The Ardis Anthology of Russian Futurism ed. by Ellendea Proffer, Carl Proffer (review)

154 Books no distinction between the forms ofculture represented, for example, by the opera (artistic culture), and by fishing (recreational culture). Lest it appear to dictate ‘culture’, standard government policy in Canada has been to offer partial financial partnership to support of local initiative. The concern is that the pattern of cultural subsidy should reflect Canada’s economic mix of private sector non-taxable institutions. free enterprise and government. Admitting the limited impact of statistical data on present policymaking , Schafer nevertheless concludes with eighteen pages of selected statistics published by Statistics Canada in 1977. If you would like to know what percentage of the population of Ontario over the age of 60 participated in recreational snowmobiling in 1973 you will be enthralled. Nedialka Blagoeva-Abramova, Head Expert of the ScientificMethodological Laboratory, Research Institute for Culture.Ministry of Culture and Bulgarian Academy of Sciences begins her Tentative General Survey of Public Efforts in the Field of Aesthetic Education by stating that “the recognition of aesthetic criteria, and the capacity to create and change social reality by following the laws o f beauty will lead to increased social activities for the benefit of each individual and the public ‘at large”’. The universal goal of aesthetic education in Bulgaria is the creative, all-round and harmonious development of the personalities of all Bulgarians. During the period between the llnd and IlIrd Congresses of Culture in Bulgaria the fundamentals of a program of national aesthetic education were drawn up with the participation of the unions of artists and intellectual and social organizations, and state institutes under the leadership of the Committee of Culture. “Temporarily. the programme concerns the period of advanced socialist society, but even at the next stage”, Nedialka BlagoevaAbramova believes. “aesthetic education will still be an important factor in the development of the individual”. The survey concludes with an eighteen page bibliography for advanced students of Slavic Languages. To paraphrase Wittgenstein, “to describe what you mean by a culture you have to describe a cultural taste”! Superrealist Painting and Sculpture. Christine Lindey. Orbis. London, 1980. 160 pp.. rllus. €12.50. ISBN: 0-85613-074-5. Reviewed by S. 1. Clerk* The book under review most vividly depicts the origins and the evolution of superrealist painting and sculpturein America with passing references to the similar trends in Western Europe. Superrealism is primarily a contemporary American art movement, a reaction to abstract expressionism and modern art. Both superrealist painters and sculptors “portray their subjects with such verisimilitude that their works appear unnaturally real: Super-real.” The sculptures made from life-casts are called verist and the paintings based on photographs are usually called photo-realist. The beginnings of Superrealism are traced to Linda Nochin’s exhibition ‘Realism Now’ held at Vassar College, New York State, in 1968.The Dokumenta 5 Exhibition at Kassell. Germany, in 1972 gave the movement an international attention as the antithesis of abstraction. The main attraction ofsuperrealism isthat it can be understood by the ordinary layman. It portrays recognizable subjects and one needs no volumes of abstruse theories or explanations to understand and/or enjoy the relevant paintings and sculptures. Obviously. here is “tangible, visible reality in preference to the fluid, unspecific realities of the subconscious mind”. In a way. Pop art and its use of ready-made imagery was a forerunner of Superrealism which also has a connection with Minimal art. The author claims “with Minimalism and Superrealism coolness achieved its full expression.” (The word ‘cool’ was slang for all that was approved.)There is also a reference to a New Realism movement. Amongst the pioneers of Superrealism are mentioned: Malcolm Morley, Audrey Flack, Robert Bechtle. Chuck Close, Richard Estes and John Salt. Next, the book discusses the approaches/techniques of the Superrealist painters such as Richard McLean, Hilo Chen. Noel Mahaffey, Joseph Raffael. Douglas Bond, Paul Staiger. Guy Johnson, Gerard Gasiarowski. David Kessler. John Clem Clarke. Ben Schonzeit. ‘105A Simla House. L.J. Marg, Bombay, 400036. India. Charles Bell, David Parrish and Ron Kleeman. The penultimatechapter of the book is devoted to the vital role of the camera as the tool in Superrealism and how the various practisingartists use/exploit/adapt it in their work. The last chapter...