This post is a look at some of the books I’ve dipped into since Christmas.
Grayson Perry’s Playing to the Gallery is a collection of 36 postcards, the cards have images that are made by the artist in the fashion of a traditional British postcard. It’s a satirical look at contemporary art and the market in which Perry finds himself a major part. An outsider looking in commentary, from someone who’s now an insider giving his nose a treat, for the amusement of all.
MoMa Highlights, dare I say it, it does what it says on the cover… an amazing collection, which I was lucky enough to see in October 2015. This book provides an informative reminder of 350 works from the museum’s archive. From Picasso’s cubist paintings to Kathryn Bigelow’s movie Hurt Locker.
Introducing ____ : A Graphic Guide I have several of this series of books, which I find most entertaining and useful. They cover theories and concepts in broad strokes, using illustrations they effectively explain complicated and challenging ideas. The four I’ve been looking at this year include Hegel: one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th Century. Barthes: the french academic who worked in the field of semiotics and structuralism during the 1960’s. Existentialism: a branch of philosophy that I find fascinating, it was behind my use of the word ‘absurd’ in my blog title and informed much of my Time (2015) installation. Lastly I’ve listened to the guidebook on Time, I downloaded the Kindle version and had it read out to me by my iPad.
Gadamer: A guide… by Chris Lawn. This is a recent purchase I’ve yet to read beyond the blurb. My interest in the subject was sparked by a tweet by Dr. Jim Walsh who posted a link to one of his articles published by Conway Hall about how we see art today, at its heart was a convincing argument supporting Gadamer’s concept of aesthetics compared to that of Kant’s.
Pop Art: A Colourful History by Sooke. I find this author very easy to read, the book supports a documentary which I also enjoyed. The subject matter is evident by the title and many of those discussed within are as familiar to us today as they’d hope, since their art is as everyday as the subject matter they painted (through advertising, design, computer apps, etc). But it includes some artists which are less well known; there is a whole chapter on female pop artists including Rosalyn Drexler and Evellyne Axell.
Thinking About Art by Penny Huntsman is a text book for Art History A level students. Full of great quality images, with its companion website, it deals with art from the antiquity right up to the contemporary in an enthusiastic way. Great for the curious beginner and someone looking to brush up their study techniques.
This is Dali by Andrew Rae. A quick guide to Dali’s life and work in an illustrative and amusing format.
Here are few other books I have taken off the shelf to peruse and digest over the next few weeks:-
- How to Write About Contemporary Art by Gilda Williams (Kindle)
- Time by Amelia Groom ed. (Whitechapel Publishers)
- The Illustrated A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
- Marcel Proust’s Search for Lost Time by Patrick Alexander
- How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain De Botton (Kindle)
