Page 51 - Studio International - September 1974

George Fullard Retrospective outline cuts across the simple
at the Serpentine Gallery, London, geometry of the wooden panels.
27 July-18 August The Patriot is the most remarkable
On the title page of the catalogue to work from this phase of Fullard's
the memorial exhibition to George career. It is a virtuoso juxtaposition of
Fullard there is an economically different kinds of representation
sketched line drawing of three figures. presented in a rigorously flattened
The one in the centre raises his hands format. The hand of the mother with
in surrender while the other two, its stick-like painted fingers is an
aim a rifle at him and press a revolver explicit homage to Picasso, while
into the small of his back. The incident the painted lace on the breasts
is part of a boys' game, the short suggests the early wood constructions
trousers and the dustbins which are of Laurens. Far from being fragmented,
the only indication of setting are an the sculpture is formally both
Paul Huxley Untitled N o. 1 40 1974 instant give-away, yet it has the same cohesive and exciting, with its George Fullard Three Women 1958
Acrylic on paper, 37¾ x 37¾ in. kind of menace as the event it contrast between the rigorous Bronze 22 in. high
simulates by virtue of the extreme horizontal and vertical framework of
one third into the drawing. Two simplification of the drawing which, the figures and the sweeping subject could only be expressed
narrow verticals were one half and by eliminating particulars, makes the curvature of the rocking-chair base. through childishly simple
one quarter the width of the base distinction between war and its Thematically, it is an important link conventions : a boat constructed as if
respectively — a tall pink propping a imitation seem an academic one. The between the earlier sculptures on the folded from paper, a disc for the sun
lilac bar. The rest of the drawing connection which Fullard makes is relationship between mother and and long twisted wire for a trail of
featured the muddy alizarin-crimson. valid in this context because he child and the later war series. In this steam. The initial impression is of
Three rectangles reiterated the height demonstrates a similar pattern of work the mother proudly holds up her great serenity after the war series yet
and width of each of the inner set, oppression and terror in the changed baby, who at a tender age is already the voyages depicted are not always
apart from the broader middle surroundings. waving a Union Jack. safe ones. One boat sinks into the
rectangle. This was left of centre and Fullard's art was essentially one of The works of 1960-61 return to waves, another is threatened by a
balanced on the right-hand tip of a reducing his subject to a simple form more conventional means, being solid bombing raid. These last works of
square in the left-hand corner. It in order to reveal unexpected forms in bronze or concrete. Most of Fullard have the impact of the final
displayed some patchy brushwork and parallels. This is most obvious in the the sculpture of this phase relates the adagio of a Mahler symphony.
a meandering line incised into the elaborate figures constructed from head to plant and rock forms. Far John Glaves-Smith
paint while it was still wet. To the various ready-made pieces of wood more interesting is the large Falling
right of this were further undulating which are probably his best known Woman. Here Fullard tackled one of
strokes, above which was suspended works. The initial desire for the most disastrous failed endeavours Six young sculptors:
a narrow vertical bar. In the extreme simplification can certainly be related of twentieth-century art, the attempt Katherine Gili, Anne Hawley,
left-hand corner of the drawing a fat historically to the concern of many to represent movement in sculpture. Jeffrey Lowe, David Seaton,
stroke had been laid down and British sculptors of the immediate By reducing the figure to a block, only Anthony Smart, Lee Tribe at the
partially washed off, leaving traces of post-war period, notably Armitage the top edge of which has great Chelsea Gallery, London, 5 July-
its edges. A few more marks were and McWilliam, to create a kind of variety in contour, the work suggests 30 July
smudged into the ground. Some of the sculpture which would express an both the rapidity of the fall which Six fledgling sculptors, none more
rectangles had ragged edges. Most of insight into human behaviour without prevents the perception of a single than three years from St Martin's
this probably seems programmed, anecdotal excrescences. Fullard's clear image and the houses past School of Art, debut this month with a
each part calculated to fit, neat and Three Women of 1958 can be seen as which she drops. The abruptness with near dozen works. Installed at the
tidy, in its proper place. All the palaver a grim negative of Armitage's Friends which the piece is cut off at the base is Chelsea Gallery (also new) their
with the brushwork, however, would Walking of a few years earlier. In a chilling reminder of the inevitable show-place invites the work to a live
seem to claim for an additional aspect. contrast to the cheerful solidarity of contact with the hard ground which shin-dig while the sculpture rsvp's
The marks were obviously there to the Armitage, Fullard gives us an will end the woman's flight. from a distance to categorically refuse
activate the surface, but didn't. They altogether more tense and anxious Fullard returned to assemblage to all situational delights. That the
remained so bland as the coloured image while the skilful treatment of make a series of sculpture on the sculpture doesn't mix outright with
rectangles and were similarly the roughly handled plaster makes for theme of war which contain his most surroundings is not our gripe. It
manufactured. The gesture therefore a contrast between the chaotic powerful work. As in the drawing adopts a reverential posture without
seemed simulated. The relationships surface and the sudden suggestions already described, he took as his self-conscious exploration and that's
between the parts were impaired of naturalistic detail. Particularly starting point not war itself but the its hitch. The knee bending is of
because of their mutual isolation. striking is the profile of the thin figure child's war game. In this way he hit course to Tony Caro : the name on the
Everything finally remained separate. which anticipates the knife-edged on a far more universal and label which assures sculpture
One section of Untitled No. 140, for heads of the early sixties. The fundamental experience than war cognoscente there's quality around.
example, had the top and left-hand preoccupation of the relationship of itself. He used both the trivia made for While we're on the subject, to me
edges of a large vertical rectangle, material to subject is still more the express purpose of acting as props Heinz doesn't mean beans: I eat mine
made by brushing across masking apparent in the Angry Woman also of in such games and those everyday to the bottom to see they taste
tape, which was then removed. This 1958 which exploits textural objects which get incorporated into all right ... the same with sculpture.
was a pretty obvious thing to do — variations between crumpled and them to express a complex vision of You've got to test every aspect of its
most of the rectangles in the drawings smooth surfaces. both war and childhood. In a flavour to make the judgement that a
were laid down between tape — but it When this interest in contrasts of statement of 1959 Fullard pays work's exemplary, that it's good. It's
merely suspended the negative shape texture is combined with the tribute to the way in which 'the child, maybe that these young sculptors
and accompanying gesture without tendency, fairly prevalent in the without effort, slips through aren't hungry for experience or that
any apparent connection. The sculpture of the fifties, to treat the imagination out of life to make a man their age makes them shy of really
juxtaposition of rectangles and loose figure as an object the development of a pepper-pot, or the heaving deck pulling the hero's work apart to have a
but considered brushwork in towards assemblage is not a of a shipwreck of a placid pavement' good, hard look. To my understanding
Hofmann's work, for example, seemed surprising one. The earliest of these is and implies that it is this he aims at in the failing is that they haven't
a contradiction of Huxley's, the wooden Woman of 1958. It is from his sculpture. The war series contains savoured Caro's terms. His work is
compromising the function of the this point that Fullard's most original brilliant instances of this procedure. great not because of muscle bound
elements used. The familiar devices contribution is made. Although the In 1966 Fullard embarked on a technique, but for the freedom he
were adjusted only in a minor way. sculpture of Picasso is an obvious further series, this time taking the sea allows sculpture to carouse with the
The work complied with expectations, starting point, the tone is very and ships as his theme. When I first floor, to lean over the table, to
was secure and conservative. different. The nature of the material saw these works two years ago at the straighten up smart, hold together,
Disappointment with the show was Fullard used, doors, picture-frames Royal Academy's 'British Sculptors' carry itself off physical level to the
not concerned with a lapse in ability or and mouldings with their inevitable exhibition, they seemed so slight and rhythm of emotion, walking direct
conviction, but rather the lack of emphasis on the right-angle, led to a trivial as to be hardly worth into an area of abstract term.
potential change, of implied more formal approach, even in a work considering. Seen in the context of his Jeffrey Lowe's metal piece Untitled
invention. such as the large Mother and Child of work as a whole their effect is 1974 starts to control spatial means.
P. A. Rosenbloom 1959 in which a sensuous curved overwhelming. Such an unsculptural He uses outspoken, direct structure