ with each show. both video installations and video Leggett and. John Hopkins, who are
is Senior Lecturer in the History of Each catalogueof the usually well- tapes. Only a small handful of the deeply concerned with the development
Art at Homerton College, Cambridge chosen exhibitions is a thorough and contributors were British, and it is very of video, have expressed concern that
... Lynda Morris is staff/student substantial piece of work, text, difficult to judge just how much work the show should be 'functional' rather
advisor at the Slade School of Art, catalogue,illustrations, etc.
of this kind has been produced here. than prestigious. The committee,
London ... Ann Thornycroft is an Rotthe leaves the general format
We are not only badly informed about which comprises Bill Feavar, David Hall,
English free-lance art critic living in of Dieter Roth:Bücher intact, but
international developments in this area, Clive Scollay and Stuart Hood, seem
California ... Rosetta Brooks is immediately individualizes the cover,
we do not even know what is being concerned to find some democratic
English editor of Flash Art.. . first with a photo of himself sitting by
done under our noses. There is a strong principle for the selection and
Fenella Crichton is London a piano, then with scratch ings and
argument for an international mounting of the show. So within the
Correspondent of Art International drawings over the photo (and on the exhibition, but I feel that at present usual organizational difficulties,
... Bernard Denvir is art critic for negative from which it was printed), so
there is an even stronger argument for slowness of communication, etc., there
Art International, The Times that the piano stool becomes a steed, a show which concentrates on seems to be more room for manoeuvre
Educational Supplement and Arte and finally by scrawling information
unearthing what is currently being done than often exists in this kind of show.
Due Mille and is Principal Lecturer in about where and when the show was here and stimulates the production of In fact, this is a show where the
Art History at Ravensbourne College being held around this; the back cover new work. contributors could have some effect on
of Art... James Faure-Walker is a is similarly embellished, and the Having in mind Nam June Paik, the way in which the 'style' of the
painter ... Michael Hartney is an negative from which the central image Takahiko limura, Peter Weibel, Dan exhibition develops if they become
animator working in London ... was produced is printed, as a negative, Graham or Richard Serra, my first involved soon enough. One important
Penny Hawkins is a painter living and inside the front cover, and the inclination is to assume that most of innovation is already suggested by the
working in London ... Catherine reverse is done inside the back cover. the interesting video experiment is committee's early publicity: they
Lampert is Exhibition Organizer at Somehow Roet does this memorably being done elsewhere; however, this intend to pay rental fees for the
the Arts Council of Great Britain ... and unselfconsciously, not artily, and may represent a quite unjustifiable bias presentation of tapes. Though they
Judy Marie is a researcher for the in such a way that the spectator feels about video 'art'. There is no doubt will not yet state an exact figure, they
London Weekend Television close to the activity of his hand. that at a simple 'hardware' level the anticipate £12 per hour for the first
programme 'Aquarius' ... Tony The catalogue contains entries for all situation here is much less developed showing, with repeats possibly at 50%.
Rothon is a painter and a free-lance Ropt's books to early 1974 (thirteen than in America, Japan or even in Sue Grayson, the Serpentine's director,
writer ... Peter Smith is a free-lance books have been produced since the Holland or Germany. Video equipment expects the show to be the most
writer and art theorist living in list in volume 20 of his Collected is simply much less accessible in Britain expensive exhibition so far held there,
London ... Michael Goedhuis, until Works was published). After these than in these countries. But at the and may cost up to £15,000. One
recently a banker, is now a free-lance entries there follows a biographical same time the direction which has curious factor about the lack of
adviser to public companies on art chronology and lists of exhibitions.
been dominant in Britain is somewhat proposals for projects is that equipment
purchasing ... What would normally be the plates different. The strongest area of interest and financial assistance would be very
section, three quarters of the bulk of
in video here is that which is broadly likely available either from the Arts
Feedback the book, is then taken up with covered by the term community video. Council or the Regional Arts
'originalgrafiken', sixty double-sided
I once read an article or review which The biased judgement about the state Associations.
very dark pages containing buried Proposals should be sent to The
opened with words to the effect of video art here may be no more than
imagery. A first flick through reveals
that 'there are two Arps, Hans and a quite false distinction between the Video Committee, c/o Sue Grayson,
that the dark pages tend towards
Jean'; the succeeding remarks did not forms of 'art' and 'community' video. Serpentine Gallery, Kensington
brown, green or blue, and that these
clarify the issue further, and for a year The distinction is not my own, it is Gardens, London W2 3XA. For further
colours are derived from the impressions
or two after, upon discovering works commonly seen as a polarity, but the information about the show contact
of red, blue or yellow inked plates,
by Hans Arp or Jean Arp, I assumed motivation for development of Peter Bloch, who is the outside
printed over each other in varying
that the two artists must be brothers, community video has come most often consultant, either by telephone at
strengths and combinations. Then it
probably working in close contact, from artists. It is part of a general 01-727-7244, or write to the
becomes clear that each printing Serpentine address. The Arts Council's
since their styles seemed very similar. tendency, strongly echoed in Holland
In order now not to perpetrate the deposits a particular image scratched and Denmark, to relate art and video equipment is available for loan
same confusion in others, I must add into the plate onto the page, this then community action, also giving rise to to artists wishing to contribute work
being overlaid with another image
that Hans and Jean are one and the street theatre, and, as in the case of to the show. In this case contact
scratched on the next plate, then
same person. However, my reason for the Great Georges Project in Liverpool, Jonathan Harris at the Arts Council.
sometimes a third, and so on, until
trailing this red herring down the page which has been running for over five Wherever you are, including people
some pages are practically black — but
is to draw attention to another possible years, the combination of art, education living in London, if you need assistance
a warm positive black, glowing with
source of confusion, the relationship and local community action in one with your project contact the Film and
activity. The results are fascinating,
between Diter Rot and Dieter Roth. integrated concept. An underlying aim Video Officer of your local Arts
the sparks or eddies of colour are
Right, same bloke. of community art, of which community Association, possibly sending him a
dramatic, and while forms are
Diter/Dieter Rot/Roth, as his video is a part, is finding a cultural copy of the proposal you send to the
crisply delineated they are nonetheless
names suggest, is a difficult man to obscure and float in and out of view. pattern which breaks down the Serpentine.
pin down; like his work, he can be one exclusiveness of art. Not just breaking
thing one minute and something else This leaves me just enough room to the exclusiveness of art appreciation, Film video extra
the next. This was made plain in two correct an assumption I made about the kind of motives which underly The Greater London Arts Association
interviews published in the last two the recording of an Art & Language most of the Arts Council's provision of have now produced two copies of
years. The first was a non-interview of soirée on Audio Arts number 1 theatre, music and travelling exhibitions, Film Video Extra, a supplement to
the first water, with the interviewer (`Feedback' February 1974). The but creating the assumption that art their monthly news letter. This
(Sue Braden) finally giving up and background noises which seemed so can be 'made' by any section of society. supplement is intended to be published
rejoining with her own non-sequiturs, regularly spaced and so uncommonly One problem with viewing the work of twice a year. The first two issues have
in Time Out for 19 — 25 January 1973. various were not dubbed, they really community video is that the end set a fairly high standard, at least for
The second was by Richard Hamilton, did occur during the recording, (which product itself is rarely important video information, with pieces written
first broadcast this summer and was, however, edited somewhat). outside the situation in which it is by Audrey Bronstein of Interaction,
published in The Listener of 1 August Clive Phillpot produced. It is therefore difficult to Peter Lewis from Bristol Channel Cable
1974. This interview revealed more 'exhibit' in the normal sense. Though Station, and John Hopkins of the
facts but still tended to wander off; Vision much community video, like that Centre for Advanced Television Studies
it includes a beautiful short In May next year the Arts Council will made by Liberation Films, actually (Hoppy of CATS). For further
reflection by Rott on his experience of mount a video exhibition at the tries to be 'about' particular community information contact the Editor and
cheese racing, as well as a simple Serpentine Gallery in Kensington issues, there is no basic incompatibility Regional Film/Video Officer of GLAA,
recipe for converting an unsatisfactory Gardens. Originally announced as the between community use and video Keith Griffiths, 25/31 Tavistock Place,
work of art into a popular success — 'International Video Festival', it is now experimentation. London WC1 H 9SF, or phone
just 'pour some stuff over it, and it to be called simply 'The Video Show'. It is important that the forthcoming 01-387 9541.
will turn out to be marvellous!' Before going into further detail the Serpentine video show should find Malcolm Le Grice