Shirey, David L. “Art: Rutgers Offering A Provocative Show,”

The New York Times, N.J. Edition. 10 Dec. 1978. New Brunswick.

 

One of the major faults of much contemporary at is that it is so painfully boring. Some obsessed artists tend to repeat themselves ad nauseum, while others who are not overly innovative, merely simulate the work of others

 

One criticism that cannot be leveled against the current exhibition at the Rutgers University Art Gallery – the display was organized by the curator, Jeffrey Wechsler –

is that it is boring, On the contrary, it is rousingly provocative.

 

We may not like it, we may not loath it. We might find it awesomely mystifying puzzling. And we might become so intrigued with it that we will discover its freshness and imaginative differences.

 

On view are the works, all fascinating, of there young artists.

 

It is difficult to make generalizations about contemporary art on the basis of the contributions of these artists, Pat Adams, Robert Graham and Norman Tuck. However, they are examples of a strong independence among certain young artists.

 

These three are individuals involved in highly different esthetic approaches. They are not followers, but pathfinders spearheading their own personal styles.

 

One of the most personal, as well as one of the most excitingly controversial, is Mr. Tuck. He is a constructivist, and his constructions might be seen by some as amusing contraptions and by others as fancifully glorious self-styled machines.

 

The works initially attract attention for their size. One is 11 by 17 by 11 feet; another I 11 by 2 by 4 ½ feet.

 

Mr. Tuck is at home with a variety of materials, but my favorites are the wood pieces. One work, noncommittally called “Hanging Piece,” is a blockbuster of ingenuity. It might be likened to a spaceship of unknown origin, or the lattice-work arrangement of its slats might suggest Mississippi riverboat paddlewheels or early airplane propellors.

 

The work, like another construction called “Screw Piece,” is beautifully crafted, showing off the qualities of wood and joining. But what is most surprising about this construction is that it functions. Its major parts can rotate by means of pulleys.

 

Article continues with other artists…