IVOLUME LXXXVI NUMBER 29 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA Dates which might beofinterest:FRIDAY 24 MAY 19851 The Untold Story by Diana Foss Art, and the gallery again started The Baxter Art Gallery is clos­ presenting shows, mainly of con­ ing, by order of President Marvin temporary art, "art in the present L. Goldberger. Although the tense," as Michael Smith put it. discovery ofthis news last summer In 1981 the new head ofH&SS, engendered much student interest Roger Noll, decided to expand the in efforts to save the gallery, and oversight committe into a twelve while there already is strong stu­ member Board of Governors, Ol) dent interest in the gallery itself, which would include a represen- ~ not many students are aware ofthe tative from the Pasadena communi- U • c: long history of art exhibitions at ty and one from the professIOnal art ~ Caltech. In 1967, three members community, as well as the three 1; of the Faculty Committee on In­ members from the Art Alliance and ~ stitute Assemblies and Programs, faculty members. David Smith, ~ David Smith, Oscar Mandel, and who by this time had recovered I Kent Clark, the chairman, decid­ enough to become involved with PART OF THE SCENE AT THE OPENING OF BAXART'S LAST SHOW, ed that "Institute Programs" need the gallery again, was appointed not be confined to music and public chairman. This new Board of speaking at Beckman Auditorium, Governors wanted to change the but could also include art exhibi­ direction BaxArt was going. In­ BaxArt Gets Enough tions. Dr. Smith was running a stead of the purely contemporary small program in Dabney Lounge, art that Baxter Art Gallery was exhibiting pieces which were hung showing, they wanted to present on the west wall, beneath the more "intellectualized shows," Space, Finally balcony, and they decided to ex­ shows that would have more ofan pand this program. Dr. Clark educational purpose, as well as by Matt Rowe ate simply astounded at how posedly opposing sensibilities. found an artist at Claremont, and their purely aesthetic value. None of the over one hundred breathtakingly beautiful outer Similarly, the images returned this man organized a sculpture In 1981, Roger Noll got the go­ photographs that now fill Baxter space is. Presumably, we can be by the Mariner, Voyager, and show in Dabney gardens. There ahead from the administration to Art Gallery was taken by a human both Techers and humans, and can other missions could either be fan­ was favorable response to this, and raise money for a new building. A being. None could have been. Bax- appreciate "25 Years of Space tastic other worlds or a simple so Dr. Clark approached the Domi­ main reason for the desire for a Art's current-and final- Photography" both scientifically scientific record of what real nion Foundation, now part of the more centrallo,ation was the fact exhibition is "25 Years of Space and aesthetically. worlds look like. In this case, Mellon Foundation, for "seed that student attendance at exhibi­ Photography," an impressive array The exhibit is also important in though, the scientific view is more money" to begin a more ambitious tions had gone down significantly of visual evidence ofJPL's long in- an historical sense. The earliest thought-provoking. As Christopher program of art at Caltech. when the gallery was moved from volvement with the American photographs in the show-from the Knight observes in his catalog easily accessible Dabney Lounge to space program. Ranger series of missions to the essay: The Mellon Foundation provid­ the basement of Baxter. With this There are two ways to approach moon-were transmitted from I am looking at a computer com­ ed money for a two-part program. in mind, the Board of Governors this show. On one hand, as space in a form no more elaborate posite of four Voyager I There would be studio art for the began interviewing for a new members of the Caltech communi- than a television signal. These pic­ .photographs of a portion of students to participate in, and a gallery director, the position hav­ ty, we are interested in such exten- tures are noticeably crude in their ··Satur.n and its famous program ofexhibitions on campus. ingchanged dramatically from that sive and varied records of an im- lack of detail-in a manner which rings . ... What gives this par­ Dr. Smith built a "portable for which Michael Smith was portant scientific endeavor. On the later can be reassuring. The most ticular picture . ..its freakish and gallery" which transformed hired. Jay Belloli was hired with other hand, as human beings, we n!cent images, from spacecraft incomparable quality of Dabney Lounge into a space such as the Infrared Astronomical strangeness is not com­ suitable for viewing art, and put on Satellite (lRAS), are in brilliant plicated. ... This photograph a show for three weeks out ofevery color and tremendous detail, and, repeats to me incessantly that I term. This went on from early in some cases, cover an entire wall. will never see Saturn and its 1969 to late 1970. Baxter was That scenery this beautiful occurs famous rings. finished in late 1971, and the naturally in space-that a Whether or not these places are gallery moved there along with the photograph could be so wonderful real, we will always find ourselves Humanities Department. with no human help in its having to imagine them, while a About this time, the money creation-is faintly frightening. computer travels through space to from the Mellon Foundation ran Much ofthe exhibit seems too good provide a truthful account. out. Virginia Steele Scott, who had to be true. The most breathtaking also been contributing to the Ofcourse, "25 Years ofSpace photographs in the show are those 'gallery, nowbecame almost its sole Photography" is not simply a ran­ few of the skies themselves, means of support. From 1971 to dom selection of images from the through the eyes ofIRAS. In these 1976, there were two shows a term thousands upon thousands JPL has pictures, everything is false color; at the Baxter Art Gallery, including collected and processed. These a red spot on the print might in important exhibitions of West particular views were often chosen reality not be visible to the human African art, lithography, Asian art, with particular attention to their eye at all. We cannot even guess and pieces from Scott's Knoll beauty. In some cases-such as the at the subject until we read the House Collection. David Smith ran IRAS views-the prints in BaxArt identifiation card; for all we know, the gallery at this point (as well as are enhanced with false color. No these are the products of a new serving as Master of Student doubt the colors were chosen with wave of photographic abstraction. [Houses), and he really strove to some aesthetic in mind. In a way, that makes sense. make BaxArt serve an educational Throughout the gallery, too, Unlike the pictures of moons and 'purpose, as befits a university photographs are hung upside-down planets that make up the bulk ofthe 'gallery. One out ofevery six shows and sideways. A moment's in­ show, the IRAS photos present had to do with art in science or art vestigation'shows why: they simply views no human could ever see, and technology. One out of every look better that way. After all, this even if he were to ride in a six were exhibitions of "traditional is an art gallery. spaceship. IRAS is an innocent art, " and another one out ofevery The contents of the show may bystander: the artist is the universe six showcased art from traditions VIKING LANDER COllECTS SOIL SAMPLES, be divided into three parts: images itself. It is fitting, then, that these '!other than Western culture. But of Earth; images of other planets; photos are the most pleasant in the iwhen Virginia Steele Scott died, the understanding that he would be began talking to firms about the " and images ofthe heavens. The im­ collection. the money dried up. At this point, the director of a gallery that was project, and then one firm mailed ages of Earth are generally the Viewing the entire show at once Dr. Smith was also dried up, and moving to its own building.Mr. a contract to the administration. most recent, from SeaSat and SIR­ is almost dangerous: after 140 of he resigned as head of the gallery. Belloli had had much experience in This caused some concern; the ad­ A and SIR-B. False color is used these images, the outside world Robert Rosenstone took over as both fund raising and in curatorial ministration accused the Board of in these to differentiate between begins to look strange and interim director and put on one positions at large museums, and he Governors of signing contracts, geographic features: towns are mysterious, too. Taking the show show, but a long term solution had was really quite a catch for when in fact, the reason the con­ green, vegetation is red, rough is one step at a time-allowing to be found. Robert Huttenback, at Caltech. In addition, Jay Belloli tract was sent seemed to be a case blue, and so on. These are, of yourself to become familiar with that time Chairman of Humanities was to teach Art History at ofover-eagerness on the part ofthe course, hardly natural colors, and just a few photographs each and Social Sciences, wanted to Caltech, and to get more students company. THe administration told the effect is eerie. One can either time-is far more rewarding. Once keep the gallery going, and he involved with the gallery by both the Board to "slow down," that crowd up against these pictures, you go to ' '25 Years of Space received a great deal of support creating interest in art in general Caltech'was about to begin a fund­ trying to make some sense out of Photography" for your first time, from President Harold Brown.