07 Apr

Posted at 17:16h in Letters + Documents

London: Institute of Contemporary Arts, 7th April 1988
An original vintage xerox 30 x 21cm, 1pp of a letter from James Lingwood to Monsieur de Lacoste.
A delivered after a delegation met with Monsieur de Lacoste, the Minister Consular at the London French Embassy to discuss the cancellation of Finlay's Versailles Garden Commission asking that he communicate the substance of the delegations argument to the Ministry of Culture. He goes on to point out that "unsubstantiated allegation should never take precedence over considered debate".
"We were mindful that your response to us was of necessity professional rather than persona, and thank you again for your consideration. Had the artists been afforded similar consideration prior to any public announcement, this alarming and disappointing sequence of events may never have occurred."

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05 Apr

Posted at 09:08h in Letters + Documents

London: Gavin Stamp, 5h April 1988
An original vintage xerox 30 x 21cm, 1pp of a letter from Gavin Stamp, the writer, television presenter and architectural historian, to the French Ambassador to Great Britain.
Stamp expresses his dismay at the cancellation of the Versailles commission by the French Government "apparently for political reasons".
He goes on to say" that an artist investigates the meanings and ambiguities of symbols does not mean that he embraces them. An Anyone who studies Finlay soon realises that the idea that he is a Nazi sypathizer (sic) is preposterous."
"Unfortunately, because he has sometime explored the meaning of Classicism under the Third Reich - as have others, anxious to exorcise the traumas of this century - he has been smeared by lesser, and ignorant men."
"Finlay's project for Versailles demonstrates peculiar sympathy with the Classical tradition of France and understanding of the French Revolutionary period. It deserves to be executed."
Finlay and his wife sought help from friends during the dispute caused by Millet's accusations of anti=-Semitism and this is an example of one of the letters sent on their behalf - this being a particularly powerful defence of the aesthetics of Finlay. it did sadly not change the French Government's mind and the cancellation of the commission stood.
Copied at the time by Finlay to distribute to friends and press as a source of information. VG although some rippling of the paper.

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22 Dec

Posted at 21:30h in Letters + Documents

Little Sparta: Finlay, 22nd December 1986
An original vintage xerox 30 x 21cm, 1pp with a round robin letter from Finlay to all of the Saint-Just Vigilantes explaining the the Consumer Protection Department has begun an investigation of "Follies: a National Trust Guide" by Headley and Meulenkamp and published by Jonathan Cape. Finlay asks if his supporters can write to the CPD with letters explaining why Little Sparta is not a Folly and why it should not be included in such a guide. Finlay hopes the investigation may lead to the withdrawal of the Follies book. The letter ends with one of Finlay's "detached sentences on the National Trust":
"One cannot preserve the meaning of a building by preserving the building alone."

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21 Apr

Posted at 22:02h in Letters + Documents

Little Sparta: Finlay, n.d. (1986)
Standard hand addressed DL manilla postal envelope notable for many red and blue rubber stamp impression added by Finlay to the front and the back. Sent as a gift to the editor of Art Monthly, Peter Townsend (not the musician). JOINT: 15 x 21cm, black ink on paper - with a handwritten note to Townsend: "A little medley of "insulting" war stamps. Evidently authoritarians are people of very delicate sensibilities and very little capacity to read and think.". VG.
JOINT:
A standard mailing envelope hand addressed to The Editor Art Monthly by Finlay and rubber stamped with "The peopole has a right to rigorous bureaucracy.". Opened neatly.

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24 Dec

Posted at 09:55h in Letters + Documents

Little Sparta: Finlay, 1985
Standard C5 white postal envelope to Christopher Barker - the franking cannot be read but probably December 1985. Notable for the red rubber stamp impression added by Finlay to the front: "STRATHCLYDE REGION HAS ABOLISHED LANGUAGE - ABOLISH STRATHCLYDE REGION". Return address stamping on back. A little roughly opened and slightly grubby. .

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17 Dec

Posted at 09:41h in Letters + Documents

30 x 21cm, hand typed letter on printed letterhead paper.
A letter sent by Finlay to Christopher Barker containing two original "1 one-line poems". These were sent to be included in an anthology of poetry and photographs edited by the latter.
The first is thus:

Classical Warfare
The capital fell to an enemy column

which is a wonderful joke based on the parts of Greek columns as well as a cold statement about defeat in war.
The second is:

CLassical biography
No man is a hero to his valley.

Both are from "Monostichs de la Guerre de Petite-Sparta" a publication we have not yet seen under that title (which references the Littlle Spara Wars).
The letter is signed in black in at the bottom by Finlay in full.
The stationery as ever with Finlay is amusing in itself - the text under the address reads "Neo-classical Flutings, Columns & Small Arms,/Groves & Emplacements, Sacred & Profane" in red. At the bottom there is a quote from Tibullus about the efforts of bees.
An important and document with perhaps unique content.

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17 Dec

Posted at 04:53h in Letters + Documents

30 x 21cm, hand typed letter on printed letterhead paper.
A letter sent by Finlay to Christopher Barker dated 17.12.85
The letter notes the enclosure of a contribution from Finlay to an anthology - the actual enclosure is to be found here in this section. This letter notes that an alternative offering might be made if Barker asks but Finlay would prefer those. Finlay clearly knows Barker as he note the enclosure also of a "very small Christmas Box, of a neoclassical nature, for your Mother."
The letter is signed in full in black ink with a PS "that underlined words in the manuscript are to be italicised".
The same stationery design as used in the contribution is here but printed in green.

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26 Nov

Posted at 09:33h in Letters + Documents

30 x 21cm, hand typed letter on printed letterhead paper.
A letter sent by Finlay to Christopher Barker dated 26.11.85
The letter agrees to the poet's photograph to be taken by Barker for a book in response to the latter's letter (see below) asking for a session. Finlay as ever is funny - he claims that "Like Plotinus I hate to be photographed" and that "I don't expect it will take any longer than having a tooth pulled."
Signed in full in black ink by Finlay at the end.

JOINT WITH:
Original typed letter (unsigned) from Christopher Barker to Finlay dated 6.11.85 requesting to be allowed to visit Little Sparta and so to include Finlay in a book of photographs of British poets planned for publication and asking for one poem to also be included in the book. Blue printed stationery.

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02 Jun

Posted at 18:09h in Letters + Documents

Little Sparta: s.p (Finlay), n.d. (c. 1985) 30 x 21cm, 1pp offset sheet with a text by Finlay regarding a proposed "Free Arts scheme": essentially a method by which potential buyers of art can make regular advance payments to a bank account. The proposal did not take place. Staple top left is a little rusty and the additional pages to which it was originally attached (a xerox of a letter to Christopher Macintosh) is catalogued separately here as the two documents were not related. VG+....

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