Page 23 - Studio International - May June 1975

artists' was the opening of a magazine's that the immediate contemporary John McEwen writes:
pages to artists, to take pages and use coverage of art events could cohabit The significance here of the decade
them in the context of a magazine, not of comfortably with the 'timeless' nature of since 1966 is that it more or less spans the
anything else. I believe this has been a other articles. A two-month gap may period of Peter Townsend's editorship,
useful function of Studio over ten years or make that marriage less happy. The which may of course have its own
so. A magazine context is very different easiest solution may be to give each issue a significance — many of us are sure it will —
from an exhibition or gallery context. `theme', though one then begins to run though that is not the point. The following
Opening magazine pages to artists on an into competition with paperback books. are some commemorative thoughts on art
absolutely open basis has meant mostly derived from the privilege of
confronting them with problems different The likely climate of the arts is also a having had a place on this magazine
to those they normally face. Some took factor. We may be in for a fairly subdued, during those years.
the challenge; others simply regarded more traditionalist period, with a touch of Now that a certain time has passed it is
magazine pages as gallery walls. nostalgia and a fair bit of rummaging in easier to match recent art with the
Not only pages to design or lay out, but history in the hope that lost guidelines history that governed it. An extraordinary
to speak into. The most intelligent will re-appear. In the course of this it unification has been in progress since 196o.
insights into an artist's work or the state would be good if we could rid ourselves of Only in the relative wealth of the nations
of art come from artists, pace the critics. the spurious aspects of 'internationalism' of the world has an ominous difference
So it has been a concern of this magazine in which many artists have been involved. grown. In almost every other case
to involve artists directly. It's surprising Exporting concepts of art to difference has lessened. In 1973 the full
how many are still numbed by the environments which cannot provide implications of this process were
Bohemian idea of the artist as the dumb contexts similar to those in which they realized when the Arabs imposed the oil
receiver of an experience which cannot be originated is counter-creative, and no embargo. An evens that literally, and for
recorded by the artist him/herself in more healthy or long-lasting than the first time in history, materially
words, and therefore must be transmitted exporting revolution. affected every person on the Earth from
through a verbalizing entrepreneur. I am These are questions I must leave to my one minute to the next.
not thinking of those artists who are successor; I see my bus stop in view and Art, of course, reflected this
excellent verbalizers, some of whom have this is where I get out. process, adjusted to it and was affected
contributed to Studio over the years : by it. It became more interdisciplinary
Patrick Heron, Richard Hamilton, Finally, a more plangent note. Some who and certain movements were very
Howard Hodgkin, Robyn Denny, Burgin, have read thus far may recall a parody of consciously adaptive : the advent of
Atkinson. I'm thinking of those artists Walter Savage Landor : multiples, for instance, and the print
who say, with an enamouring diffidence, I warmed both feet before the fire of boom; kinetics and its technological
`I can't write'. In fact in the long run they life; successors. Yet at the London
are often the people who can formulate They stink, and I am ready to depart. Underground Film Festival in 1973 I
ideas on art with most 'punch'. (If I remember aright, 'New Boston saw no one from another art discipline.
We also made a point of asking artists Miscellany', 1893 or 1894.) Another paradox: acute specialization has
to design our covers (and not one of those not diversified but grossly reduced
who accepted was paid a penny for the Life's not quite as bad as that, though the world's concerns.
design). Here again one sometimes ran certain recent court cases would suggest Art seemed almost to parody the
into difficulties; a commissioned design there are a number of animals trapped professionalism of specialization. Whole
might arrive late, prove rather poor as a under the floorboards of the art world. careers were dedicated to the random
cover design, but one was saddled with it, There is, however, one aspect of the art idea of a Dali or Man Ray. Impenetrable
or again the design might never arrive at world which is disturbing — too many languages were adopted. Content,
all, so that a last-minute substitute had to small sectarian interests; too much because of its narrative, therefore
be found. Nevertheless, many artists reluctance to bring discussion into the literary, connotations, was abandoned in
produced covers which suited the medium open; too frequent an avoidance of favour of form. Why became less
excellently, and did not simply represent polemics and any consideration of the important than what. It seemed a renewal
yet another drawing or painted detail social context of the arts. Often this seems of commitment. Today it begins to look
floated across the front of the magazine. to reflect a desire to avoid embarrassing dangerously self-reverential.
On occasions we made mistakes for our personal relationships (it's quite a tight And there was money. But how could
part, like running a blue tint behind a little world); but there are degrees of art avoid that ? It's not the dealers. Art
cover design by Don Judd. Judd nearly gentlemanliness which are downright has been a private luxury in the West for
sued us over that, and he was quite right — ladylike. One would like to think that this centuries. Now everyone wants money
we had 'prettied' it up. state of affairs is beginning to change. but private luxury isn't so popular. Art
Two of the most successful cover tried to get round that too. Critics
designs have been among the most It has been my good fortune to work became artists and artists critics.
recent — one by Marcel Broodthaers, one with many people in the art world whose Artworks were made that no one could
by Hockney. Both reflect the respective loyalties and interests are wider than the see. Art became conceptual. But you can't
artist, and both successfully project a purely secretarian, or who have put aside get away from money unless you give it
magazine cover as a piece of utilitarian their special concerns in the interests of up and not many people can afford to do
wrapping paper performing a commercial this magazine, and in particular those that. It's a world problem. The whole
function. who succumbed to my invitation and business of left and right is largely a
Now, for a number of reasons, this became members of our Editorial money problem, not a philosophical one,
policy on covers is being changed. It will Advisory Board and our panel of and will continue to be, so long as most
probably be simpler that way. Contributing Editors. At this point I must of the world goes on starving. That is the
also nod my thanks to those who have danger of artists becoming involved with
Every so often magazines need to renew served as my Assistant Editors — Charles practical politics. They cease to be artists.
themselves. This is happening to Studio Harrison, Tim Hilton, John McEwen, The solution, if there is one, lies outside
now. Unfortunately renewal usually and Irena Oliver. Their loyalties have practical politics. It lies in a change of
comes through economic pressures. been not to personalities but to the philosophy, a change of morality and
We're down from II issues a year to six. purposes and possibilities of a magazine heart.
It would be ridiculous to pretend that that can contribute to the well being of Too much art recently has turned in on
this was not in response to rising costs. the arts; we have often fought over itself. In a world that is unifying in so
However, a bimonthly means less articles and time-schedules, and they many ways, art should be predominant.
pressure, and the possibility of balancing must have experienced frequent It unifies time and it unifies the best in
the books. It also gives management and frustration at the apparently devious people. It should have the strength to be
staff greater flexibility in planning. and hang-on-till-the-last-moment-of- more general in its application. It is in
Bi-monthly publication does, of course, going-to-the-presses approach of their everyone and some make a life of
pose its own problems. In recent years editor, viz. articulating it. Now would seem to be its
we've developed our Review Section so Peter Townsend greatest and, in our time, last chance.
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