We were down in Cornwall, these past couple of days, and decided to go to the Newlyn Art Gallery to see the work of the above named artist, as he is, apparently, one of the leading figures of post-war conceptual art. His manifesto is this:
—1. The artist may construct the piece.
—2. The piece may be fabricated.
—3. The piece need not be built.
—Each being equal and consistent with the intent of the artist the decision as to condition rests with the receiver upon the occasion of receivership.
Which, to my tiny mind, seems to be taking the concept of conceptual to it’s illogical conclusion. He wants to elevate the idea above the execution. Obviously, this falls deeply into the ‘that’s bollocks, anyone could have thought of that’ category. And it is bollocks, but it is also, clearly, genius.
Part of the exhibition was a series of instructions by Lawrence Weiner and his contempories. The idea being that your common or garden man in the street would act on these instructions and the art would be the result. I like to think of myself as fairly broadminded when it comes to art but this, i found, was a step further than i was prepared to accept.
It was a fantastic building though.
