John Dack’s interests include the relationship between freedom and restraint in Serial music. In this lecture, he used Sol Lewitt, a Serial artist to illustrate some of his thinking.
John started with Monet’s Haystacks and Rouen Cathedral series of paintings, where the artist studied the same scene at different times of day viewed under different atmospheric conditions and producing many coloured and hued versions of the same image. John described Serial Art in a theoretical context; other artists including Don Judd; Serial composers, particularly Reich’s Clapping Music; philosophies; contradictions; sticking to and breaking the rules you make; theory & realization, illustrated with handouts from Sol Lewitt’s book Lines & Color.
An example of John’s explanations:
There are two Serial series; open series and closed series. Warhol’s Marilyns are open, because they can vary in color without any set pattern. The variety helps make the pattern in the greater view, but there is no sequence necessary for the pattern to exist. Sol Lewitt’s statement that “All the planning and decisions are made beforehand. The execution is a perfunctory affair.” explain not only that it is the idea that it is important, but that the realization of this particular form or serial art, depends on following a set of rules. Lines and Color is a good example of a closed series, and because of it’s spelled out intention in writing, followed by the realization of the writing in painted or printed form, it is a great way to view, analyze and discuss the philosophy behind a whole idea; the concept of “the plan will design the work” in art and music.
One observation I liked and noted, that I do not have a context for, is that Cezanne had an eye problem. This obviously gave him a particular view, and contributed his unique style.
One paradox seems to be that although the closed system Serial artist is allegedly not concerned with the viewer’s response, the system does not exclude an emotional response, from viewer or artist. On close examination, Lewitt’s visual illustrations of his written Lines and Color poems, or plans, needed some decision making not included in the plan and the plan itself, since integrally published in the very book of illustrations, required at least a choice of font. Relevant or irrelevant, an undocumented choice had to be made. The illustrations were possibly painted or printed but were the colors painted first and the lines superimposed, or were the lines and the colours painted adjacent and successively? These points are made important by the whole concept of the work being a manifestation of rules.
John showed some works by other artists, including one that was a series of successive numbers painted with one dab of the brush per series, rendering the later numbers in thinner paint. As the painting progressed, a pattern of color and intensity appeared across the board as each line started with a full brush and ended almost empty. This closed system required a hand to paint it and each hand has a signature. Graphology proves how this closed system is not devoid of emotional footprint, despite the idea that it should be; despite Lewitt wanting his work to be “emotionally dry”. Logical is not synonymous with predictable.
The discussion of ‘What the artist intended’ was illustrated in a variety of ways:
Schubert, having just performed a piece of music, was asked by a listener, “What does it mean?” Schubert answered by playing the piece again.
John told a story about a photographer who’s wife was worried because he was photographing naked women. Although I think she should have been more worried had be been photographing naked men, John’s point was that he was not touching them, just photographing them. The idea was important not the realization.
Da Vinci’s sketch at the National Gallery in London, was actually, a work in progress. Now it is a major exhibition piece. Beethoven kept sketches and Stockhausen’s are all archived and available, yet other artists destroy all the build up to their final work.
The next post will include a closer look at Lewitt’s Lines and Color in particular.
Lines & Color:
Perceiving a background and lines in the foreground, as opposed to two colours. The group members in the lecture discussed the appearance and the interpretable effects of the lines and colour. The artist is not concerned with the emotional response of the viewer. Is he concerned with the aesthetic response?
Page 1 is an algorhythm. Lewitt says “black ON white” NOT“ black AND white” He uses the words “ intervals”.
In John’s analysis of Lines & Color he has spotted anomolies in the sequence. Did Lewitt make a mistake or was it a concious deviation? John says it makes it “ more interesting”. Perhaps because difference generates interest and that’s OK!
Reich’s clapping music is a palendromic phrase on repeat. Serialization contrasts two opposites. Systems music takes one or two rules and applies them.
The colour choices in Lines & Color are the same as in Mondrian’s; primary colours only plus black and white.
One topic raised was if black is considered a colour at all. If it is not, I would like a tube of the absence of light please.
If black is not a colour is 0 a number?
The lecture was commandeered by one student so it became hard to get any continuity in my note taking. Eventually it became impossible to take notes. John started many a sentence of his lecture only to be interrupted by the same student each time. One interrupton was when John was saying “because…” I never found out what it was. John was indulgent, patient and committed to hearing and responding to all points raised. It id mean however, that he was unable to finish the lecture.
Another student left the room to answer his ringing telephone and a third ate sandwiches from a tin foil wrap and asked questions with his mouth full. During one interruption, discourse continued between two students for some time. The distractions in total negated both my ability to take notes and John’s ability to finish the lecture. Most disappointing.
Filed under: Lecture Notes
