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Summary
Summary
Published to accompany the second season of the PBS television series, this illustrated book offers a glimpse into the life stories, sources of inspiration and creative processes of some of the most interesting contemporary artists working in America. theme. The artists interviewed in this second volume are: Trenton Doyle Hancock, Kiki Smith, Do-Ho Suh and Kara Walker for Stories; Gabriel Orozco, Janine Antoni, Martin Puryear and Collier Schorr for Loss and Desire; Eleanor Antin, Elizabeth Murray, Walton Ford and Raymond Pettibon for Humour; and Vija Celmins, Tim Hawkinson, Brice Marden and Paul Pfeiffer for Time. photographs were taken especially for this book, and Susan Sollins, the executive producer of the television series, interviews the artists and provides an introductory essay.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
An excellent survey of contemporary art, this abundantly illustrated volume introduces readers to some of the most important practitioners in the field-among them Charles Atlas, Kiki Smith and Paul Pfeiffer. Sollins, who interviewed the book's 16 subjects for her PBS television series "ART:21," lets the artists speak for themselves here. The result is a refreshingly direct volume in which photographs of the artists' works are juxtaposed against their own observations about their obsessions, their work habits and their field. For example, Kara Walker, whose delicate black paper silhouettes deal with the legacy of slavery, remarks that, for her, "beauty is just kind of an accident." And Korean sculptor Do-Ho Suh reveals that the idea for his haunting installation of military dog tags, "Some/One," came to him in a dream. Those readers who would like a little more guidance as they approach these thought-provoking works can find help in Sollins's detailed introduction and in the book's appendix of biographies. 387 illustrations, including 335 full color plates. (Dec.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Choice Review
At first glance, this colorful display of the work of 16 contemporary American artists can disturb viewers, who may be at a loss for understanding the meaning of these works (photography, sculpture, mixed media, graphic design, watercolor, acrylics, and even installation art are included). The book accompanies the PBS television series Art: 21, which aired in the fall of 2003. A PBS Web page elucidates the content and purpose of the program, which sought to make contemporary art more accessible and understandable to the public. The Web page provides real audio clips of the artists speaking about their works and creative lesson plans for teachers exploring themes in contemporary art. The book, of course, has the more satisfying reproductions of the works of art. It is divided into thematic sections: "Stories," "Loss and Desire," "Time," and "Humor"; for each theme, an artist writes about how it helps in the creation of a work. Some of the artists are lesser known (Walton Ford); others are more established (Vija Celmins). Brief biographies of the artists are included. Also of interest is Michael Kimmelman's Portraits: Talking with Artists at the Met, the Modern, the Louvre, and Elsewhere (CH, Feb'99). ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through professionals. N. M. Lambert University of South Carolina at Spartanburg
Library Journal Review
Introducing contemporary art to general audiences is perhaps the greatest challenge curators face. This second companion volume in the PBS television series presents the voices of the artists themselves (as interviewed by Sollins, the show's executive producer) rather than art historians' or critics' interpretations, avoiding the critical discourse that can sometimes seem remote from the artists' own efforts. Through interviews, the 16 selected artists (a diverse group including Kiki Smith, Janine Antoni, Raymond Pettibon, Do-Hoh Suh, and Martin Puryear) describe their ideas, strategies, motivations, and goals, revealing themselves first and foremost as human beings who live in the world, react to it, and then try to realize their thoughts and impressions by engaging with the materials of their chosen medium (painting, video art, photography, sculpture, mixed media, and installation art). The book follows a thematic arrangement similar to that of the first season's companion (i.e., "Stories," "Loss and Desire," "Humor," and "Time"), but the works themselves (in fine color illustrations) and the artists' observations are so compelling and imaginative that readers may find the arrangement superfluous. The title includes artists' biographies but, unfortunately, no bibliography or other supplemental material. Recommended for public and art libraries.-Michael Dashkin, PricewaterhouseCoopers, New York (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
