Page 38 - Studio Internatinal - October 1974

CONSTRUCTION AND aggressive in Jan van den Abbeel's painted
compositions. The rhythm achieves its
obsessive movement by the juxtaposition and
the repetition of forms and colours which have
STRUCTURE optical illusion. On a mathematical scheme, he
no intermediate tones and underline the

builds a single theme, that of the wooden beam,
IN FORM AND COLOUR drawing from it every possible variation. The
same theme is used again in three dimensions in
PHIL MERTENS space, still creating a visual reality by a
geometric organization. The environment he had
created, in collaboration with Willy Blompen
and Philippe van Snick for the 1969 Biennal des
The evolution which took place in the `Spatialism', Jo Delahaut is still today in the
Jeunes in Paris, was only the continuation
psychology of the work of art, at the beginning ranks of those whose work occupies space. He
of his research into the optical relations between
of the twentieth century, based on an is for an art participating in daily life, integrated
masses, surfaces and their colours. This colour,
association of forms and structures, has deeply into daily surroundings. With a minimum of
moreover, remaining a cerebral contribution, is
influenced a whole way of artistic thinking in planes and colours, he captures pictorial tension.
different from that of Blompen, which is more
Belgium. Even today, those who centre their Since the form is very simple, it is the colour
varied by intermediate tones, giving a more
research on the structure of a form or a colour which defines the dimension of the work. These
intuitive nature to the work.
and its construction on the plane or in space, relations between line, form and colour,
are carrying on and prolonging the work of a condition the well-being of the environment.
generation contemporary with the de Stijl group As the work no longer represents an artistic Constructed form in space
and the Bauhaus, whose most important isolation from the mundane, it blends with the Technology, new materials, space, integration,
representative in Belgium was Georges space which it radiates or balances. Pieces of undoubtedly represent a way forward to the
Vantongerloo who, moving towards the wood, like coloured signals, lean against walls, future for constructed art. Marc Verstockt does
indefinable, while basing his research on a destroying their hostile dumbness. not only see this integration in architecture.
geometrical evaluation, found a source of study Guy Vandenbranden, moving from his black His publication 'This is not a book', an object
and experiment in the theory of the infinite. and white paintings to colour and relief, today to see and manipulate, is an example of this. He
The constructivists of the twenties, among them occupies a space still limited by the severe chooses a visual contribution on the part of the
Jozef Peeters and Victor Servranckx, founding angles of a geometric conception of a similarly artist, who will take his place as a 'visualiser' in
their theory on the constructive will of art, rigourous nature and a harmonious sobriety. our civilization and will give art a new function.
were responding to the intentions of a communal However there is a new perspective that could Technique and new materials bring the artist
and purely plastic art. On the one hand, the be called by Lucy Lippard's term 'perverse face to face with science. 'Art needs science if
constructed work asserts a spiritual constant, perspective'. The colours change the direction it wants to go on. On the other hand, science
today's significant image of the twentieth of the perspective, surprising and fascinating must recognize art as an essential and
century. It is the structure in fact which has the onlooker, who loses the security of familiar complementary element in a single cultural
shown itself as this constant, on which depths. In opposition to the conception of easel entity.' Similarly we find environment and
variations of time and setting are grafted like so painting, he considers his panels as so many integration in the work of Luc Peire, for whom
many components of a style, whether it be pure designs, waiting to be carried out in concrete, integration represents the total aspect of a
construction on the plane, primary structures, aluminium or polyester. culture. His participation in architectonic
surface sequences or modules. On the other schemes and the realization of his 'environment-
hand, this work illustrates an evolution, its Constructive form on the plane mirrors' prove that for him the space element is
form having a visual function, a function of Constructive form, even on the plane, is essential. The lines of perspective crossing his
variables which strive to attain a superior state characterised by the dynamism of internal former canvases already evoked this same
of form and matter, within the framework of a space. So Guy Baekelmans uses as his basic need, perhaps explicable as a metaphysical
rational and critical understanding of the world element harmoniously condensed cubic space, search. His environment, moreover, based on
and the times. This is how this work asserts its which has as much of a sonorous force in the the principle of the mirror and graphic
actuality. In Belgium as elsewhere, the aim is to painted panels, as in the screen prints and the compositions, results in an obsession with space,
`perfect visual culture, to restimulate the fibre-glass columns. His tensive spaces become a sustained by a sonorous background. 'The
affinities of mind and matter, forms and physical environment. In his latest works, form visitor should be alone, with no other present,
colours.' This procedure, determined by a and colour become more aggressive, space opens with no world other than my own, empty of
desire for order and structure, comprises a onto a dynamic field in which forms gain a everything except himself, floating without
conceptual elaboration, followed by a material more graphic nature. Variations on a theme, support or limit.' Still in space, the compositions
operation. The structure, in accordance with work programmes and a systematic elaboration of Horvath and Glibert, by their colour and
any arrangement of the components, at the basis are at the basis of this development. While form, are descended from 'Primary Structures'.
of which is a principle of organization, has a Baekelmans' constructed space remains But two names, of sculptors, have a special ring to
conceptual content. The analysis of structure pictorial, Gilbert Decock's becomes spiritual. them: Jean-Paul Laenen and Jacques Moeschal.
and construction in the work of Belgian artists From the plane surface, form has evolved Jean-Paul Laenen's, sculpture, made on the
reveals a discernible thread, from which this art towards the object in a real space. The basic human scale, is turned today to architecture,
develops. At the beginning, two figures stand structure remains geometric, the circle in the town planning, and daily space. While a
out, forming the link with a certain tradition; square or vice versa, but the chromatic value sculpture like The group of complementary
on the one hand that of Mondrian, of adds another dimension which is not concrete organizations still shows this scenic space, to
Vantongerloo and Servranckx, on the other but psychic. This work never becomes which colour adds another dimension, and
hand, that of Magnelli, Herbin and Vaserely. systematic and maintains an instructive role which still belongs with his abstract forms
These two figures are Jo Delahaut and Guy within its conception, responding to a human defining an environment, Laenen is today
Vandenbranden. need for internal calm and a cosmic relation. concerned with the social environment in a
Co-author, in 1954, of a manifesto The internal dynamism becomes almost concrete way and in collaboration with
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