Page 38 - Studio International - May June 1975

risky enough not to be sappy. The
"stream of consciousness criticism" I
muse about is no solution for criticism The Condition
in general — it's a personal solution
closely related to my own difficulties in
writing fiction and criticism at the same
time — a longing to merge the two, at of Sculpture
which point, I'm aware, the writing
might be more art — or arty — than
criticism. And it would only be
appropriate for certain rather intimate William Tucker
art forms. Probably the best criticism
for "everybody" would be a well- (This is the introduction to the immediate and superficial sense of the
informed and well-informing criticism exhibition catalogue of the Arts phrase. And the condition of sculpture in
which provides new and unique Council sponsored show selected by this first sense will depend at any given
information for both the specialist and William Tucker, 'The Condition of moment on the intuitive recognition by
the general audience; which is Sculpture', at the Hayward Gallery, sculptors of sculpture's necessary relation
provocative, at least occasionally 29 May-13 July, 1975.) with the world, its condition in the
enthusiastic, and readable, as well as broader sense, how sculpture is in the
intelligent. Ideally this would not be too This is an exhibition of sculpture, not of world, what are the fundamentally
lengthy and would appear daily in mass sculptors. Nor is the exhibition either limiting factors. It is by attending to these
media. If criticism should be, as I think it polemic or programmatic in intent. My fundamental limits, and not through
should, not an arcane discipline for a few aim was simply to bring together work evading or escaping them, that sculpture
specialists (most of whom complain done in the last two or three years by will be seen to advance and prosper. The
about the other specialists in an artists who appear consciously or condition holds not merely for our time
incestuous comedy) but a mine of intuitively to accept the condition of and place, but for any time and place.
insights and questions raised that move sculpture as I understand it : and who, Sculpture is subject to gravity and
the viewer back into the work of art from instead of regarding the physicality and revealed by light. Here is the primary
other angles than those he/she might visibility of sculpture as an inhibition, condition. Gravity governs sculpture's
have conceived of alone. Criticism rather take it as a challenge, and a natural existence in itself, light discloses
shouldn't be 9/10 value judgement from and necessary one. Sculpture is the sculpture to us. Sculpture's constancy, in
on high and o suggestion that you language of the physical: and as with any time and in space, springs from its
might just want to go look at the art in living language, new thought finds form fundamental availability to perception.
the flesh. In one sense, it shouldn't be by stretching the medium itself, not by That is, sculpture, however extended,
particularly interesting to read until learning an alien language, or by must have a physical boundary; its effect
the work has been seen; this of course attempting to invent a wholly new one. on perception must in the last reckoning
would only be possible when a major I don't consider it my business here to derive from the knowledge that the
decentralization of the art world had make claims for the work I have chosen or sculpture is not the world, but is a part of
taken place, so that most people could indeed to describe it in particular. The it, even if from a certain aspect no
have seen something of most things they sculpture is its own evidence, it needs boundary is visible. Equally sculpture's
were reading about. Criticism that is neither apology nor justification, nor the effect on perception rests on the
mainly theory and judgement exists aside support of great reputations, nor knowledge that the boundary is stable: or
from the work of art and lends itself acquaintance with a body of critical at least has a sufficient ground of stability
perfectly to the current situation, where literature. If this exhibition is 'about' that the work's given character if not
a very small percentage of the readers anything, it is about the persistence of negated by its own movement exceeding
have seen the work discussed. While it sculpture in face of avant-garde theory the spectator's conceptual grasp.
might as well exist, as dessert or and the lack (in this country at least) of These are the fundamental
something, it won't make the bridges serious economic support. The work considerations. They precede
between audience, art, and artist that is embraces its homelessness both in the considerations of image and material,
criticism's real function. Best, of course, conventional accounts of modernism and scale and structure and proportion. For
would be a beautifully written, beautifully in the traditional sculptor's world of most of its history, sculpture has
readable mixture of all this, which would public and architectural commissions. manifested itself in the form of human or
capture the imagination of everybody who Moreover the sculpture in this exhibition animal imagery; but the image is not
ever read it, whether they "liked" it, or represents a fraction only of the younger primary: it is through the rendering of
agreed, or not.' • artists who have continued to make, or the human form and of drapery, for
who have started making sculpture in example, that we are made aware of the
recent years. I would say that the number underlying condition of gravity: through
of sculptors separately and independently the figure's known frontality and
established in studios and workshops in symmetry, the familiar loci of expression,
London alone has never been greater than that the sculpture becomes more visible
now. The continuing presence of a wide than other things, other aspects of the
range of sculpture as a direct physical and world equally revealed by a common light.
visual fact is thus undeniable, though Again, sculpture's very existence
largely unacknowledged. One purpose of demands that it is made of some material,
the exhibition is to bear witness to this as some form is necessitated by its
fact. If a hopeful message is carried by the boundedness; but just as the image
work here, it is that the need to make manifests gravity, so worked-on material
sculpture 'real' and substantial is a good manifests the control and modulation of
deal more deeply rooted than critical light. Light is the external condition, the
directive or commercial convenience can given, though of course inconstant: thus
dictate. sculpture so-called, which depends on a
The world can evidently do without constant and artificial source of light,
sculpture: sculpture cannot do without whether in the environment or in the
the world. Sculpture's condition has thus a work itself, offends against this condition;
double sense, deriving from this the property of actively giving light must
paradox — the condition or state of the art, remain that of the world, not of sculpture,
its present health (or pathology, if you just as movement is the prerogative of the
take that view), the degree to which spectator. For the work to take possession
sculpture seems capable of enforcing its of light and movement, to assume the
right to exist in our culture: this is the active role, is ultimately to sacrifice its
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