Page 39 - Studio International - November 1974

Greenwood'. How would his 'self- been an enlightened investment. The that the managers were innocent of the opened the space to keep everyone
confessed need for rejuvenation' show current asking-price for key money is European market and such basic (his artists and the London art world)
itself? There would be no conceptual £10,000, therefore Kasmin's instruction as kunstmarkts. happy. It closed because it made
art — 'quality not novelty .... unrealisable investment would have Leaving economic questions aside, everyone miserable. One felt very
personally I hunger for paint on canvas'. been £1,000. A modest figure for four the closure was caused by dissatisfaction sympathetic, an emotion all good
The second exhibition included exhibitions, but at £5,000 plus the with the standard of work and personal dealers can kindle. It was a bit like
'menstrual fluid and other household picture turns sour. The 'economic friction. Each member of the board being J illy Cooper to Kasmin's John
secretions'. Judy Clark had recently situation' also effected the light in was theoretically expected to suggest Wayne. The project had done nothing
graduated from the Slade where her which Kasmin could view his possible exhibitions. The Philip to restore his flagging reputation. Most
Dip Show had impressed Tony Stokes. investment. Recent City bankruptcies, Vaughan show was suggested by Dick of the blame rested at his feet, not to
The exhibition brought forth a flow of notably that of Charles Gordon, and a Smith but most of the other ideas mention a folder of unpaid bills. He
superlatives from lady-art-critics, general tightening of the belt, notably came from Stokes and Attwood. Dick thought the youthful side of Garage
delighting contributors to 'Pseuds that of Christopher Selmes, have Smith was active and encouraging had been hindered rather than helped
Corner'. The third show presented a effected collectors established in the throughout the year. 'If anyone got by the Kasmin connection. It had been
new role for Garage. The first had 60s. They no longer purchase new any fun out of Garage it was Dick', said too much to expect him to 'filter'
been a Kasmin artist, then new talent works but what is more important, Kasmin. Except for the managers he Garage into success, it was supposed to
and with Philip Vaughan came the well- they want to realise the value of earlier was apparently the only member of the be a group venture — a co-op. He
known-but-never-taken-on-by-a-gallery- purchases. It is common for paintings board sympathetic to the background talked about the future, a magnificent
artist. The show coincided with the to be bought under a gentleman's and the way of life of young artists. new space, 'shared with Robert Fraser
power crisis and a Dan Flavin exhibition agreement that the dealer guarantees Hockney was living in Paris and only and someone else ... ' each providing
at the Lisson (fringe) Gallery. Next the price paid. This clause has affected managed to attend one meeting. three major shows a year. 'What
came the 'Tables' group show, based many dealers, particularly with the Conran kept away from aesthetic London needs is not another Garage
(of course) on Caro. It was ignored by limited market for native work. The decisions, chairing the meetings as an but another Kasmin'.
the press and distressed Caro. Fortunes great names of British art in the 60s 'informed outsider'. References were Lynda Morris
improved with the next three artists, no longer have a reliable market outside made to personal antagonism between
Stephanie Bergman, Fred Pollock and our enchanted isles. (Hockney is the him and Stokes. Conran treated Garage California report
Stephen Buckley. Bergman and main exception.) Sotheby's sales of as a business venture, ensuring that
Pollock were recognized by the contemporary art were another available commissions went the way of The problem of exhibiting work in Los
painting grape-vine and Bergman's show depressing factor. British artists and Conran Associates' commercial interests. Angeles is the preoccupation of many
boasted a BBC2 documentary. Buckley dealers are learning the extreme caution Caro was the first member of the artists here. It is probably easier and
had become the Kasmin stable's necessary before entering a work in a baord to resign. He was abroad for the more advantageous for an unknown
youngest artist, after sojourns with sale. Dick Smith suffered from low initial series of board meetings. On his southern Californian artist to exhibit
Nigel Greenwood and Thomas Gibson. prices for unimportant early work return he agreed to put a piece in the first in New York City than it is to
By this time Garage was holding damaging the demand and prices for 'Tables' show, although he voiced attempt to break into the heady world
evening events, sponsored by the Arts recent work. A third factor was that disapproval of the gallery's direction. of the Los Angeles art establishment.
Council. They increased the social during the 60s galleries established a The exhibition depressed him further The support of the visual arts in this,
club atmosphere, an admirable asset passing trade with 'young professionals' and caused him considerable one of the wealthiest centres in the
embarrassment. He was considered
but one that works in inverse proportion who bought art like they bought other United States, is meagre. Galleries
to a professional reputation. The next furniture. Garage intended to be antagonistic but constructive at have a hard time survjving here, and
two shows, Susan Hiller and Ray Smith right-up-their-street but they were the meetings. His dissatisfaction was not although local patronage exists, it does
reached a new low point. They were group squeezed and inflated out of unique and he articulated coherent not support the enormous number of
followed by Tim Head and Margaret existence by the winter of '73. arguments to back his ideas. He artists who live and work in southern
Priest in a show which finally set the It is understandable that Kasmin suggested a wider range of exhibitions, California.
so elusive standard. Margaret Priest was unable to help the inexperienced two and three man shows lasting for a Since Norton Simon bought the
was subsequently taken on by Felicity managers of Garage to the extent fortnight, annual group shows of Pasadena Museum of Modern Art in
Samuel and Tim Head will show next envisaged. They could not rely on him painting and sculpture. These which to house his collection, the Los
year with the Rowan Gallery. The to dish-up buyers when a depressed suggestions came too late and were not Angeles County Museum of Art is the
final exhibition of David Hockney market brought them into competition accepted on the grounds that they only museum in Los Angeles where
drawings was financed by Kasmin and with each other. To make Garage would alter the gallery's image. There contemporary art is exhibited. Bob
sales enquiries were referred to Clifford viable they should have sold three were heated discussions between Stokes Smith, former Exhibits Co-ordinator at
Street. times the amount of art. The question and Caro. Caro argued that Garage had the Brand Library Art Center, Glendale,
Dick Smith immediately stated they has to be raised that although Attwood set its standards too low. Young California, first began formulating the
closed because of money problems. and Stokes were undoubtedly in touch artists were damaged rather than helped idea of founding an alternative,
The other directors talked about they did not have the experience to by exhibitions. But most of all he supplemental situation for exhibiting
personal and ideological troubles, justify the investment. The lavish disliked the work. The classic debates contemporary regional art, in 1973.
adding that they had not expected to conception of the gallery was too flash of New York in the 60s were uncovered. Since then, chiefly due to Smith's
make a profit. Kasmin had produced for its charitable role. Even the 'safe' The Greenbergian school versus the energy and enthusiasm, the Los
a budget for 9 m9nths based on half market supplied by the Tate and Arts Duchampian school — with echoes of Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art
the total investment, £8,000. Building Council, (notoriously) waits for an Uncle Clem's 'camp art' accusation. now exists. As many people have
costs had exceeded the estimate, also artist's second and third exhibition Kasmin is impeccably diplomatic on become involved with it, through
£2,000 of Conran's contribution and and could not be expected to purchase this question, but the natural discussions and meetings, the tendency
the 'chip-in' for Attwood's share had frequently from Garage. In my opinion, incompatibility of Hockney, Smith and within the Institute is for individual
materialised only as figures. The an aspect of Garage's economic Stokes versus Caro must have caused personalities to be de-emphasized and
gallery opened with half the estimated problems, (and may I venture to him many a restless night. Martin for a more open minded attitude to
budget. Kasmin had an 'on suggest, of the Bond Street Gallery) Attwood resigned at the beginning of previal than is possible in other
consignment' agreement, giving Garage was Kasmin's lack of enthusiasm for June because he wanted to live in Italy. authoritarian establishments which
20% to 30% discount on his artists. the European art market. Contemporary He suggested that Stokes should already exist here.
They took 40% on other work. Total dealers in London, from the Lewis continue to run the space, but the The LAICA which opened in
sales figures ranged wildly between Kaplans to the Nicholas Logsdales decision to close had been taken. October, is situated in the ABC
£8,000 and £14,000. f11,000 is know that the corner stone of their Stokes began the search for new Entertainment Center in Century City,
probably reasonable. £7,000 plus trade is with other European dealers. backers. Kasmin organized the Hockney Los Angeles. The 4,200 square foot
came from Caro, Smith and Buckley The philosophy Kasmin outlined for show. The Garage closed at the end of space, being designed by Frank Gehry,
sales. Caro's table sculpture sold for Garage might have succeeded in July. will provide large flexible exhibition
£2,500. At a ratio of two cheap to one downtown New York but in London it Offers have been received for the areas, offices and meeting rooms.
expensive artist, the gallery profits represented provincialism. British art £10,000 key money, but the directors Marcia Weisman, local art collector,
averaged £450 a month. Rent and is economically unable to sustain a would prefer the space to remain a was instrumental in the Institute
salaries were both £80 a week, add to home market capable of transatlantic gallery. Stokes opened the space for obtaining this space from ABC at a
this overheads for lighting, heating, competition. Those days disappeared three weeks in October with the nominal rent of one dollar per year,
stationary, transport, photography, with the swinging sixties. The only backing of the Arts Council for an with a renewable one year's lease. Bob
framing, postage (the original mailing way young artists (e.g. Richard Long exhibition and performances by Bruce Smith is hopeful that sometime in the
list was 3,500 which equals £150 in and Gilbert & George) can emerge in Mclean and his Nice Style Pose Band. future a much larger space will become
stamps), entertainments and other the 70s is through the combined efforts It was hoped that the Arts Council available for use as studios and
invisibles, and a conservative estimate of galleries in at least five European might be willing to finance the space workshops. The LAICA is a non-
suggests running costs of between cities. (Conceptualism was not simply but the Fine Art Panel voted against profit educational institution which is
£1,000 and £1,300 per month. It a new 'ism' but a new marketing the proposal. If anyone could have democratically run through three
would appear that Garage exceeded its strategy in the art world.) Garage was learnt from the life of Garage, it should committees; the Board of Directors,
budget by around £4,000. not a modest venture, overheads of have been the Arts Council, bearing in the Programmes Committee and the
If the costs had remained within £200 a month are more in keeping mind the reign of Sue Grayson at the Editorial Board. The Programmes
Kasmin's estimate, Garage would have with fringe galleries. It seems incredible Serpentine Gallery. Kasmin says he Committee makes the decisions on the