4 Years at Coracle Press
Hellmuth Rieck’s painting of Coracle Press
4 Years at Coracle Press 1976 - 1980
Click to enlarge
4 Years at Coracle Press 1976-1980
An exhibition selected by David Brown
Southampton Art Gallery December 31st - January 25th, 1981
Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield March 21 – April 21, 1981
Collins Exhibition Hall, Strathclyde June 15 – July 10, 1981
Leicester Art Gallery and Museums July 25 – August 22, 1981,
Front cover image = painting by Helmuth Rieck of Coracle
First page: Image of white front CORACLE PRESS + CORACLE DRAWING (my drawing)
David Brown’s introduction in the catalogue:
Coracle Press at 233 Camberwell New Road lies in a Georgian terrace on a main road out of London to the south between the Oval and Camberwell Green. It has an Edwardian shop front, was formerly occupied by a milliner, then a butcher, and in recent years, it was used as a furniture storeroom. It opened its doors as a gallery on April 3 1976. Facing south, with a splendid light, Coracle Press is painted a pristine white both outside and within and the tall walls of the gallery are dovered with a thin match-boarding which gives the space ease and elegance. A central feature of the front gallery is a pulpit-like structure acting as a pause on the stairs connecting the front gallery with the back room, the latter serving as an area for the display of books and other publications.
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Coracle Press was founded at the beginning of 1975 by Simon Cutts and Kay Roberts. The paths leading to the opening of a gallery can be many and diverse. Cutts, one-time deck-chair attendant and dustman, worked for a while as a cow-minder and saw-mill hand in Finland while making an extensive voyage of discovery of the music of Debussy and Erik Satie as well as Symbolist poetry. Isolation gave time for serious reading.
In the spring of 1965 Cutts met Stuart Mills, then running the Trent Bookshop in Nottingham, at the time on of the largest poetry bookshops in England, outside London, and together they founded the magazine Tarasque (named after a mythical beast living on the banks of the Rhone, ravaging the surrounding countryside), a critical literary journal lightly sounding a note of sobriety in the over-jubilant atmosphere of the 1960s. This journal was issued between mid 1965 and 1971, running into 12 numbers. Tarasque also published books, by spike Hawkins, Gael Turnbull, Roy Fsher, and Ian Hamilton Finlay, s well as some of the latter’s prints including ‘Acrobats’, ‘Star Steer’ and ‘Sea Poppy 1’ In 1971 Stuart mills and Cutts attempted to put on a permanent exhibition of concrete poetry in a church hall in Laxton, Nottinghamshire but the project proved unrealisable. In 1972 Mills began Aggie Weston’s, a monograph which has now reached 17 issues. Since 1979 it has been published by Coracle Press, but remains under his editorship.
Three years at the Nottingham College of Art from 1969 gave Cutts the opportunity to write, make what are described as poetic objects, which he had started making in 1967, and to learn how to operate the printing press which he and Mills had bought in 1968. Fellow students included Martin Fidler, Stephen Duncalf and Stephen Skidmore, all later exhibited at Coracle.,
After leaving art college, for a time Cutts taught art history at West Bridgford near Nottingham; another lecturer teaching printmaking, was Kay Roberts, who had studies in Birmingham and Leicester Colleges, specialising in /fashion and Textiles. Just over two years later, Simon Cutts and Kay Roberts were to found Coracle Press. Before doing so Cutts printed and published books under his own imprint in 1973 , ‘Simon cuts, 2 Coppice Road, Mosely Birmingham 13’ using the printing press in a second-story room with a shored up floor. The following year saw a move to London to a tiny terraced house off the Old Kent Road, at 50 Brymer Road, where the chief item of furniture on the gorund floor was a huge plan chest; under the stairs the printing press could only be operated by one on a rigorous diet. A search for more space and a place to display work led to the discovery of 233 Camberwell New Road at the end of 1975.
Within 4 months, helped by Brian Lane, the premises were transformed from a dingy store to an inviting gallery.
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Cutts was not a novice at organising exhibitions. His first, in April 1969, My Paintings, your Poems, with objects by Stuart Mills and himself, and minimal paintings by Ian Gardner as well s work by others, was mounted in the Mezzanine Gallery in the offices of the Birmingham Mail and Post. In 1972 came Metaphor and Motif, first at the Midland Group Gallery and later touring, with work by Ian Hamilton Finlay, Ian Gardner, Stuart Mills, Stephen Bann, Oliver Folkard and Cutts himself; this exhibition summarised part of the activities of Tarasque Press. The Weatherhouse and Other Works, an exhibition organised by Cutts at the Midland Group Gallery, in June 1975, was in effect, a dress rehearsal for Coracle Press Gallery.
The first exhibition at Coracle Press in April 1976, was Eleven Pieces, sculpture by Richard Wilson. Since then there have been more then 30 one-man shows intersperced by a few mixed exhibitions, by invited artists, each one on a theme. The first of these, consisting mainly of works made specially for the occasion, was Miniatures, an elastic-term which allowed the inclusion of a water-colour 7 or 8 feet high of feathers and and eggs by Eileen Lawrence. The opening of the show was marked by chamber music played on the street outside the gallery by Jill, Ruth and Leo Phillips and a piano recital by Glynn Boyd Harte of his own compositions and those of Erik Satie. Fo(u)ndlings, works based on found objects, including the unforgettable, uninventable manual (depicting, not decorating), on how to Paint a Boy Scout’s Hat. The most recent is the current On loan exhibition of ‘borrowed art’ lent by artist.
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Besides staging exhibitions, poetry reading and other events, coracle Press has produced a wide variety of exemplary publications, including book, cards and catalogues of exhibitions. Many were printed on the press acquired in 1968, which at one time was operated in the flat on the 16th floor of a tower-block in Nottingham. Sadly the press, greatly used in 1976 and 1977, was to end its useful life in 1978, in the basement of 233 Camberwell New road, when the bearing shattered as a result of the excess pressure needed to print the small cardboard boxes used as a container for the catalogue of the Fo(u)ndlings exhibition. The present exhibition contains a selction of works from most of the one man shows at Coracle Press from April 1976 until the end of March 1980. It includes one or two later works by these artists, a selection from Miniatures and Fo(u)ndlings and a range of Coracle Publications. Simon Cutts has never had a one-man show at the gallery, so I have used a selector’s priviledge to include a small group of his work.
David Brown
November 1980
CORACLE PRESS:
List of Kay Robert’s time helping to produce printed matter and aiding exhibitions.
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1975
Books:
Simon Cutts / Kay Roberts : A Book of Braids
Simon Cutts / Karl Torak : leafmould
David Willetts : Transit of Venus
Simon Cutts : Treacle Sandwich Flagpole
Simon Cutts : Mr G White of Messrs Green & White
Simon Cutts : Pointsettia
Simon Cutts : The Embroidered Topiary
The Weatherhouse and other Works : exhibition & catalogue at Midland Group, Nottingham
Cards:
Stephen Bann : A Venetian and Florentine Annunciation /Tierce de Picadie
Martin Fidler : Winter Topiary / Leopardskin Pillbox Hats / Meringues
Simon Cutts : Homage to Eric Mendelsohn
Invitations:
The Weatherhouse and Other Works
Miscellaneous:
A Coracle 1-12 / broadsheet
The Weatherhouse and Other Works / poster
1976:
Books:
Stephen Duncalf : Good Hoofs
Bernard Lassus : Garden of the Anterior
Stuart Mills : Hedgerow Airport
Cards:
Simon Cutts : Crescent
Invitations:
Richard Wilson : Eleven Pieces
Ian Hamilton Finlay : Prints, cards, books and works from private collections
Kay Roberts : A View Over the Skirting Board
Bernard Lassus : Garden of the Anterior
Martin Rogers : Musical Instruments for Outdoor Use
Tom Phillips : 20 sites ‘n’years and ‘Drawing’
Ian Gardner / Jonathan Williams : Pairidaeza
Miscellaneous ;
Ian Hamilton Finlay : prices for the exhibition
A Coracle 20-24 : broadsheet
1977
Books:
David Willetts : Paintings 1972-1976
Stephen Duncalf : Tunnel
Miniatures : catalogue
Simon Cutts : The Topiarist 3
Simon Cutts : A Letterwrack for an Old Pal
Stuart Mills / Laurie Clark : Twice
Stuart Mills / David Willetts : Christmas Apples
Stephen Duncalf : On Time
Stephen Duncalf : Huts, By-ways, Engines, Orchard
David Prentice : Paintings shown at Coracle Press and the Ibis Gallery during 1977
Daryl Viner : Inside-Outside
Artist’s Blocks / catalogue
Stephen Duncalf : During the Small Hours
Stephen Duncalf : The Dustcover
Invitations;
David Prentice : Paintings
Stephen Duncalf : Footplates and Fishplates
Miniatures : Elizabethan miniature card
Skidmore ‘Double ‘O’ card
Skidmore ‘Double ‘O’ poster
Martin Fidler : Paintings
Stephen Skidmore : Pencil and Watercolour
Karl Torok : Two Gardens
Thomas Meyer / Jonathan Williams : Reading
Dave Morris : Corner Pieces and Wall Works
Diane Slocock : Small Constructions
Morris / Slocock : joint poster
Artist’s Blocks
Miscellaneous:
David Willetts : price list
Stephen Duncalf : price list
Miniatures : price list
Artist’s Blocks : price list
Kenelm Evans : price list
From the Pulpit : announcement
Text for Inside-Outside : broadsheet
A Coracle 26-30 : (two versions)
A Coracle 31
1978
Books :
Richard Wilson : Twelve Pieces
Les Coleman : February
Boyd-Harte/Duncalf/Fidler/Roberts/Willetts/Winkfield : Seven Artists’ Postcards
Fo(u)ndlings : catalogue
Simon Cutts : Monotones
Trevor Winkfield : Analytical Dottiness
David Prentice : Sources and Structure in Painting and Drawing
Stephen Duncalf : City Gardens
Coracle Press in Amsterdam : catalogue
Invitations :
Richard Wilson : Twelve Pieces
Allen Barker : Corrugations
Les Coleman : February
Peter Cartwright : Recent Works
fo(u)ndlings : Artist’s invitation card
David Willetts : New Work
Trevor Winkfield : Analytical Dottiness
Ian Tyson : The Sight of Music
Stephen Duncalf : City Gardens
Coracle Press in Amsterdam
Miscellaneous :
fo(u)ndlings – list of works / hiring form / price list / delivery information
Aggie Weston’s Subscription form 1978
Coracle Press 1976-78 Books Exhibitions
1978 Subscription Form
Les Colman : ‘Chalks’ card
Iasn Tyson : ‘The Sight of Music’ poster
1979
Books:
Thomas Meyer : Aggie Weston’s 14
Simon Cutts : Waddington’s
Martin Rogers : Instruments for Outdoor Use
Martin Fidler : Green Gauge
Jonathan Williams : Portrait Photographs
Arthur Uphill : The Books of Jonathan Williams / Checklist 1952-79
Simon Cutts : Poinsettia 3
Stuart Mills / Stephen Duncalf : Prof Thomas Bodkin and Cezanne
Thomas A Clark : A Ruskin Sketchbook
Leonard McComb : Blossoms and Flowers
John Blakemore : Aggie Weston’s 15
Richard Long : Aggie Weston’s 16
Invitations:
David Roe : Lazy Sculpture
Martin Rogers : Musical Instruments for Outdoor Use
Shelagh Wakely : Two Pieces: Within A Garden / A Memory Exorcised
Martin Fidler : New Paintings
Leonard McComb : Blossoms and Flowers
Thomas A and Laurie Clark : Moschatel Press Books and Cards
Miscellaneous:
Subscription Form 1979
Coracle Press Gallery & Publications 1978-79
Bernard Lassus : ‘Un Air Rose’ print
1980
Books;
Richard Wilson : Twelve Works
Shelagh Wakely : It is so green outside it is difficult to leave the window
Simon Cutts : Pins
Invitations :
Hellmuth Rieck : Paintings
Michael Guy : Sculpture
Tony Hayward : Sculpture
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Richard Wilson : Wind Instruments