Sirs:
I think my anger has settled down long enough to try to write a letter concerning a review of mine that in the first place surprised me, as its only about four months since I had the show.
I am not objecting to what was said concerning my paintings as I feel words do not accurately describe paintings. What I am however objecting to is the use of words which have no bearing on the painter or paintings themselves.
Because I live down here in the Monterey Peninsula does this make me a Carmelite? Because I happen to like living here and also because there happens to be a tourist industry here does this mean I also am a Carmelite?
I am trying like a million other painters to be one thing, myself. Furthermore I am trying to experiment; grope is a better word. By your statement I take it the first painting of any show should look like the last, to be good.
Whoever this reviewer you have on your staff is, give him a message for me. Tell him never to use the word Carmelite again concerning me or five or six good serious painters we have down here.
True we are loaded with commercial painters here as in any other place including your fair city, but this does not mean that all are this way.
Tell him to use words which are purely objective and stop trying to be another Herb Caen.
P.S. I sold one painting, so obviously there were not enough to go around.
—Joe Ataide
Pacific Grove, Calif.
Sirs:
What the hell is happening to Artforum? Here you are, not a year old, and already have the look of a combination of the National Geographic and the Quarterly of Art Pedantry. L-O-N-G snores from professors about Gustav Klimt, prissy summations by New York curatorcritics, “informative” textbook yawns about African sculpture in one issue, and now, in the new issue, even l-o-n-g-e-r snores from professors, this time about the fascinating and compelling subject of EASTER ISLAND. Whatever happened to the magazine that used to feature milk bottles on the cover and Hassel Smith calling the Pollocks in the Heller collection “decorator’s junk?”
—Jose Pacheco
Brooklyn, New York
Sirs:
Many, many thanks for the current issue of Artforum(#9). It is a magnificent magazine, and I have passed it on to a number of outstanding art historians in Austria.
—Maurice Feldman
Cultural Public Relations Counsel
Austrian Information Service
New York. N.Y.
Sirs:
My husband and I were very pleased to read your review on “New Directions in Modern Art from South America” in your March issue. This exhibition was sponsored by Industries Kaiser de Argentina of which my husband is President. We have found modern art here a very interesting and worthwhile study. We feel that thru your Artforum Magazine we can now keep up to date on Western contemporary artists’ in the States. We will be looking forward to the next issues.
—Mrs. James McCloud
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sirs:
I’ve been going through the latest copy of Artforum once again and once again admiring the handsome way you’ve presented the Viennese Expressionists. As for using blue to frame the “Green Stocking” on the cover, it’s just beautiful!
—(Miss) Claire Isaacs
Committee For Arts And Lectures
University Of California
Berkeley
Sirs:
I want to complain of the review of the Spanish paintings at San Francisco, State College. (#8) This was a very fine show—more stimulating than any around at the time in the whole town—and I thought it petty of the reviewer to carp about the surroundings. He seemed desperate for something to nag about. The gallery lounge is a handsome place and the free standing method of hanging was a practical solution to the problem of getting as many paintings hung as possible. Actually, to me, it looked rather interesting—more so than paintings lined up bing bing bing in tidy little rows around four tidy walls in places which attract few viewers.
—S. E. Moray
Castro Valley, Calif.
