Neal White: The Third Campaign

Cinema 2, vitrine and The Mall

16^th June 4.00 – 5.45 pm

The Third Campaign, Neal Whites commission from the Henry Moore

Institute resulted in him producing another box of material for

their archive. Not by spurious object production, but by active

engagement with the items already existing and a reactivation of

Jacob Epstein’s ‘Thirty year War’ over the vandalism of his work

on 429, Strand, WC2.

On show at the ICA as part of I.D.E.A.London will be the film,

material from the archive and the ‘action’ of the campaign.

Visitors will be given maps to fine their way from the ICA to

Zimbabwe House at 429, Strand.

Less interested in the historical aspect of the work, as to

reinstate the sculptures is not only against English Heritage

guidelines, but would erase a rich vein of altercation over

art in the public domain. White has been invited to re-present

‘The Third Campaign’ as part of I.D.E.A.London in order to

question the contemporary situation of public art practice

and commissioning. Three minutes walk from the infamous Fourth

Plinth, White’s action highlights with a melancholic lucidity

the incongruities that surround public reception of art.

A brief history of 429, Strand, London, WC2

1908: Epstein was commissioned by Charles Holden, Architect for

the British Medical Association (BMA) to produce sculptures for

the façade of the BMA headquarters on the Strand. The sculptures,

consisting of 18 human figures caused scandal and much public

furore when they were unveiled. However Epstein was allowed to

finish the series and the complete set was installed on the

building.

1935: the South Rhodesian Government purchased the building

and the high commission took the chance, when a piece of stone

fell from the building, to make the sculptures ‘safe.’  This

involved the removal of all protruding limbs and heads, and

the effective vandalism of all 18 sculptures.

For the thirty years following this Epstein campaigned for the

removal or reparation of the sculptures. Yet they remain

vandalised and in public view as a strong reminder of the

bureaucracies that shape art in the public realm.

Neal White is an artist and Senior Lecturer in Critical Practices

(Applied Critical Theory - Post Graduate MA) at Ravensboune College

of Design and Communication, and Creative Digital Lecturer at

Bournemouth Media School, Bournemouth University. His practice

is concerned with establishing a critical dialogue that places

aesthetics and artistic production at the centre of an overtly

technologised and increasingly hyper-rationalised culture of

knowledge and endeavour.

“All I can say is the privileged role of the artist, as perceived

and initiated by artists such as John Latham and Barbera Steveni

and the Artist Placement Group, makes it possible to stand in the

wrong place as the only thing to do. The artefacts, events and

processes that aestheticise this role are part of an irrational

methodology that gives the artist access to other forms of privilege.

In assuming this role, the artist can then act as focus for models and

approaches of all other artists, all other bodies, all other interests.

The artist role of privileged interventionist did not end it simply

changed its cloak of privileges.”

Neal White, 2005

I.D.E.A.London would like to thank The Henry Moore Institute for

their support of this presentation. The Third Campaign was commissioned

by the Henry Moore Institute in 2004 and presented in Leeds City Art

Gallery, January – March 2005.

For more information please see:

The Third Campaign