02 Mar

Posted at 20:02h in Letters + Documents

30 x 21cm, 1pp original carbon copy on typing paper.
A copy of a letter sent by Finlay to the J. N. Young, Assistant Director of Finance for Strathclyde Region.
The letter informs Mr Young that much like the way Strathclyde Region had demanded proof of ownership of any works taken from Little Sparta if they were to be returned on the basis that they were not entirely Finlay's property, that he, Finlay, will now apply the same logic to "any of your property" should he "happen to find himself in possession of it.".
Finlay then wrote "Some might think that the Region has not only engaged in theft but is proposing a kind of Instant Abolition of all Property - no doubt an enlightened policy but is it one which is to be expected from Stalinist Populists?"
A hilarious letter with copies sent to most members of the Saint-Just Vigilantes.

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20 Feb

Posted at 15:13h in Artist's Books

Dunsyre/Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, (1983)
7.8 x 8.2cm outer folder content of eight 7.8 x 8.2cmm 1pp cards. Each of seven cards (the eighth is a colophon) suggests single word changes to lines from Ovid's Metamorphoses to alter the meaning of the line and a drawing by Gary Hincks. As often Finlay enjoys the effects of minimal changes to cause maximum effect. Arguably a colleciton of artist's postcards but the cards could not stand alone so we agree this is categorised as an artist's book. VG+

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06 Feb

Posted at 11:16h in Letters + Documents

Littel Sparta: Finlay, 6th February 1983
30 x 21cm, original xerox copy of a statement quoting the text of a telegram sent by Ian Hamilton Finlay to the Chief Executive of Strathclyde Region. The text reads:
LITTLE SPARTA 6 2 83 1400 HOURS STOP LITTLE SPARTA ACKNOWLEDGES MESSAGES OF SUPPORT RECEIVED DURING FRIDAY'S SUCCESSFUL BATTLE INCLUDING TELEGRAMS FROM LONDON PARIS BERLIN STOP LS OFFERS IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL DEFENCES IN EXCHANGE DISCUSSIONS WITH STRATHCLYDE REGION STOP LS ALLOWS DISCUSSIONS TAKE PLACE UNDER TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT BETWEEN LS SR AND SAC STOP.

A proposal for the Scottish Arts Council to help mediate a solution to the dispute between the Region and FInlay. Later Finlay would feel the SAC had betrayed him (and art) by refusing to take a stance.
A the bottom of this leaflet is the text "FERME ORNEE ARMOURED TANK" and a rare (reproduced) drawing by Finlay of a haystack with a stick protruding from it (to look like a tank).

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04 Feb

Posted at 10:58h in Letters + Documents

Little Sparta: Finlay, 4th February 1983
An original vintage xerox 30 x 21cm, 1pp campaign leaflet handed out by the Saint-Just Vigilantes during protests against the Warrant Sale of works taken from Finlay's Temple by Strathclyde region. Facsimile of Finlay's handwriting the text "despises that entertainment industry known as The Arts, all silent and absent, acquiescent art critics, all collaborating artists (Houston, Moffat, Morgan, etc) NEW NUREMBERGS AWAIT THEM, all unbureaucratic bureaucrats and their eccentric last stands on horrible Stalinist principles."
"Little Sparta supports: the right to live under present laws, the right to remain within Great Britain, the right to act in the light (and shade) of traditional Europe."
LITTLE SPARTA: AN IMAGINARY GARDEN WITH REAL POLICE"

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29 Jan

Posted at 20:39h in Prints + Posters

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorn Press, 1983
22.2 x 20cm, full colour offset lithograph showing what purports to be a secret cachet between the members of the Saint)Just Vigilantes (the support group who helped Finlay resist the attempts by Strathclyde Region to seize artworks by Finlay in lieu of what they claimed was unpaid rates for the Temple at Little Sparta). The supposed message cannot be seen as the paper itself has a camouflage pattern. (In this joke Finlay preempts a current common internet meme that camouflage makes things invisible, but we digress.) A very good + example which does not have any lemon juice or any other secret message added to it as far as we know.

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24 Jan

Posted at 16:52h in Page Works & Contributions

Noordwijk: MW Press 28, January 1983
38 x 28cm, 20pp. Artist's journal in the form of a tabloid newspaper which here has an 8pp contribution by Finlay in Nicolas Sloan's facsimile handwriting. Also has "an illustrated history of the Little Sparta Wars" along with a "diary" and reproductions of two letters. The paper is fragile due to being very cheap and is unavoidable browned. Folded for storage. Very scarce.

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03 Jan

Posted at 14:20h in Artist's Postcards

Little Sparta: Wild Hawthorne Press, 1983 20.3 x 15.5cm, 2pp artist designed postcard issued during the Little Sparta War - with on the reverse the announcement that the "GARDEN & the GARDEN TEMPLE are CLOSED" for the year of 1983 because of the "ASSAULT by Strathclyde Region". The card also notes that "NO-ONE CAN LEAVE THE ARMY EXCEPT AT THE END OF A WAR". VG+. Scarce....

05 Dec

Posted at 19:00h in Letters + Documents

30 x 21cm, 1pp original carbon copy on typing paper. A copy of a letter sent by Finlay to the publishing house Thames and Hudson.
Finlay claims that Thames and Hudson consider him to be anti-semite. He identifies this having arisen from Finlay submitting a book on Albert Speer's Spandau garden for publication. Finlay claims the publisher's stance is because of their "anti-Speerism" and Finlay says that recently deceased Albert Speer was a "dear friend". Finlay then posits a long and detailed argument that the publishers had entered the debate by stressing their jewishness when he had not. Finlay then attacks specifically Nikos Stangos who was an employee of T&H. Finlay claims he was initially enthusiastic about the Speer book then changed his mind suddenly. He is charged with acting unprofessionally and altering his position only after T&H rejected Finlay publicly.
Finally Finlay threatens legal action.
This is a difficult letter as Finlay's argument is a sophisticated one - on the surface attacking jewishness is evidence of being anti-semite but Finlay argues he only raised T&H jewish roots after they brought the public's attention to it and therefore it was an area of debate that was legitimate. The letter is borderline sophistry - it is clear that Finlay was not anti-semitic or nazi - but his willingness to defend people near to the National Socialist Party like Speer opened him up to attack. Some of those attacks were very biased and unfair (one can see deliberate misrepresentation in Catherine Millet for instance) but it is perhaps understandable how some might misunderstand Finlay's position.

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04 Nov

Posted at 18:54h in Letters + Documents

25 x 20cm, original carbon copy on typing paper. A letter sent by Finlay to members of the press "drawing their attention to the third and fifth paragraphs of the enclosed letter" .
This was the covering letter that accompanied a xerox letter from the Director of the Kroller Muller Museum in the Netherlands which gave support to Finlay (see separate listing in this section of the collection). Finlay points out that if an "poet has a Sacred Grove in Holland, the Region can 'take at face value his assertion that his garden temple is a spiritual building.'"
Finlay also quotes Priscus of Panium's History of His Own Times on the moral legitimacy of constitutions.

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03 Nov

Posted at 11:07h in Letters + Documents

Little Sparta: Finlay, franked: November 1982)
Standard hand addressed DL manilla postal envelope to Harry Warschauer. Notable for the black rubber stamp impression added by Finlay to the front: "STRATHCLYDE REGION FOR NACHT UND NEBEL" and cinderella stamp showing Joseph Stalin and the words "Strathclyde Region". The mailing process has franked the cinderella stamp! . Return address stamping on back. Slightly roughly opened.

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02 Nov

Posted at 18:42h in Letters + Documents

Little Sparta: Finlay, 1982
30 x 21cm, 2pp vintage xerox copy (on yellow paper) of a letter sent by Finlay to the then Minister of the Arts.
As often from Finlay bitterly biting letter to the Minister firstly complaining that he did not reply to letters. FInlay complains that the legally instituted Scottish Arts Council refuse to advise Strathclyde Region whether Finlay's disputed building is a temple or not.
Finlay notes that the SAC suggested that a committee should perhaps run Little Sparta rather than Finlay - Finlay in turn here suggests that "We, for our part, are entirely willing to declare ourselves a committee and run the SAC."
Finlay says that he does not expect a response to this letter but just wants to put on record his opposition to a proposed meeting between the region and the SAC. He also noted that the SAC refuses to talk to him unless through a solicitor because he had previously complained to the Arts Minister about their behaviour.
Finally Finlay writes: "The state is one of total stupidity and total complacency. The need is for a Revolution."
A copy of the original circulated to friends for the purpose of information as was Finlay's habit at this time.

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