4 comments about Lee Bontecou: A Retrospective.

1. Lee Bontecou is a force. Her sculptural prowess is nearly unmatched. this work has some of the best critical essays I have ever read, and the bountiful photographs are most excellent.



2. This is a terrific 2003 exhibition catalogue of the seminal work of sculptor Lee Bontecou. If you're interested in art and sculpture, you may have seen or heard of the show and already have the this catalogue. If not, it's a great addition to any art library.
   
   Bontecou, a highly influential figure in the 1960s and 1970s especially, can evoke some very personal reactions with her work. For me, her sculptures and drawings have a direct visual connection to the films of Terry Gilliam, particularly the surreal "Brazil."
   
   Whatever your reaction to her work, this is a well-done publication with five interesting essays on the art scene of her heyday as well as 50 photos of her sculptures and more than a hundred drawings.



3. I just studied both the book and the exhibition in Chicago. The works are wonderful first hand. The book is a nice supplement in some ways, the quality of the prints is good on the surface, and there are some contextual pictures of studio environment etc. But the book is enormously disappointing in one very important way: Most of the photographs of works in the first section are taken from only one angle, head on, and lit evenly so they give *no* idea of the geometry and depth of the works. The actual works have very dramatic physical depth, but the photographs make them look as flat as paintings. It's great that there is at least an inventory presented here, unfortunately, this book missed the rare opportunity to definitively fill the need for a photographic record of Bontecou's major works. It would have been greatly improved with multiple angles or more informative lighting for the works that demand it. You still have to see an exhibition to really have any idea what her works are like.

   Regrettably, Amazon guidelines do not allow me to provide the URLs to Bontecou's own press release response to Storr's statements (search for "bontecou" on ereleases.com headlines).




4. It is difficult to review the exhibition catalog without first taking in the Lee Bontecou survey at one of the museum exhibitions currently traveling the US. Unfortunately the exhibition will travel to only three museums in the three largest cities in the US, yet most of the works come from public and private collections throughout the country. Luckily, readers get to see all of the pieces in a carefully written, scholarly book full of full-color reproductions, several essays about the artist and her process, essays about the artist and surrounding influences from (and in) art history, and a detailed exhibition checklist with thumbnail photos of each work in the full exhibition. There are over 150 works in the traveling exhibition presented in a catalog of 240 pages. The photographs are standard for a catalog presentation but photographs of the sculptural works may not give accurate renderings of scale or detail; once again, this is a catalog and not a coffee table book of a few of the artist's better-known works. For just a few dollars more than the softcover, get the hardbound edition; you will want to keep this book for a lifetime.

5 comments about Yesterday's Tomorrows: Past Visions of the American Future.

1. I have had a long-term interest in the past's view of the future, and very much looked forward to receiving and reading this book. I was not disappointed, by either the informative text or the excellent illustrations. Mr. Corn is to be congratulated on producing a high-quality,engaging and readable book on a subject fascinating to many of us, either for fun or serious study.



2. nice book about old visions of the future!
   Very nice pictures and illustrations!
   I would like to get more pictures but this is a very nice book!



3. I agree with the reviewer below. It's one of the few books on this subject (I've only seen one other) so we have to live with it. On the other hand it's small, it's a bit scattered in its approach, and it feels like a museum gift-shop item/show catalogue of sorts. I would like to see someday a huge, profusely illustrated, and text-rich book on the complete history of portraying the future (positively) which is an historically recent phenomenon. It died probably around the time of the '64 World's Fair and depictions of the future since then have been largely dystopian. Nowadays they're downright awful. This is something we need to address because unless you can conjure up imagery of an upbeat future you're not likely to even try to create one. This book made me miss the days when people thought more positively and hopefully about many things, regardless of how bad it was at the time. Imagine the images in the mind of the average contemporary young person of the "World of 2050."



4. Amid the other glowing reviews, let me offer a different perspective.
   
   First, I was a bit disappointed in the size of the graphics. The book is only about 6 3/4" by 8 3/4", and the graphics and photos in many cases are difficult to see. In the cases of copies of book extracts and magazine images, they are often nearly impossible to resolve.
   
   More troubling to me is the overall "lean" of the book. Expecting a fun book reflecting on images of the future, I was disappointed to read things like "The visual cacophony of the advertising-laden landscape was for him [Edward Bellamy of Boston in the 1880s]...the most palpable of symbols for the general depravity of the capitalist system."
   
   And how about this quote from the section on space toys of the 1940s and '50s: "Girls who yearned to project themselves into a fantasy future through their toys had few media role models beyond the stereotype of the hero's girlfriend. The dual message to the younger generation seems clear enough--the future will be violent [too many space guns], and it will belong to men."
   
   And here is how the book reviews the "Star Trek" series: "Though the crew, with black Uhura and the Asian Mr. Sulu, seemed to reflect newly enlightened attitudes, the program, like its 1930 relatives, was dominated by brave white males."
   
   In discussing the future of housing, the book diverges from any discussion of future technology, and instead offers: "We ask whether the home of tomorrow will be inhabited predominantly by single-parent families, by working mothers and children. Will it contain greater numbers of couples without children at all, couples of the same sex, or other groups of adults living together, and if so with what social consequences?"
   
   And as a final example of the social messages of the book, how about these phrases from the section "The Weapons and Warfare of Tomorrow":
   
   "Although Americans have long cherished the myth that they are an unusually peace-loving people..."
   
   "...just one more instance of the American habit of believing in that ultimate weapon, a technological fix, as a substitute for politics in eliminating world conflicts."
   
   And finally: "...it ironically symbolized the country's broader policy on Viet Nam, an effort to refashion a foreign environment better fit to American needs and expectations."
   
   To my taste, the book has too many unnecessary social messages. I was expecting a book on past visions of the future. Instead, I got a book on technology laced with criticisms of capitalism, Amercianism, and political policies. Those weaknesses cheapen what could have been a far more enjoyable publication.



5. Most books about past visions of the future deal with cities of the future, robots of the future and houses (or should I say kitchens) of the future. And this book DOES deal with those subjects and MORE. Between the covers of this book are plans for atomic powered cars, tanks, and bombers, the promises found within hobby magazines, chapters on the movies and radio shows that showed us the future, the designs for bomb proof cities and homes, hopes for the flying car, the idea for death rays, flying tanks and much, much more.
   Having been first published in 1984 it even hints at what visions we still believed in that would appear in our future, from the space shuttle to real laser weapons. Kind of fun but also kind of sad.

No comments about In the Spirit of Martin: The Living Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr..

4 comments about The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guide Revised Edition.

1. Like the Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum is a fabulously wealthy storehouse of incalculable value, "a living encyclopedia of world art. Every culture from every part of the world - from Florence to Thebes to Papua New Guinea - from the earliest times to the present and in every medium", "frequently at the highest levels of quality and invention", is represented. Also like the Louvre, its holdings are immense - "more than three million works of art, of which several hundred thousand are on view."
   
   The guide, organized in the same fashion as the museum, suffers only by its inability to represent the museum completely. Choices had to be made. How incredible is it that the museum holds thirty paintings by Monet and the editors of the guide were forced to choose only four? How many museums in the world could lay claim to having five paintings by an artist as illustrious as Vermeer and yet be limited to including only three in their guide?
   
   Having been fortunate enough to indulge in a recent visit to the museum, I can tell you that all five works by Vermeer and all thirty by Monet were as magnificent as one might imagine. The guide (a wonderful way to prepare in advance for any upcoming visit) will serve as a memorable souvenir and the descriptive text written by the curatorial staff of the museum will serve to elucidate the history and context of the individual pieces of art that were chosen to best represent the museum as a whole.
   
   Highly recommended as a way of enjoying the world's art even if you think you will never be in a position to enjoy the visit in person.
   
   Paul Weiss



2. This guide to the Metropolitan Museum of Art helped me to plan what I wanted to see in that museum, and to learn beforehand about many of the works of art I was going to find there (for example European paintings, Egyptian, Greek and Roman Art, etc...). What is more, this book allowed me to read about some paintings and sculptures I didn't have time to see, even though I would have loved to be able to do so (too many beautiful things to see, to little time). Well, I suppose next time I will just have to start by the 2nd floor!.
   
   I think you will appreciate the beautiful color illustrations, and the opportunity to plan ahead of your trip and not in a hurry what you want to see first. This is not only the kind of book that helps you to prepare for a visit and to enjoy it, but also a souvenir you will treasure after returning from your holidays. Recommended!
   
   Belen Alcat



3. Phillipe de Montebello is one of the top museum directors in the world, thus he runs America's greatest museum. This guide is perfect, it allows you to get a feel for this singular museum and its extensive, to say the least, collection. So much is packed into this guide, every area of this vast collection is hit upon, and most importantly it helps you navigate this HUGE building, if you are going to tackle this emmense museum then you MUST have his guide, it really helps you make the most of your visit. It is well worth the investment, I advise getting it well before you go to the museum and read it thoroughly, it will make your trip so much more enjoyable and worthwhile I assure you..it's like taking the museum director with you..in your back pocket...though at five hundred pages you may need a uh, large back pocket...at anyrate it's easier that putting Phillipe in there, verdad?



4. Before committing a couple of days to museum hopping while in New York City, a word to the wise: this book is a must for understanding the scope of the collection of the paintings, drawings, sculpture, architectural renderings, relics - everything that makes the Metropolitan Museum one of the most 'compleat' collections in the world.
   
   Yes, the book does show outlines of the museum's layout to facilitate the enjoyment of the various sections. But more important than that, this is a compendium of examples of some of the finest art in collection. The reproductions are excellent with all of the data needed to give a brisk brush up on not only the work illustrated but the timeframe incidentals that make the Metropolitan such a user friendly museum.
   
   Whether for the personal library or for the perfect gift for art lovers, 'The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guide' in this revised form is highly recommended. Grady Harp, November 05

2 comments about Rhythms of Modern Life.

1. Gorgeous book on graphics and history; beautiful and fascinating for the student of the subject. Based on the museum exhibit, which should be seen in conjunction with reading the book.



2. College-level art libraries strong in British prints will find this title accompanies a major exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Metropolitan Museum, but stands well alone for art libraries across the country. It provides over 100 of these British prints, many published for the first time, and accompanies lovely full-color, often full-page designs with essays on both history and techniques. A fine recommendation for any serious art library.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Legacy: Paintings and Drawings by Frank Frazetta.

1. We have been Frank Frazetta marks for a long, long time. So of course we have not only all of his earmark books that have his cover art on them, such as Conan and Tarzan, but also the more recent art books such as this compiled works of such a legendary giant icon of sci-fi/fantasy artists.
   
   Only Boris and Julie Bell can rival this awesome artist that can create art that woes you and can crreate an enture storyline to the eyes of people like us. This is a must for people who love art.



2. By looking at the cover is more than clear that what is inside is the perfect artwork putted all together to created a wonderfull book full of perfection.



3. i bought this thinking it was going to be an art book... you know, some sort of collection of works. turns out is more of a documentary about how frazetta got started and different jobs he had and different comics he drew. there were actually a surprising number of comic related pages. there's not really that much art... what there is was sort of a let down. if you're collecting frazetta books, add it to the collection. if you want an art gallery, this aint it.
   
   "death dealer" not pictured. major let down, in my opinion.



4. Another wonderful addition to my illustrator collection. Was instantly hooked on Frazetta's style as a kid reading Edgar Rice Burroughs. Legacy is a fabulous title covering Frazetta's career with commentary included on each illustration. Book was received quickly and in fabulous shape.



5. Frazetta was an artist with a different style, yet seemed to capture and captivate so many foreign lands of barbarians and beasts...then bring them end gently place them on the table in front of us. From Conan to Tarzan and so much more, this is a great book. I call it a coffee table book because I had a rougher copy that I kept in the living room. Whenever someone came over they would start looking at it. Many couldn't put it down. Then they start realizing they KNOW Franks work...they see Death Dealer, they see the Conan like images, and they're hooked!
   
   The book is full of colorful images and as an artist and writer myself I ofter find myself referring to it. No artist captured a battle scene, or a scene where a person is in the middle of a motion filled movement, like Frank. Leaping hero's weilding swords to scared to death damsells and wench's cowering before a giant god of epic proportions. The book is not just pictures, there is a ton of text talking about Frank, his life, and his LEGACY. A strong recommendation for anyone who likes art, Conan or Tarzan, or illustration in general. Frazetta was the King!

4 comments about Colonial Mexico 2 Ed: A Guide to Historic Districts and Towns.

1. GREAT PHOTOS AND LOTS OF HISTORICAL TIDBITS. WELL ORGANIZED WITH A WEALTH OF INFO. IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THE INFO ON POPULATIONS WAS OFF BUT A GREAT READ FOR THOSE OF YOU INTO COLONIAL MEXICO.



2. This is a great book on the "silver cities' of mexico. Reads like a novel, not a tour guide. very informative and entertaining. I've been to a few of the cities mentioned and now I feel I have to go back to see some of the things I missed!! A wonderful guide to parts of Mexico well worth exploring.



3. Ok, go and buy this book. I am saying this because it is indeed a good read on Mexico and its historic towns and not just because this author devotes 16 pages to my adopted town of Guanajuato!
   
   Doug Bower
   Author: THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT LIVING IN MEXICO



4. I think this is an excellent book. I was delighted to find a guidebook that focuses on such an under appreciated topic. It is well researched and well writen. It describes many of the major colonial towns in central and southern Mexico. It provides a brief history for each town, describes the significant buildings, as well as near bye attractions. The maps are accurate and easy to read. It will be one of the few guide books that I bring on my next trip to Mexico.

1 comments about Inside the White Cube: The Ideology of the Gallery Space.

1. This book is a fascinating analysis of how the World of Art changed with the introduction of the gallery space. It examines the reaction of artists to the confines, both physical and psychological, of the gallery.
   I highly recommend this book for any student of art, or artist who wants to broaden their frame of reference with regards to art history and the current trajectory of contemporary art.

5 comments about The Historic Shops and Restaurants of New York: A Guide to Century-Old Establishments in the City (Historic Shops & Restaurants Series).

1. The listings in this book are like old friends. See them before they all fade away.



2. The title is misleading. Only the existing businesses are reviewed, not those of noteworthiness that are no longer around but have a place in New York City's history. The book is a pocket edition with the briefest histories, I read the entire book in less than an hour! For the Amazon price of about $11 it was not worth the cost to return it.



3. I'm fascinated with the history of New York, and I love the Victorian and Edwardian eras in the city's perspective. This book is packed with great stories about the founders of the said shops and restaurants, quick business histories and what to look for once inside the joint.
   
   Makes an original and very thoughtful gift, and is a great addition to any New York lover's library.



4. I am a native New Yorker who has spent the past five years living in other cities, and being a little homesick, I still read the New York Times every day.

   As I was reading the morning paper, I found an ad for this book, ordered it, and immediately fell in love with it! It is beuatifully laid out and wonderfully written. What's more, I always thought that I knew a ton about the city, but I learned so much from reading this book -- I had no idea that some of the restaurants and shops reviewed in the novel were so old. I also read about some really interesting places that I had never heard of.

   I plan to give this book as a holiday gift to all of my fellow New Yorker friends -- both to those who are far away from the city they love, and to those who are right at home!




5. New York can be a shopping paradise or shopping hell. One thing that anyone can always use is a real New Yorker to guide one through the city. That's what this book is. It's like having a best friend show you the way around, to the best places, the best shops you don't find in travel guides or online.

   As a former New Yorker, this book took me back to the streets, the way it is to really experience it -- on foot, not from a taxicab or a rental car. The authors clearly know their way around. From bargains to classics to places just full of colourful history and anecdotes, it's a holiday guide for more than just shoppers. In fact, even New Yorkers will benefit from the pages of info, presented in a fun-filled, rewarding style. There are places I'd gone to for years and yet never knew so much about until reading this book. In fact, it's so much fun, it's like a weekend in New York. Okay, maybe not, but it sure will make you want to get there.

   Now if we could only get one like this for Los Angeles... Oops, wait, that's impossible. I think I'm just missing New York...

5 comments about John Singer Sargent: The Male Nudes.

1. A very nice collection of an often over looked body of Mr. Sargent's work along with an appropriate amount of written background on the subjects and paintings themselves.



2. Following the foreword are two very brief essays which discuss Sargent's background and his work. A sensitive and intelligent appraisal of the artist and his approach to the studies under consideration here, one that especially in the light of the context does not skirt around the inclinations of the artist's heart, and addresses the possibility of a relationship with his loyal and devoted lithe young Italian valet and occasional model who resided in the Sargent household for twenty six years.
   
   The work presented here is superb; sensitive yet dynamic drawings and paintings; the text makes an interesting observation to the observer's response to them, but however one views them one cannot deny their beauty. One of the first illustrated is an oil painting of a young boy lying on the beach, and the pose immediately brings to mind similar subject matter painted by Joaquin Sorolla, produced some twenty or so years after Sargent's effort.
   
   The plates run from page twelve to page seventy eight, and include sketches, charcoal drawings, watercolours and oils, of which eighteen are in full colour, occasionally accompanied by a few relevant notes. The book concludes with a chronology and selected bibliography.
   
   This is a delightful book, slim and not over large; the work contained within is unrestrained, evocative, seemingly effortless; unquestionably the work of a great master.



3. Good heavens, this type of art may have been considered "risque" or bold or even vulgar at the time of its creation, but I was just bored. The male figure, in various poses, without clothing. *yawns*



4. This short book by John Esten is a well-illustrated look at one subject area in John Singer Sargent's works that is not often examined in an focused or isolated manner. This missing scholarship probably has its roots in the historic squeamishness attached to too hard a look at the male anatomy in print. So bravos to the author for taking this on and doing a fine job of it. Among other things, this is a useful collection for anyone who is trying his own hand at figure drawing--Sargent is a master to be studied seriously. Beyond that, the paintings and drawings illustrated are a joy to behold. The text of the book is rather brief, but adequate in providing some speculative background into the painter's work with and interest in the male figure. Overall, this is a fine and valuable book for anyone interested in Sargent or, more generally, in figure painting.



5. It's hard to believe there was a time when the images in this book would have been considered pornographic. But if Singer's portrait of Madame Pierre Gautreau ("Madame X") was considered scandalous because he painted her with a dropped shoulder strap (later repainted in its proper position), then you can understand why these male nudes (mostly charcoal sketches and quick watercolors, but also some finished oil paintings) were kept unexhibited for so long. We have Sargent's sisters to thank that they were not destroyed outright, but carefully placed with museums for safekeeping.

   If text is the clothing of art books, then Donna Hassler has provided THE MALE NUDES with less than a loin cloth. But there's not much that needs to be said, anyway. The plates should be enjoyed in their own right. I especially enjoyed the charcoal drawings. They are contextless and their strong outlines give them extra punch and a sense of iconic completeness. Though well rounded and subtly shaded, they remind me somehow of Jean Cocteau's spirited line drawings. The watercolors reminded me of Winslow Homer's. All in all, a nice little book.