A reel-to-reel audio tape from the Anthony Froshaug collection in the Design Archives has been added to the BBC’s Sound Archive.  The tape is a rare piece of surviving documentation, made by the BBC, of ‘Painting Recital’, a performance event at Watford School of Art in March 1966, and includes an interview with some of the participants.  A preceding event in November 1965 was reported in the ICA Bulletin No 155: “Inspired by a piano recital by Cornelius Cardew, a painting recital was organised… where the function of sounds was replaced by marks being made on flat surfaces in front of an audience.  The performance lasted for one hour and those taking part were Peter Freeth, Anthony Froshaug, Anthony Millard, Peter Schmidt, Nigel Stacey and A J B Sutherland – all members of the staff.  They worked on boards 8 feet by 4 feet.  Millard used a series of projections, Stacey mounted a rocket in the middle of his painting which was eventually set off and Froshaug made a programmed painting based on the Fibonaci series”.

The BBC collects selectively to fill gaps in its holdings, and considered this unedited recording to be an important addition.  As a result, the Design Archives now has a digital copy, as well as a set of contact prints of the November 1965 event, available along with the rest of the Froshaug archive documenting his design and typography practice as well as his teaching at a number of art schools.