MBR: The Art Shelf
Midwest Book Review
Adam Van Doren
Avis Berman and Richard J. Boyle
Hudson Hills Press
P.O. Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254-9911
1555952720 $50.00 www.hudsonhills.com
The monograph ADAM VAN DOREN belongs in any college-level art library
strong in watercolor painting representation: it spans twenty years of
his works and surveys his watercolor talents and architectural
representations, adding essays surveying his life and inspirations.
Its lovely full-page paintings of Paris, Venice and Rome includes
notes on techniques and papers and is a top pick that watercolor
artists will find an inspiration.
Pomegranate
Box 808022, Petaluma, CA 94975-8022
www.pomegranate.com
THE ART OF ROBERT BATEMAN (9780764937651, $45.00) appears in its 25th
anniversary edition to include text by Ramsay Derry and an
introduction by noted ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson himself as it
provides a stunning blend of full-page color wildlife images and
accompanying artist profile. This was the artist's first book and
cemented his career: its re-appearance is perfect for collections who
either don't have the original or find their lending copies worn.
Julie L. McGee's DAVID C. DRISKELL: ARTIST AND SCHOLAR (9780764937477,
$45.00) is the first detailed monograph of an artist whose works have
been exhibited and collected by major galleries and museums, but who
until now has received little written acclaim. Almost two hundred
color and black and white images include personal photos of Driskell
and his works and tie together all aspects of his paintings, drawings
and collages, providing an illuminating survey of the modern artist's
many talents. Rich in biographical background and image alike, DAVID
C. DRISKELL: ARTIST AND SCHOLAR is a pick any college-level art
library will want.
Artists of the Canyons & Caminos
Edna Robertson & Sarah Nestor
Ancient City Press
c/o Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
1423601149 $14.95 www.gibbs-smith.com 1-800-748-5439
Written by Edna Robertson (former Curator of Collections at the Fine
Arts Museum in Santa Fe) and her daughter Sarah Nestor, Artists of the
Canyons & Caminos Santa Fe: Early Twentieth Century is an in-depth
exploration into Santa Fe's rich artistic history from the 1880's
onward. From the cultural distinctions of Native American art, to
names of great artists that looked to the beauty of the land for
inspiration, to the inception of an art colony with its first juried
show in 1951, Artists of the Canyons & Caminos traces a grand legacy,
extensively reconstructing art history from a smorgasboard of sources
including quotes from popular newspapers. Black-and-white photographs
and a beautiful inset section of 16 color plates illustrate Artists of
the Canyons & Caminos, primarily showcasing evocative pieces of art. A
one-of-a-kind art history book, especially recommended as a giftbook
or souvenir for travelers to Santa Fe.
DADA
Rudolf Kuenzil
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, 14th floor, New York, NY 10014
0714844233, $75.00 www.phaidon.com
'Dada' is an art movement of the 20th Century which challenged
authority, hierarchy, and political control - making it a subversive
force within the established art communities in Western Europe and
America. In disturbing societal norms with respect to art and cultural
production, it was the forerunner and midwife to such movements as
punk rock and pop art, questioning all previous assumptions about
originality, art, and the role of the artist. Dada maintained that
everyone should be an artist and that almost anything could be
classified as art. The result was an influence on the dominant culture
with respect to radical groups, social movements, and artistic
expression down to the present day. "DADA" by Rudolf Kuenzli provides
an descriptive analysis within an historical context, examining Dada's
impact and resonance in the art and culture of this opening decade of
the 21st Century from the avant-garde work of such Dada luminaries as
Hugo Ball, Marcel Duchamp, many Ray, Francis Picabia, Raoul Hausmann,
Hannah Hoch, Kurt Schwitter, Max Ernst, Lajos Kassak, and many others.
Enhanced with the inclusion of Artists' Biographies, Authors'
Biographies, a bibliography and an index, "DADA" is a seminal and core
contribution to professional, academic, and community library Art
History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Egyptian Revival Jewelry & Design
Dale Reeves Nicholls, Shelly Foote, Robin Allison
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
076432540X, $39.95 www.schifferbooks.com
"Egyptian Revival Jewelry & Design" is the collaborative work of
antique jewelry expert Dale Reeves Nicholls, costume jewelry expert
Shelly Foote, and Robin Allison. Beginning with the informative
introduction 'The Slumbering Sphinx', this superbly organized and
beautifully illustrated compendium is organized into four major
sections: 'It's Alive! Ancient Egypt Rediscovered and Revived'; 'Signs
& Symbols'; 'Makers & Manufacturers'; 'Collecting Egyptian Revival';
and 'A Brief Overview of Ancient Egyptian Chronology'. Enhanced with
notes, a bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "Egyptian Revival
Jewelry & Design" is also a price guide, making it an invaluable and
indispensable research and reference for dealers and collectors, as
well as providing terrific browsing for the non-specialist general
reader with an interest in antique and costume jewelry. Also very
strongly recommended from Schiffer Publishing are two other
outstanding volumes for jewelry enthusiasts: Nancy Schiffer's "Costume
Jewelry: The Fun Of Collecting: 3rd Edition" (0764312162, $29.95) and
Dale Nicholis' "Antique Enameled Jewelry (0764319914, $49.95).
East Coast/West Coast and Beyond
William Gerdts & Deborah Solon
Hudson Hills Press
Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254-9911
1555852690 $50.00 www.hudsonhills.com
If you don't readily recognize the name of Impressionist painter Colin
Campbell Cooper, it's because his career was often overlooked - to the
point that this catalog is his first in-depth study, and as such is an
essential addition to any comprehensive Impressionist art history
collection. Here a biography of his life blends with full-page color
paintings and detailed discussions of his influences and art. A key
acquisition any art library needs to add.
Masterpieces of French Jewelry
Judith Price
Running Press
125 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
0762426720 $29.95 www.runningpress.com
Author Judith Price is President of the National Jewelry Institute:
her background has long been in French art and jewelry, so she's the
perfect choice to write an authoritative review and history in
MASTERPIECES OF FRENCH JEWELRY. Over a hundred photos of pieces owned
by Americans - most never seen by the public before - accompany
historical background which covers jewelry from the late 1800s to
modern times. There's a thoughtful attention to the layout on each
page that juxtaposes large-size photos of pieces with good-sized,
clear text descriptions and commentary. Both specialty art and jewelry
libraries and more general-interest holdings will find in MASTERPIECES
OF FRENCH JEWELRY a welcome, popular reference.
Don't Drink & Draw: The Art & Life of Michael Godard
Michael Godard, et.al.
Publishers Design Group Inc.
P.O. Box 37, Roseville, CA 95678
1929170238, HC, $79.95; 1929170227, PB, $34.95
www.publishersdesign.com
Few art titles can rival the presentation of GODDARD: DON'T DRINK &
DRAW. More than just another sketch of a modern artist's life, DON'T
DRINK AND DRAW incorporates the very icons it explores, from a pop
presentation blending art and cultural whimsy, as in the full-page
'Martini Reflection' piece blending olive monsters with martini
exercises, to a biographical survey of the tattooed Goth-looking
artist who blends social issues and commentary into his works. Art
libraries will find this not only an essential acquisition, but a most
popular one, attracting leisure browser as well as art student
interest. Each page is a 'wow' of grabbing full-color images. This
means DON'T DRINK AND DRAW also lends itself to high-profile displays.
Very highly recommended.
Twin Palms Publishers
54 ½ East San Francisco Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501
www.twinpalms.com
These new modern art titles are top picks for any serious or college-
level art library holding: each surveys the work of a selected artist
and provides a fine oversized collection of his work. 5x7 by William
Eggleston (1931885486, $65.00) accompanies an essay by Michael
Almereyda with Eggleston's latest monograph of photos taken during the
early 1970s using a large format 5x7 camera. From urban landscapes to
portraits of individuals, these are new photos not seen in print
before and use both black and white and color to convey eye-catching
images and quiet drama. Robert Stivers' SANCTUM (1931885575, $65.00)
pairs an essay by Eugenia Parry with artistic photos nearly surreal in
their dreamy impressions. Stivers has made his career on out-of-focus
photography which has made his works distinctive: oversized pages
contain full-sized images in black and white and sepia and demonstrate
a powerful technique and impact not to be seen elsewhere. These are
both exceptional surveys: not for general-interest collections so much
as specialty art libraries well grounded in modern art forms and
contemporary experimental artists.
Exhibition Design
David Dernie
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
0393732118 $65.00 www.wwnorton.com
Modern exhibitions have to compete in a fast-changing leisure market
and must make use of technology and techniques that in the past have
been associated with film and retail worlds. It's all about the
experience - and here to address these changing needs is EXHIBITION
DESIGN, packed with examples of successful exhibitions from around the
world from both trade fairs to fine-art holdings and smaller artist-
designed displays. Both history and technique blend in a title which
teaches by example and by conceptual review, making it a top pick for
college-level art libraries serious about teaching the finer art of
successful exhibition processes for artists or museum curators.
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Midwest Book Review
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