Page 40 - Studio International - November 1974

exhibition schedule from proposals on energy from the artistic community. and 300 if it was at the Metropolitan reason only to artists of his generation
submitted by the membership. The The Board makes broad decisions but in New York. Participation in a show and younger and will not attempt to
Editorial Board is responsible for the membership makes specific at the Hayward rates 100 while the award an Old Modern Master a price
editing a bimonthly journal (the first decisions. Clearly the danger in such a Whitechapel is worth only 75. Certain earnings ratio. Nor will he consider a
issue of which appeared this summer). democratically-run enterprise is that exhibitions also figure on the points- non-serious painter for his list even
The journal focuses on the critical the necessary energy, support and ratings, although it's difficult to see though, like Annigoni, he may be very
issues facing contemporary art and is interest cease to flow, and the result is why all the documentas are worth 300 popular indeed.
not intended to be a mouthpiece for boredom and apathy. If many local while the Venice Biennales can only But Dr Bongard's system is built on
the Institute. Also incorporated within artists are scared away from becoming offer 50. Of the books chosen as sand anyway. The choice of museums,
the Institute is the Artists Registry, a involved because of their distaste for reputation-forgers the most interesting exhibitions and literature on which the
slide library of work by southern committees, a fact which has already are Edward Lucie-Smith's 'Tendencies awarding of points is based is arbitrary
Californian artists, created in 1971 by been observed, the Institute will fail, in Art since 1945' (I'd never thought of and often downright eccentric. Why
Elyse Grinstein. The Registry currently because it will become merely the him as a reputation-maker), Phaidon's include the Hessisches Landesmuseum
includes slides and biographical showcase for certain factions of artists 'Dictionary. of 20th century Art' and in Darmstadt (160 points) and, so help
information of 250 artists, and is an in the area. something called 'Na de beelden me, the Louisiana Museum, Humbleback,
important source for those who desire Ann Thornycroft Storm' by Carel Blotkamp which, though not the Neue Nationalgalerie,
an introduction to the work of lesser although obviously good for an artist's Berlin and not the Modern Art
known artists in southern California. image in Holland, certain parts of Museum, Tokyo? The list of
For the first year the Institute will Doctor Bongar's Belgium and South Africa wouldn't exhibitions is even more arbitrary and
be involved in a programme of Regional list to starboard get him very far anywhere else. has, I suspect, less to do with an artist's
Art, which will be thought of as So what are the results? Dr Bongard's reputation than with Dr Bongard's
supplementary to the exhibitions at Those fortunate enough to have any list has now appeared five times. All prejudices. I'm sure that Lucy Milton
the Los Angeles County Museum of don't know what to do with their five lists have been headed by and the ICA think that 'Basically White'
Art. Since the closure of the Pasadena money these days. That's what I keep Rauschenberg (16,200 points) whose was the show of the year and I'm sure
Museum, the need for facilities to show hearing, anyway. Record inflation has £25,000 for a representative work they could be right. But how much
travelling exhibits of international made cash funds almost disappear, Dr Bongard considers expensive. did it have to do with making, or even
importance has become more obvious. ordinary shares have proved that what Oldenburg (18,050 points) has pushed increasing reputations? The same might
However, the Institute cannot at this goes up must not necessarily defy the Johns out of second place into third. be said of the '20 Deutsche' exhibition
stage take over this former function of laws of gravity for ever and the While Johns charges about £17,000 organised by Onnasch in Cologne.
the Pasadena Museum, because of commodity markets have become more than Rauschenberg for a painting Most of the artists represented there
limited funds, staff and design. It is to about as reliable as the British Summer. (and is consequently listed as 'very simply aren't known outside Germany.
be hoped that the Los Angeles County So where do you find security for your expensive') the mere £15,000 required The books chosen seem to be even
Museum of Art will be able to put on fortune? for an Oldenburg is pronounced value more arbitrary and I have already
more exhibitions of contemporary art, Many are now looking for it in art. for money. (Very true, I'll have two, mentioned three of them. More
both international and local, than it But what can you do, particularly if it's to eat here.) There are a few surprises important than books in the shaping of
has in the past. The apathy of the modern art that takes your fancy? in the Top Ten. 'Both Tinguely (4th) the reputation of a living artist are
Department of Contemporary Art at Everyone knows that it's a very chancy and Beuys (5th) are ahead of Warhol surely the art magazines and there a
the County Museum to the needs of business and only fools stick to buying (6th) and at number 10 is Arman. large colour reproduction is surely
the artists in this community is most what they like. For those in need of I wouldn't have put him in the top 100 more important than any number of
apparent. It provides neither a vital professional advice golden tablets are of my entirely subjective and non- mentions in the texts. Dr Bongard
centre for artists to visit, nor a handed down the mountain annually. scientific list. Certain artists should does not use the magazines in his
sympathetic acceptance of the concerns The tablets, inscribed not by the angel draw the obvious conclusion from the points system. More important still are
of local artists, except in a few cases Moroni but by the German critic and listing and pull their socks up before it the dealers and it's quite obvious that
investment watcher Dr Willi Bongard someone represented by Castelli will
where artists have managed to gain is too late! Noland has slipped badly
are published both in his own produce work worth more than
favour with the curators. from 15th last year to 21st this, Cesar
newssheet art aktuell (DM250 for 24 anything by an artist not represented
During the 1974-75 season there has dropped nine places to 27th and
issues a year from 5 Cologne 1, by a dealer of that kind. Dr Bongard
will be six major exhibitions at the the reputation of Britain has taken a
Lindenstrasse 18) and in the magazine pays no attention either to the word-of-
LAICA. The first installation was serious knock: Paolozzi down three to
curated by Fidel Danieli, who is also Capital. With a clap of thunder this 23rd, Hockney down seven to 32nd mouth advertising indulged in usually
the editor of the first three issues of year's pronouncements have just been and Alan Jones down twelve to 49th. at private views.
the journal. The inaugural exhibition delivered. Poor old Caro is 58th, one below Riley For future lists, therefore, I advise
was a tribute to modern pioneers of Who are the top 100 artists for and only one above Tilson whose Dr Bongard to evolve a system
painting in southern California. It was 1974-75? Are their works worth presence in the list at all has provoked something like this: mention in Studio
a non-political show, historical and buying? Everything is here, arranged me to write to the sage of Cologne in International (400 points), in Artforum
informative, as it was felt important to like the Dow Jones index and equipped protest and is responsible for the (50) and in Art in America (minus 25).
make the point in the beginning, that with a price-earnings ratio. And so, increasing rudeness of this article. Mentioned by Clement Greenberg in a
the Institute is not going to merely with the aid of the Top 100 (and The absence of artists like Moore, whisper (250 points) in a loud voice
represent factions. This first show provided that you have the money) Bacon, Rothko and Newman, to say (10). Mentioned by Edward Lucie-
concentrated on artists working during you can assemble a portfolio of blue nothing of the lack of names like Smith on 'Kaleidoscope' (minus 200).
the years prior to the Ferus Gallery chips (Noland, Rauschenberg) carefully Tretchikoff, David Shepherd and Then we might stand a chance of
(1963) and who have been greatly peppered with one or two longer-term Annigoni does not demonstrate a having a real guide to artistic
neglected by most critics. There was probabilities (Klapheck and breakdown of the system however. reputations.
recent work of about ten artists who Broodthaers). You can concentrate on Dr Bongard restricts himself with good Frank Whitford
spanned 30-50 years of painting in gilts (Louis, Hockney) or judiciously
Los Angeles. The work of these artists mix industrials (Caro, Paolozzi) with
ranges between the two extremes of food and catering (Spoerri) or electricals
hard-edge (a term invented by Los (Flavin).
Angeles critic Jules Langsner) and You can be sure that Dr Bongard's
Expressionism. list is based on scientific principles.
The second exhibition will be a Even though, as Dr Bongard admits,
group show of contemporary works, 'works of art are, in comparison to
probably by younger artists in the other merchandise, because of a general
community. The third projected lack of objective, obligatory standards
exhibition will be 'Collage and not measurable and in the strictest
Assemblage' by Hal Glicksman, curator sense not comparable either.' The
of UC Irvine Art Gallery. Josine lanco- reputation of an artist is, on the other
Starrels, chairwoman of the hand, measurable, and prices, as
Programmes Committee, feels that everyone knows, are determined more
after the first crucial year the Institute by reputation than by quality.
will be mounting many more one-man But how is an artist's reputation
shows. Even though for the first year made? Dr Bongard thinks he knows
the Institute will be showing exclusively the answer: by the number of times
southern Californian art, guest curators his name appears in reputable print, by
from other places are welcome to the number of important exhibitions
submit proposals which relate to art he takes part in and by the number of
created here. It is also hoped that internationally significant museums
artists will come forward as curators. which own his work. Thus and for
The LAICA has been conceived of example, an artist receives 200 points
in such a way that it depends entirely if he has had an exhibition at the Tate