Richard Demarco

Richard Demarco is an important figure in the arts of the 20th century and such he remains also in 21th century.
The one of his biggest contributions is creating dialogue between Art Worlds of the East and West Europe at the time of Iron curtain.
His legacy for the future is The Demarco Archives - '... more than 250,000 photographs and many more thousand documents and other printed items, books and artworks.
The archives are a unique visual record of Richard Demarco’s career from the late 1950s to 2006. They contain material of international range and significance, and include his interactions and collaborations with some of the foremost artists of the time and his important work with Eastern European artists' 
(http://www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad/research/researchprojectscentresandgroups/thedemarcoarchives/).

Meeting Richard Demarco at Craigcrook Castle

Here are some quotations and notes which describe Richard Demarco and his values and aspirations.

'The essence of Demarco's interactions with artists (and their audiences) has always been one-to-one, face-to-face, discursive and conversational.' (Euan McArthur and Arthur Watson).

'The aphorism "Art begins in the meeting of friends," with its implications both social and of constant new beginnings, has often been associated with him. At the same time, as an artist himself, he is perfectly well aware of the artist's need to be closeted in their own space, in the silence of the studio.' (Euan McArthur and Arthur Watson).

'...Demarco's broad-church outlook. He has always been open and responsive to what comes to him and pluralistic in what he supports.'(Euan McArthur and Arthur Watson).

'"The Road to Meikle Seggie" lies at the conceptual heart of Demarco's artistic practise. As well as signifying  a personal life-journey, it also symbolises the many journeys of exploration and discovery he has undertaken, in the company of fellow "artist-explorers".'(Steve Robb).

'Richard Demarco as event photographer: catalyst, participant, observer'(Euan McArthur)

Notes from meeting with Richard Demarco at Craigcrook Castle:

* What is important for him: the way in which the roofline touches the sky; spaces in between buildings; unexpected and secret spaces; art and education.  
* He likes: inside space linked with outside; presence of nature; presence of history; roughness of surfaces; variety of experiences; Louisiana galleries;

 Louisiana galleries

* He dislikes: commercialisation of ART; 'white space' - white, plain and sterile; 

There are many artists whose art has become known in UK thanks to Demarco. I want to focus on three of them and create spaces for their art in my project. 

Magdalena Abakanowicz is Polish sculptor well known by her tactile, intuitive, and personal art. 

ZYK, cycle War games

 King's Arthur Court 

Joseph Beuys was a German Fluxus, Happening and performance artist as well as a sculptor, installation artist, graphic artist, art theorist and pedagogue of art.

"I Like America and America Likes Me" (performance, 1974)

 7000 Oaks – City Forestation Instead of City Administration, Kassel, Germany, 1982

“I think the tree is an element of regeneration which in itself is a concept of time. The oak is especially so because it is a slowly growing tree with a kind of really solid heart wood. It has always been a form of sculpture, a symbol for this planet ever since the Druids, who are called after the oak. Druid means oak. They used their oaks to define their holy places. I can see such a use for the future.... The tree planting enterprise provides a very simple but radical possibility for this when we start with the seven thousand oaks.” (Joseph Beuys in conversation with Richard Demarco, 1982)

The Pack, 1969 

Sculpture Tall Talk is one of rare Rory McEwen's sculptures.