Tuck in

"Melbourne-based Albert Tucker mythologised the social realities of 1940's. There are psychological portraits, 1950's Parisian vignettes, 1930's Melbourne scenes and Tucker's celebrated Images of Modern Evil cycle in wartime Melbourne". From the S. H. Ervin Gallery program.

Albert Tucker wrote the following to his friends and benefactors - John and Sunday Reed, London - 24th December 1947: "I've been round to most of the good galleries with my stuff and this is a consensus of reactions - Lefevre Gallery (MacDonald), 'We don't like any form of Surrealism or Expressionism. We don't like anything Germanic'. London Art Gallery (Melville), 'Strange, very strange. We have a very full programme. Not the type of stuff we can handle'. Redfern Gallery, 'Wouldn't have expected that from Australia. But I don't think it would sell here. Try two or three in our mixed show next summer'. Mayer of Mayer Galleries (the most direct and intelligent), 'Well that's excellent. Far, far better than I expected. But you won't sell any in this country. Take it to Paris, Brussels - or America - you'll find a market there'. Which voiced the opinion I had been coming to myself. Art here is big business. Highly specialised marketing of a highly specialised product. First thing from Melville down is Will it Sell? Aesthetic appraisal last. Tossed in cynically as though it were something entirely outside the whole process of painting, exhibiting and selling. Come to us with a selling reputation but don't expect us to help you make one. But the main thing for me is that the spirit of my work is outside the English temper".

Well, things haven't changed much in the art world - except that now Tucker and the "club" - Boyd and Nolan - are the artists commanding the big bucks through past reputation and fashion at art galleries throughout Australia, and indeed, worldwide. After visiting the Albert Tucker exhibition, I had come to the conclusion that if this is art, and if it keeps escalating in interest and therefore selling price, the art world is still doomed. Seems that art is truly an individual taste, as the Cultural Attache for Australia (Sir Les Patterson) once pointed out, when asked about his stance on art: "Art? ……. Love it".

The exhibition features a wide selection of Tucker's work, gothic and surreal, using oils, acrylics, watercolour, brush and ink on paper, gouache, pencil, conte crayon and other assorted media. Tucker has quite a few self-portraits in this exhibition, in various styles spanning various stages of his life. Two of the most impressive pieces displayed are his Self Portraits 1983 and 1985. Perhaps by this stage of his life he had settled down a little and discovered nuances of form and rhythm. Other portraits (one ghastly one of a clown) were quite "yukky" - using this term depicts the writer's close association with that of a child, given lots-a-paints and being told by the parent "just have a little play around, daddy will be here to pick us up soon….." A young child, I might add, one step up from finger painting.

"Great Questions of our Time: 4. Will a painting that looks like something from real life ever be called art again?" - THE AGE, 29th December, 1993.

If you were to view this collection of Tucker's work you may think not, and you may well leave the gallery as I did, despondent and wondering why Australian society, at that time, and even now, still embrace these pieces (I include other members of the boys club - the Nolan's, Boyd's and Tucker's) so reverently. Was it fashionable to have our own "home grown" surrealists, no matter what level of talent, to compete with the Miros, the Picassos et all? Reading the letters (displayed on the gallery wall alongside Tucker's work) you can read what Tucker was on about back in his "formative" years. Very interesting too, actually, combined with the selection of gelatin silver photographs of Tucker and his life, depicting various places, times, people, situations and environment. This, alone, is worth the $6 entry fee to see the showing.

One letter reveals the way he related to Nolan as the landscape artist, but how he, himself, was steeped in more "dark and deathly" pursuits. No wonder.

Tucker admits, in a letter to "Sid", that he thought "Pablo" might be a "hard bugger to beat", and how he was bored with Matisse, admitting that "only one of his canvases satisfied" him. Seeing this collection of work, through his life, the photos, the letters - a sort of Tucker time capsule - all I can construe is that Tucker liked the romance of being an artist swanning around Paris, rather than putting the same effort into his work. He writes to Nolan, admitting that "we would fit right in hanging on the walls in the galleries of Paris". Tucker, who seems to be a tad self-obsessed, reveals no feeling for his environment. Other surrealists had draftsmanship to fall back on, however Tucker seems to lack this finesse, or ability to absorb you into his work. Famous, yes, artistic? I think not.

The Tucker/Boyd/Nolan club have dominated Australian art for too long - their paintings are now commodities rather than paintings you would love to have hanging in your home, for the sheer pleasure they would bring. This form of art is an investment, naturally, money in the bank. You only have to take a look at what's happening now, son-of-Boyd, by virtue of his name, also commanding big bucks for what is tantamount to rejects from the Sands Greeting Card collection. Thank heavens I didn't leave the "quest for art - the Sunday day out" at the Tucker exhibition.

I went further on to ArtExpress at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, where there, for all to behold, is work of such energy, such creativity, such hope, such inspiration, such joy to perceive, such faith in the teachings of art teachers and the talent of our young students …. well, a separate review is in order!

Marika Bryant

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TUCKER - AUSTRALIAN GOTHIC:
Selections from the Albert and Barbara Tucker Gift to Heide

Note: This exhibition is not currently showing in Australia as at publication date
(1 January 2007).

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