Carter, Curtis

English

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Marquette Universitye-Publications@MarquettePhilosophy Faculty Research and Publications Philosophy, Department of2-4-1971Creating an identity with art [Review of "Works ofthe Schwartz Collection" at the Milwaukee ArtCenter, Milwaukee]Curtis CarterMarquette University, curtis.carter@marquette.eduCarter, Curtis. 1971. Creating an identity with art. Bugle American, Second Section, Vol. 2, No. 5,(No. 18).Creating an identity with art By Curtis L. Carter Frank Stella, an abstract paint-er whose works appear in the current painting and sculpture exhibit at the Milwallkee art center bas said, "the idea in being a painter is to declare an identity. Not just my identity, an identity for me, but an identity big enough for everyone to share in." The visual reality of Stella and others in' this showing - Morris -Lewis, Barnett Newman, Kenneth Noland, Jules Olitski, Jim Dine, Donald Judd, Ron Davis, and others - gives a highly formalized, ab-stract notion of-identity. Jackson Pollock cleared the way for the abstractionist view which , dominates these artists. By creat-. ing a new kind of pictorial space in which nothing is depicted andphysi-. cal events do not appear, Pollock achieved a magnificent triumph over the limits of previous pictorial . ef~ forts.' . The works of Stella, Lewis, Olitsky,. etc. are in every respect "Post-Pollock." They carry out the revolution in 'pictorial perspec-tive that is only a suggestion in previous works. . Noland's "Coarse Shadow, 1967", an acrylic on canvas which measures 84 by 276 inches achieves a kind of vacuously decorative de-Sign that is solely lacking in any canvas. "Valparaiso Fiesh" Is a other kind of significance.· It con- field of interlockip.g angles, two sists of eight series of thin strips rowS running vertically to the top of of acrylic separated by wider strips the canvas, with a third row leading of white. The piece is essentially upward. Each is masterfully unified· flat and lifeless. through a simple but all encompaS+ Opposed to the flat and essen- sing principle of design. . tially lifeless forms of --Noland's This exhibit of works from the works are Stella's "Hagrnatana, collection of Mr. & Mrs. Eugene 1967", "New Madrid, 1961", and Schwartz of New York runs concur-"Valparaiso Flesh, 1964" "Hagma- rently with a fine showing' of 46 tana II" is a maze of interlaces, Kandinsky water colors arranged by fans, or rainbows of vibrant colors:- the New York Museum of Modern Art, The arcs of color move from panel to through February at the Art Center • panel finding their completion there- Both are important and Should be in. What appears to be simple order seen. The selections from the is demanding when one attempts to ~chwartz collection are prinCipal trace the motifs through the field of works representative of major devel-colors !llld lines. Highly decorative, Qpments inAmerican art in the past this piece exemplifies the possibili- decade. ties for new forms of decoration.' The Kandinsky exhibit, which More restful to view are Stelia's will be reviewed in a later issue, other two works. "New Madrid" affords the opportunity to study the traced a single line through connec- development of the artist most re-ted and expanding rectangles from sponsible for the emergence of ab-the center to the (lU~er edge 9f the'-">'!!~~".~~,~,::.'~_,,~,",,> ...... w_"'hh'hn 

Creating an identity with art [Review of  Works of the Schwartz Collection  at the Milwaukee Art Center, Milwaukee]

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Creating an identity with art [Review of Works of the Schwartz Collection at the Milwaukee Art Center, Milwaukee]

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