Page 20 - Studio International - September 1974
P. 20

CORRESPONDENCE
     composition. The mechanical form copied a
     number of times does not in a sense exist as a
     form which 'is used for something'; it becomes
     useless. You may show it either in an
     emptiness, in an indefinite position or in the
     most simple row. That was the important thing.
     WB: The next series of your paintings consisted
     of reliefs made of metal, of aluminium sheets,   Tate and bile                       Oxford. It was a reconstruction from
     polished copper, and then the colour tests, when   I am glad David Hall wrote in reply to my piece   photographs of an exhibition of that name held
     you achieved colour by galvanizing the metal or   in May's Studio International, but sorry that he   in Moscow in May 1921. Having discovered
     painting its surface. And in the years since 1967   did not see fit to reinforce my central argument   only one passing mention of the show (Observer,
     you started painting colour paintings.     concerning the thoroughly unsatisfactory role   2 June) I find it disappointing that neither the
     HS: Yes, I was looking for possibilities to   the Tate plays in relation to film art in general,   Museum of Modern Art or the Department of
     achieve a 'stronger' surface but working in   and new British work in particular. Within the   Fine Art at Newcastle University (where these
     metal was technically difficult. So I returned to   context of British work I see Hall's work and my   reconstructions were made) have received the
     painting. At the same time I became more   own as only a part, neither of us warranting   praise or the recognition they deserve for such a
     interested in the problem of colour. I was   special selection from the many artists currently   valuable and commendable exhibition.
     studying the nature and principles ruling colour   working here in film. Remember the significant   The 15 exhibits covered the period from
     and was trying to show them in my paintings   role which the Museum of Modern Art, New   1919-22 and represented the following five
     and reliefs, consisting most often of 16 squares   York, has played in establishing awareness of   artists : G. Klutis, G. Stenberg, K.
     placed in four rows. The colours in the squares'   and status for the American film-makers.   Mendunestsky, V. loganson and A. Rodchenko,
     fields were placed in horizontal and vertical   Compare their regular programming with the   the teacher and most widely known member of
     stages and the setting of colours resulted from   paltry contribution of the Tate. I am impatient;   the group. Their work was both highly
     the numerical measure. The colour penetration   I do not think three programmes over a year   individual and radically exploratory, being
     between neighbouring squares was gradual,   ago, and the David Hall week of shows in May   concerned with the principles of construction
     based on a minimal difference of colour. Thus I   constitute any kind of a breakthrough — they are   and the original definition of what largely
     was aiming at annihilation of colour contrasts   no more than a token based on the sympathy of   remains the language of contemporary
     and the hierarchy and function of colour   one man, Terry Meesham, in the Education   constructed sculpture. The exhibits were
     accepted in painting. I was showing only the   Department, with whom I have no quarrel. As   accompanied by a slide programme designed to
     appearance and nature of colour in identical   for the 'film-maker film', 'artist film' categories —   relate the sculpture to the broader developments
     squares arranged in equal space. Besides, there   I did not invent this nonsense, it exists as a   of Constructivism in Russia.
     is nothing more in those paintings.        political aspect of our situation. I have done my   A highly informative and unique exhibition
     WB: Your last paintings are more varied.   best to show it for what it is, an anachronism, in   resulted which, like the Annely Juda Gallery
     Again you avoid colour and come to linear   many of the things which I have written. I do   shows of pioneer European abstract art, proves
     black and white paintings, or white        not have a down on those people making film   invaluable to the understanding of the origins
     compositions having variously factured surfaces.   from the so-called artists' faction, I have often   and development of non-figurative art, and as
     HS: At present I'm trying to employ various   praised work by Serra, Morris, Oppenheim,   such should receive encouragement rather than
     experiences. I'm working on the basis of   Graham, Dye, McCall, Wellsby and others   neglect.
     systems and strict principles but am not   (including a video piece by David Hall which I   DAVID WARD
     treating art doctrinally. At present I am   found particularly stimulating). I am likewise   London W2
     employing lines which I lead mechanically at   critical of many works produced in the so-called
     equal distances or in linear, industrial patterns   film-makers' faction, though in general I gave   Numbers game
     from a screen; and in white paintings I'm also   up using my column for attacking specific works   Thank you for sending us the proof copy of the
     employing a variety of smooth surfaces with   within the first couple of months, as being   review of our recent book. (See 'Numbers game',
     some mechanically vexed ones. But the trifle,   inappropriate. Now I tend only to review work I   Studio International, July/August 1974, p. 6o.)
     trivial reasons I find within the environment are   like, saving my attacks for what I consider to be   Needless to say we would like to answer in full
     often my inspiration.                      issues of general significance, like that of the   but there are a number of factual inaccuracies in
     WB: In 1930 you said that 'a new man is able   Tate. As for my view of David Hall's own films,   the review, namely:
     to see the world devoid of objects'. Do you see   I do not react to them particularly well, but   (1) The book was never based on an
     any confirmation of that idea in present-day art?   would not dream of making any kind of critical   exhibition, in fact an exhibition was based upon
     HS:  You have proofs of it everywhere. The   attack in this context because they are so clearly   the book, namely 'Islamathematica' which was
     degree of abstraction in grasping the world has   within the direction of cinema I generally   first shown at the Museum Voor Land-en
     grown enormously since then. The world is full   endorse and I am also aware that my lack of   Volkenkunde in Rotterdam in November, 1973
     of objects but we are able to think about it   reaction could be no more than a question of   (shortly to tour the USA). There is little, or no,
     without taking them in our hands. And      taste. As Hall, like me, is in a position to have   relationship between the book and the exhibition
     tendencies to eliminate a work of art in a   his views listened to, I hope he will use some   at the ICA in November, 1971 (not ICS).
     physical, museal sense dominate art today.   of his energies to assist the whole of the   (2)  Only an architect on such slim evidence
     WB: You produce paintings which have physical   genuinely experimental film-making situation   could assume that the book's main argument
     qualities and museal value.               which exists in London.                   related to architecture. The buildings quoted in
     HS: That is my way. I couldn't possibly give up   MALCOLM LE GRICE                  the review were purpose-built and still exist.
     painting. But one must remember the ethics   Harrow, Middlesex                        We sympathize with the evident difficulty
     connected with this question. The compromise                                        that Mr Theo Crosby had in understanding the
     must be minimal, if there is no way out; and it   `Obmokhu 1921'                    book, or indeed reading 'the impenetrable text',
     certainly must be a burden. Anyway, I treat my   I have been surprised at how poorly advertised   and will answer him in greater detail later.
     paintings as boards explaining my ideas on a   and sparsely reviewed was the exhibition of   KEITH ALBARN, HAZEL ALBARN, JENNY MAILL
      contemplation.
     work of art and not as fetishes meant for   Russian constructivist sculpture 'Obmokhu   SMITH, STANFORD STEELE, RACHEL FRASER STEELE,
                  q                            1921' shown at the Museum of Modern Art,    DINAH WALKER London Eli
     74
   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25