A COLLECTION OF 18 DIFFERENT NEWSLETTERS AND PROMOTIONAL BROADSIDES FROM THE RICHARD DEMARCO GALLERY – JANUARY 1971 TO JANUARY 1974 INCLUDING THE GALLERY’S JOURNAL “PARASOL”.

Edinburgh: Richard Demarco Gallery, 1971 – 1974
Regularly during its occupation and base at Melville Crescent Demarco’s gallery produced a wide range of materials to promote their activities sometime taking on elements of a regular arts journal.

Here we offer a group of that emphemeral material.

The collection comprises of:

ten publications from the gallery (January 1971 to January 1972 – missing from the complete run are Feb 1971, Oct 1971 and Dec 1971) which are in a calendar format and typically consists of a folded sheet which opens to 45 x 25.5cm and were printed in black and another (ever changing) contrasting colour each month. one issue of UMBRELLA (May 1972) which retains elements of promotional material but also has more extensive articles and b/w images of artist’s and works. It is 48 x 42cm, 4pp (open size) but folded down to be a small DL mailer.

Seven issues of PARASOL – the follow-up to UMBRELLA. Typically opening up to 46 x 36cm, 2pp this again was folded to DL mailer size and was profusely illustrated in b/w.

The February 1973 issue which coincided with Edinburgh Arts 1973 is in a 30 x 21cm, 8pp format and has a lengthy reports of a Demarco guided art tour for Edinburgh’s chattering classes in France, Holland, Austria and Yugoslavia with many small b/w photographs. There is also a preview of the important Edinburgh Arts Summer School.

Notable exhibitions noted herein (usually with a b/w reproduction of a work) are Michael Craig-Martin (Jan 1971), John Berger (May 1971), Alastair Michie (May 1971), Fleur Cowles (July 1971), Hamish Fulton (July 1971) although this has no text nor image but only an empty box and dates, Romanian Art Today (August 1971), Ed Ruscha and Stefan Wewerka (Nov 1971).

The Parasol October 1973 issue is dedicated to the Edinburgh Arts ’73 and opens out to display a massive 293 b/w portraits of participants (all denoted by name or title). Parasol Three (December 1972) has a short article regarding Beuys’ sacking as professor at Dusseldorf Art Academy and an article on Isla St Clair (!).

Parsol Nov/Dec 1973 is Italian art themed and includes Anselmi, Costalona, Patelli and Perusini with b/w images of works and a group shot of the artists all crowded onto a gondala in Venice.

All in all an interesting group of material – many of which are mailed copies retained from the Fluxus artist Robin Crozier’s archive and hand addressed to him by Demarco.

What is clear is the sheer variety of material displayed at the gallery – sometimes it may be fair to say of a trite or not very inspiring nature but when he got it right Demarco got it very right.

All in VG or VG+ condition although some minor tears and the Italian Parasol has some damp foxing marks. Scarce especially in a group.

JOINT WITH

Demarco, Richard
PARASOL EDINBURGH ARTS ’74.
43 x 32cm, 2pp unfolded broadside – a single number of the gallery publication. Articles on Grzegorz Koterski Jeff Pollen and the summer school. Slight edge wear but overall VG+. Scarce.

PRICE IS ALL A GROUP.