Three Books from Pergamon

84 Books-Livres Aprts avoir note combien l’apparition de nouveaux mattriaux aura ouvert des voies nouvelles i des artistes comme Pevsner ou Gabo, l’auteur prtsente les grandes familles de matikres plastiques utilisables par les artistes: rtsines thermoplastiques (polystyrkne,rksinesacryliques,cellulosiques,vinyle) rtsines thermoformables (rksines phtnoliques, silicones . . .). Les mtthodes de mise en ceuvre pour ces difftrents groupes sont tvoqutes. Puis chaque type de mattriau est prtsentt dans un chapitre thtorique. L’auteur donne ensuite des exemples trks prtcis de rtalisation, montrant pas a pas, l’aide de photographies en noir et blanc ou couleur, comment des artistes contemporains ont rtalist leurs ceuvres. Cette mtthodea le grand inttrCt de dtmystifier les difficultts techniques, mais aussi d’initier a un trks grand nombre de mtthodes de fabrications: moulage, pressage, laminage, collage, formage a chaud, tissus armks etc. .. . Enfin l’auteur donne des indications sur le problkme complexe de la pigmentation, et la coloration de ces matkriaux. Dans une dernikre partie, il suggkre d’autres possibilitts d’actions,toutes fondCessur desexptrimentations dtja rtalistes (Robert Howard, Jonathan Bachelor, Saint-Maur, Franck Gallo, Gtrard Singer, Piotr Kowalsky . ..). Bien qu’kditt aux Etats-Unis, cet ouvrage sera d’une grande utilitt aux artistes EuropCens. Le nom des mattriaux de base est trks souvent international, et tous les produits indiquts existent dans le commerce . L’artiste familiarist avec ces nouvelles techniques abordera les techniciens avec beaucoup plus de facilitt et d’efficacitt. Citons enfin deux ouvrages pouvant Ctre consult & avec profit : Annuaire oficiel des matikres plastiques (20 &meedition) E. Gossot,Les matikres plastiques (Paris:Dunod, 1968). Xavier de la Salle 8 rue du Commandant R. Mouchotte, Paris 14, France. Paris: Creationseditions publicitaires,1968). BIBLIOGRAPHIE 1. J. Guimpel,Contre I’nrt et les artistes (Paris:Edition du Seuil, 1968). 2. Education de la vision, sons la directionde Gyorgy Kepes(Bruxelles:BibliothkquedeSynthese,Edition de Connaissance, 1967). A Counter Report on Art Patronage. David Castillejo. L. S. & P., 26 Old Brompton Road, London, S.W.7, 1968. 61 pp. This book is a passionate cry for help. Help for genuine creative artists with talent but without money or patrons, to start i n a career in music, drama, writing or the visual arts. The author has tried unsuccessfully to help unknown artists. His case histories in the world of painting I know to be authentic and the obstacles in other fields seem no less daunting. His targets are the commercial concert promoters, publishers, theatre managements, art galleries, and local authorities and the Arts Council. His theme is that all these groups are concerned only with the entertainment end of an art product and not with the means by which that product arrives. Their resources are largely devoted to old masters rather than to new ones. How is new talent to be found? Mr. Castillejo believes that artists are quicker to recognize potential worth than critics or readers, and history confirms this. He suggests that wealthy industrial groups be persuaded to finance art councils to be run by artists, to which unknown artists would have easy accessand from which they would get generous help. He calls it a wild scheme; he is probably right. His protests are more moving than his solutions. This book needed to be written and should be read, to underline the plight of unknown creative artists in England and to beg a welfare state to help its artists to provide new fare for its people. Daphne Chart THREE BOOKS FROM PERGAMON Daphne Chart* Art and Human Experience. Pamela Rydzewski, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1967. 208 pp., illus., flexicover 21s., $2.95; hard cover ~OS., $5.50. The author intends this text as a condensed historical background to a series of lectures for art lovers. It is clear, concise and factual about the history and social conditions surrounding all the main phases of creative art, from cave painting to modern European painting and sculpture. This is a lot to attempt in so small a book, particularly as she also includes aesthetic judgments which are sometimes arbitrary and even oldfashioned , as in the analysis of good and bad composition on pages 13 and 14. The social, racial and political factors that make up an environment, in which an important art flourishes...