Page 55 - Studio International - September 1974

ancient civilization. It is very much room except for a roped off strip at one headquarters. What a marvellous different venues like Manchester or
part of Long's magic that he is able to end from which the piece is viewed. technical challenge and international Leeds if necessary. RE
create this kind of feeling and Circle in It is a peculiarly enigmatic piece since advertisement such a catalogue could I would like to see something like
the Andes is a piece of great power. the spiral pattern is extremely difficult have been for any one of them. Not twenty edition prizes, of £1,000 each,
Long has been much concerned to perceive. many of the graphics biennales that offered along with other prizes at each
with the ephemeral as well as the Simon Wilson have mushroomed throughout the Biennale in the future. This would
permanent or archaic aspect of the world in the last few years are so really make Bradford an attractive
landscape and in another Irish piece in beautifully poised to become proposition for artists. This simply
the exhibition he has created a work Bradford Print Biennale, at the comprehensively patronized by means finding fifty private companies VIEW
so ephemeral that his camera has Bradford City Art Gallery, July, August industry, population and artists as is or museums who will agree to buy a
recorded only the site and the sense of Bradford is a big and impressive city, Bradford. I see a great danger portfolio containing 20 prints by
the piece. The title, however, but, more important, since the however; if the patronage from twenty different artists from all over
describes the act : With the River completion of both road and rail industry and the people does not grow
Towards the Sea —A Walk Down a lines, it has a hinterland of around considerably, then interest shown in Knowing the Northern ethic as I do I
Riverbed in Joyce's Country, County eighteen million people within little the exhibition, by artists and will admit that it won't be easy, but I
Galway: Long's footsteps followed more than an hour's journey. In subsequently by everyone else, will don't believe it is impossible. I do
the world for £400 — a real bargain. 13
him down the river on the current, that area a whole new culture gradually diminish. believe it is essential.
eventually overtaking him and being is growing, on the back of There are many good ideas within Already many of the best artists in
carried on towards the sea. what is already one of the richest the administration, the idea of the world know of and want to
These are all photographic pieces. regional cultures in Britain. The satellite exhibitions for example and exhibit in this exhibition. This is
The five map pieces —walking Huddersfield Choral Society, the there seems no reason why these abundantly evident in the quality of
sculptures— in the exhibition are Halle Orchestra, the Black Dykes shouldn't proliferate from Liverpool to this year's show. An increase in prize
equally rich and varied and seen Band. These have all embedded Hull. The potential is enormous and money, public and private patronage
together reveal Long's intense themselves in the fabric of this would give a welcome and valuable and media coverage is needed if this
concern for the form taken by his culture, and this sense of music and stimulus to those small brave private sound base is going to expand. If this
ritualized walks. Particularly striking theatre extends through every layer of galleries that exist along that line. As a does not happen it could lose all the
are Eight Walks where Long has society, achieving a grandeur an native of this area I dearly want to see hard won acclaim it has earned and
walked the 0/S grid lines over an elitist art can never achieve. The this exhibition flourish. To do this I feel subside over the years into just
area of Brent Moor and A walk during Print Biennale at the magnificent it must tap the whole of the Northern another moderate bi-annual event
the hours of daylight, January 16, Cartwright Hall in Bradford, now at its Belt in every way, even to the extent of attracting moderate bi-annual artists.
1974, and A walk during the hours of fourth showing, has already become
darkness, January 17, 1974 in which one of the most important of its kind in
the distances walked are determined the world, not by accident, but
by the length of day and night. because of the love and hard work
The twig piece occupies a space shown by its instigators and
apart although it can be glimpsed organizers.
through an archway in the last room. I find it distressing, therefore, to find
As with earlier installation pieces by that this year the catalogue cannot
Long this one is related in form to the even afford to go into colour, and this
space it occupies and the twigs are in an area where some of the finest
scattered in a square spiral filling the colour printers in the world have their