It is wonderfully ironic that the makers of the series Civilisations (Lessons from ancient history – and 1969, 3 March) have so slavishly imitated the Kenneth Clark approach: flying the presenters hither and yon so that they can stand in front of the thing they have come to describe, often obstructing the viewers’ view. I recall that in describing a distant view of Chartres cathedral, Clark in the foreground came close to obliterating it completely. Flying further with more presenters is the exact opposite of progress.
Of all the tired tropes of television, this one (along with the annoying habit of having the presenter try to imitate an expert in the performance of some skilful craft) has become agonising to watch. Are there no skilful local film-makers who can explore the beauty of their own artefacts without the oversight of some post-imperial satrap?
There is a patronising condescension implicit in the very concept of a presenter. Don’t be afraid to use a voice-over, and don’t be afraid to let it fall respectfully silent in the face of beauty. Trust the artisan to show us the skill, trust the photographer to capture the image, trust the object itself. In short, have confidence in your own medium, and in your own art. And down with presenters.
Roger Wilson
Billingshurst, West Sussex
• The arty arrogance of the series is already making me reach for my keyboard. Focusing so entirely on art as the expression and defining characteristic of civilisations is like defining a cake purely by its icing. Civilisations are made by reliable clean water supplies, working transport systems, recognisable and recognised laws governing interactions, and an infrastructure of thousands of other technical and social devices to make them safe and efficient places to work. Art can only surface and make itself felt once the basics of the civilisation are established. It’s already clear that the TV series intends to do no more than dismiss the actual foundations of what civilisation really is with a wave of the hand.
Mick Burmeister
Leek, Staffordshire
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters
