THE EAST HAMPTON STAR, EAST HAMPTON, N. JULY 11, 1969 m —THREE

THE STAR TALES TO:

Ibram Lassaw, Springs SculptorA small garden grows outside the

Ibram Lassaw house, a garden nur­tured by peat moss, shavings and manure, and it contains many good things to eat, such as romaine let­tuce, Chinese cabbage, swiss chard, roquette, corn and herbs. “ I think it's starting to thrive,” Mr. Lassaw said the other day. “ It has rich, pure soil in which to grow.”

Was there any significance in the observation that the trees surround­ing the walk to the house resembled some of his sculpture?

“They’re just Bonacker cherries,” Mr. Lassaw said. None had been uprooted when he and his wife, Ernestine, built their one-story cedar house on a meadow off Springs-Fire- place Road in 1954.

Their house, Mr. Lassaw said, was a part of the ecology. "It’s a living part of nature, but it doesn’t dom­inate. It takes its place as an exten­sion of the organism.”

Mr. Lassaw’s studio, which ad­joins his living room, has such things in it as jars of mercuric oxide, copper chloride, sodium hydroxide, oxy-acetylene tanks, welding rods o f brass, phosphur bronze, nickel- silver, copper and so on, a drawing board, many tools, some of which Mr. Lassaw has made himself, books like “Metals Handbook Volume One,” “ Properties And Selection of Metals,” “ Welding Accessories,” studies of Zen Buddhism by D. T. Suzuki and Alan Watts, the Scientific American magazine. Classical music always plays while Mr. Lassaw works.

Work In Yard When the weather is good, he

works in the rear yard, which is enclosed by a wooden fence on one side and on another by a row of tall trees. Whenever he feels like it, he takes off running or walking through a dark pathway in the trees.

He and Mrs. Lassaw began coming out here to visit W ilfrid Zogbaum and Balcomb Greene, in Montauk. Their house they had designed themselves, and Mr. Lassaw built the first room — what is now the main bedroom — months before a local builder com ­pleted the rest of the house.

When it came time to move into the main part of the house, Mr. Lassaw simply cut a doorway at one end o f the room which had previously been their home and voila they were in the hall.

How did he like East Hampton? “Well, it would be almost self- evident,” Mr. Lassaw. said. “The sea and the nice country, yet with New York City near — the art center of the world. It’s a good place to work.”

City RegulationsMany of his friends, Mr. Lassaw

said, had been “ driven out of the city” by the imposition of commercial zoning regulations which made it impossible for the “Loft Society” artists to continue living in their large lofts which they had at one time rented for a small amount of money.

It seems paradoxical to Mr. Las­saw that “ artists are considered as an ornament by society. It honors its artists — de Kooning was given the Freedom Award, you know — but when it comes to regulations, society makes it hard for the artists who like to live with their work. An artist doesn’t travel from his home to his office; he is surrounded by his work . . . the artist’s way of living is not recognized.”

Mr. Lassaw was born in A lex­andria, Egypt, 55 years ago; his parents were from the Crimea. In Alexandria, he went to a lycee where he learned “French, Russian and a smattering of Arabic.” When he was eight years old his parents took him to New York to live.

The teachers at the lycee, he said, folding his arms across his chest to demonstrate his point, were very stern, patriarchical figures. “They made us toe the line, but in America I found that anything goes. It was a very permissive society even in 1921!”

Homesick“ It will soon be a half century

I’m here, so I couldn’t imagine be­ing more American. In fact, the last time I was in Europe, I felt home­sick.”

As for sculpturing, Mr. Lassaw said he began in kindergarten “and I’ve never stopped. I suppose I kept on because my early work was

praised. I imagine that’s how any­one is recruited into a profession.”

His style, he said, was called “open space sculpture, and out­growth o f constructivism and the machine technique of engineering . . . like the Eiffel Tower.” His art, Mr. Lassi’w said, reflected the feeling he had of the “ living uni­verse.”

“ I also have tfreat interests in the comparative religions. I think each religion is a style of life." He was especially interested in Zen Buddhism, he said; lie had studied with Suzuki at Columbia.

“ My feeling of a living universe is a kind of ecological concept, re­lating many, many parts to one another, as an analogy to the uni­verse."

Six pieces of sculpture about to be taken to the Guild Hall for ex ­hibit were in the studio.

Progression“This one I have named, ‘Ouro-

boros.’ It’s a Greek word meaning one who eats his own tail. It’s an alchemistic idea, but don’t misun­derstand, I didn’t fit the sculpture to fit an idea I had. I made the sculpture according to my whim and fancy. I was not trying to illustrate something.”

Then, Mr. Lassaw, who has dark blue eyes, blond eyebrows, wavy grey hair and large, strong hands, brought out a scrap book that show­ed the progression of his work from 1933 to the present. One of the early pictures showed him with two busts, and there were other pictures of early somewhat abstract human figures to contrast with the abstract sculpture that he has done for many years.

Mr. Lassaw learned how to weld — most of his work has been in

welded metals — in World W ar Two. “ I learned a great deal then. Weld­ing was part of my training at Camp Lee, Virginia, now Fort Lee."

What kind of welding was it? “It’s the same kind that’s done in every garage in the country. But my welding is not only the joining o f metals, but also building them up. I model molten metal — hey, model . . . molten . . . metal . . . it’s like clay with a very high tensile strength.”

CombinationsMr. Lassaw said he used a num­

ber of different metals to i;et dif­ferent effects. “ Nickel-silver, steel, copper, brass, phosphur bronze. . . I could go on, and at times. I use minerals.”

Looking at two of his newest pieces, Mr. Lassaw said he had named them “ Caryatids” after the sculpted female figures that supported the capitols of Greek temples. “ But, again, I am not trying to illustrate the caryatids,” he said.

Mr. Lassaw noted that he had a way of "updating” previous work. As a case in point, he opened a book of modern American artists and pointed out a picture of a sculpture he called, “Kwannon,” done in 1952. “ Kwannon is the Japanese aspect of Buddha showing compassion and pity. They don’t think the divine is outside of oneself,” Mr. Lassaw said.

In contrast to “ Kwannon,” he showed a slide of “Space Densities,” now at the Benson Gallery in Bridge­hampton. The two pieces were some­what similar, but the one done 16 years ago, Mr. Lassaw thought was more “ homogenous.”

Did he do series of pieces that re­

flected variations on an idea? “If my interest moves to another direc­tion, I follow.”

Teaching Mrs. Lassaw joined the conversa­

tion, which subsequently touched New Orleans, Berkeley, Durham and East Hampton. In the school year of 1965-1966, Mr. Lassaw taught at the University of California at Berkeley, stopping o ff on the way to teach at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. “ We spent three months getting to California!” Mrs. Lassaw said.

In 1962-1963, Mr. Lassaw taught at Duke University. The Duke scene was much more provincial than that at Berkeley, Mrs. Lassaw said. She remembered how awed and delight­ed the students were when she and her husband joined them in their annual picnic. Such participation by the faculty had hitherto been un­heard of.

"East Hampton,” Mrs. Lassaw said, “ is anything you want it to be, but I do think you have to be able to get to New York occasionally. The people are amazingly insular. In fact, all of the newcomers think the whole idea is very precious and so they become the most vicious about keeping things the way they are. A ll my life I ’ve wanted to live in the country, and I'd hate to see East Hampton become a Scarsdale.”

To enjoy life in East Hampton, Mrs. Lassaw said she thought “ one has to get involved with nature.”

Beach Walks She and Mr. Lassaw take long

walks on the beaches. Their house is full of interesting shells and arti­facts found on the beach, like the bowls of old Dutch clay pipes and

Indian paint pots. A row of multi­colored scallop shells hangs above their sink over a row of old bottles, some roseate and azure, that Mrs. Lassaw has found over the years in her walks through the woods.

After a trip to the garden, Mr. Lassaw turned on the several-thou- sand-degree oxy-acetylene flame and melted part of a brass rod and a phosphur bronze rod which he took from a sort of “ caddy bag" he had made. “You see," he said as he prod­ded the yellow lump of brass, "it’s like a clay except it’s molten." He melted more of the brass rod: “And I can build sculpture this way.”

Another look around the studio

produced a sense of frustration be­cause there was so much to see there and so much to learn. Mr. Lassaw’s work has gone all over; it is in the private collections of well-known collectors.

“ There's a lifetime of work in­volved here,” Mr. Lassaw said.

Jack Graves

til "

u n n i n c j

J. C. C unning Tel. 324-1960

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R O S E D ’ AN JO U 1 9 6 6 ..................................................................... 1 .4 9 1 6 .1 0Beautiful color, very fruity, moderately dry, captures the sprightly gaiety of sunny Provence.

B O U R G O G N E R O S E 1 9 6 6 ............................................................. 2 .7 9 3 0 .1 5Here is the Chateau Lafite Rothschild of the Yin Rose of France. Grown from the noble Pinot Noir grape on some of Burgundy’s best soil, just north of Gevrey-Chambertin. Inlike most Yin Roses, this one has character, fines>e, good flavor and rich aftertaste.

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L IE BFRA U M ILC H 1966 , K e n d e r m a n n ................................. 1 .6 9 1 6 .1 0Don’t Jet the low price deceive you— here is Liebfraumilch that will compete with some of those that you are presently buying at double the price.

A L S A T IA N S Y L V A N E R 1 9 6 6 , N ico la s .................................... 1 .69 1 8 .2 3The present rage of Paris— light, fresh, young, sufficient fruit and utterly charming. A perfect choice for the ‘Spritzer,’ terrace dining, picnics, and the beach party.

B O O R D Y V IN E Y A R D D R Y W H IT E (M a r y l a n d ) ........... 1 .6 9 1 8 .2 3Yes, Maryland! Grown in a superb vineyard by Philip Wagner, editor of the Baltimore Sun. Refreshing, dry, and hard to come by.M U S C A D E T , C U YEE B E A U R E G A R D , 1 9 6 7 ...................... 2 .1 9 2 3 .6 3James Beard, noted wine and food authority, states. “‘Here i* the disarming, dry white country Mine of France at its best—delightful bouquet, charming freshness, easy drinkability— a pleas­ant companion to gracious summer living.”

P IN O T C H A R D O N N A Y 1 9 6 6 , R . M o n d a v i......................... 3 .8 9 12.01We ha\e ju.-t returned from Napa Valley. California, and enthu~ia-tically tasted this glorious dry, fresh white wine. Made o f the noble grape. Pinot Chardonnay, that produces Monlrachet, Mtursauit and (Jiablie, it is surely in the miuc great, great d a --—a wine grown within our borders that will gladden the hearts of any wine lover, be he French, Italian or American.

CH AM PAGN ES-AM ERICAN & FRENCHST. MICHEL BRUT (Finger Lakes, N .Y .)......................... 2.19 26.10Top flight, bone dry American Champagne from upper New York State. Normally commands well over $4.00 the bottle. This permits you to serve Champagne with the same carefree aban­don generally reserved for Bourbons, Gins, and Scotches. Make Champagne part of your summer entertaining.M ESN IL, BLAN C D E BLAN CS, 1961 ....................................... 3 .9 9 68..",0It was a bargain last March when it sold for $7.95. Most ‘Blanc de Blancs’ command well over $10 and this one is in the same exalted league as far as lightness, dryness, delicacy and flavor are concerned.

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CO TE S-D U -R IIO N E R O U G E 1 9 6 6 ............................................ 1 2 9 13 .9 5Here is the kind of heartwarming, cheerful bottle that is served you by the ruddy, eiithuMaMic innkeeper> of the Van Gogh country around Avignon. Serve slightly cool a- an ideal com­panion to join the hamburgers and steaks as they come of! the outdoor grill.

BE A U JO LAIS 1967 , N ic o la s ........................................................ 1 .49 1 6 .1 0Only eight month, ago this wine was ju-l a grape—the kind of young, fresh, fruity Bcaujolais that is being devoured in such copious quantities in the bistros and cafes of Pari* and Lyon. Tastes equally charming and delicious in the Hamptons.

SCIATIN O RO U G E 1966 (C o r s i c a ) ........................................ 1 .4 9 1 6 .1 0The Corsicans say this wa> the preferred wine of the inland’s most celebrated *on. Napoleon Bonaparte. The French winemakers emigrated from Algeria to Corsica several years ago and have made its wine truly outstanding.M E D O C 196 4 , Chateau <Ju P in s ................................................... 1 .7 9 19.33Every drop corner- from a distinguished chateau in the Medoc. then bottled in Bordeaux, thus combining the di-tinction of a chateau wine with the cost savings of Bordeaux bottling.

C H A TE A U R O U G E T 1961 ( P o m c r o l ) ............................... 3 .7 9 4 0 .9 3A great claret achieves a gloriou- height here. 1961 is undoubtedly the best year in Pomerol since 194S. ‘Rouget’ ha- the stature of ‘Petrus’ which commands four time* the priiv. If youwant truly gre. t red Bordeaux and do not want to pay over $10 the bottle, Isere i» an oppor-tunitv \ou himpl> cannot afford to overlook. Serve it proudly at your mo*» important dinners ihi- summer— the 1961 Pomcrol* are sufficiently mature for present enjoyment, yet still can look forward to another 15 yearfc of g r e a t a h e a d .