No comments about Big Eye Art: Resurrected and Transformed.

3 comments about Formless: A User's Guide.

1. Georges Bataille was a provocative thinker. Associated freely with the Surrealists, playing around with the fascists, Gnostics, psychoanalysis and eroticism, he managed to create a highly explosive cultural blend which proves influential in our times, like a real time-bomb should. Was he really that quasi-Postmodern thinker some interpreters try to make him look? Anyway, he wrote some of the most intellectually challenging texts and supplied exquisitely enjoyable concepts which present-day artists still can not truly exhaust. The book "Formless" provides an equally provocative reading of Bataille projected against some Modern and Postmodern artifacts, which the French thinker never really saw. It is anachronistic, it is puzzling, sometimes quite enjoyable. Problem is, it does not add to our understanding of neither Bataille, nor, for example, Andy Warhol. It shows that Rosalind Krauss and Yve-Alain Bois can write complicated and intricate pieces on virtually anything, citing from Bataille and/or the so-called "French theory" to interesting effect. But this is not an art history book, it is rather a kind of artifact of its own right. Personally I do not regret that I bought it, but I can imagine people who would be disappointed.
   I think in Thomas Pynchon's "V" there is a passage where two thugs planning to steal Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" from the Uffizi go to the museum and stare at the painting. They see a nude woman, a maid who is trying to cover her up with a cloak, and an excited male god at the left who is trying hard to blow the cloak away and keep Venus nude. Well, this does not add to our understanding of Botticelli, but provides amusing reading and serves Pynchon's point nicely. Something similar happens with "Formless": it is entertaining but tells us mostly about personal excitements and idiocyncrazies of the two intellegent people who wrote this collection.



2. One should re-name this book: Useless - a Form Guide.



3. This book claims to introduce a whole new perspective of 20th- century art which has so far been repressed. We are led to believe that it is necessary to add a third and foreign element into the conceptualization of art. The basis on which this whole endeavour is anchorred is the philosophical "Informe" of Georges Bataille. However, the arguments presented by the authors are weak as the whole book is stuffed with analyses purporting to reveal the operational tool of "informe". Any attempt at explaining the original intentions of Bataille's "informe" is so brief and convenient so as to get the reader lost in its adjectival superfluity. There is never any attempt to explain the introduction of "informe" into art and its necessity. The authors make claims to be liberating our thinking from the semantic and that this project is only the beginning. I am only too happy to wish for a clearer and thoroughly convincing argument the next ti! me.

2 comments about Francis Bacon: Portraits and Heads.

1. I expected something else. In 'Van Gogh and Expressionism' the Bacon images are vibrant and colorful and interesting. They include studies for portraits of Van Gogh as well as self portraits. They look much like the cover of this book. Unfortunately, the only image I liked WAS the cover. Had I looked through this book in a bookstore I would not have purchased. Perhaps i am not much of a Bacon 'fan'. Let that be a lesson to me.....more research in the future before purchasing.



2. FRANCIS BACON: PORTRAITS AND HEADS is a superb catalogue that accompanied an exhibition in the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh last summer and unlike most of the Bacon retrospectives, this exhibition focused entirely on the many heads Bacon painted. As other artist come and go Francis Bacon continues to be one of the more 'published' artists of the twentieth century and it is refreshing to see that there are still new things to say about the work of one of the most significant painters in recent years
   
   Included are self portraits, portraits of famous people some of whom actually commissioned portraits while the majority are of friends, lovers, fellow artists, and images from photographs. Bacons small works carry as much power as the large canvases, perhaps that is due to the lack of need to place the figure in a constructed environment or space. Or perhaps when Bacon concentrated on only the head, his probing eye could explore and paint the model's psyche (as well as his own responsive psyche!).
   
   The reproductions are superb, on excellent paper, and given full attention in the catalogue. There are two fine essays in addition to the obligatory Introduction and comments from the curatorial staff. Though most of these paintings can be found in other catalogue raisonnes of Bacon's work, seeing the small head portraits in a single space is a fine idea and one from which we continue to learn about just what made Bacon unique and inimitable! Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, August 06

1 comments about Dore's Illustrations for Don Quixote.

1. Gustave Doré was a frustrated painter. Forced by circumstance to produce illustration illustrations for a number of literary works, he primarily longed for fame and success as a painter. But while shooting for fame as a painter, he inadvertently achieved immortality as arguably the greatest illustrator in history.

   Most illustrators of the classics fall far short of the efforts of the works they are asked to illustrate, but Doré almost always managed to eerily echo visually the genius of the original authors. After reading the first half of DON QUIXOTE, I discovered this Dover collection of Doré's illustrations of the work, and I found them to be completely stunning. Doré had a genius for precisely visualizing events in the novel and transferring them precisely into his illustrations. No scene is too much of a challenge to him. The famous moment when Don Quixote attacks the windmills, mistaking them as giants, is depicted brilliantly by Doré. Every famous scene and many less famous scenes are all depicted, and I can honestly say that not once does Doré disappoint me in his imaging of how the scene occurred. One can, if one wants, make minor quibbles with Doré, such as his drawing Quixote wearing the wash basin helmet even in section later in the novel where he is said to have worn a sallet helmet. But this truly would be mere quibbling, for throughout Doré perfectly captures the spirit of DON QUIXOTE.

   I'm convinced that this collection of illustrations is not nearly as well known as it deserves to be. Graphic novels are an extremely popular genre today, and it is impossible to imagine anyone interested in the visual aspects of those stories not being fascinated by Doré's far more complex and classically organized illustrations. Likewise, no one interested in graphic art or the history of art could not find these less than riveting. Most of all, anyone who loves DON QUIXOTE will adore these drawings, and to work through the various illustrations is to relive all the glorious events of the novel once again. Indeed, one could almost argue that while other translators have managed with more or less success to translate Cervantes's masterpiece into English or German or French, Doré managed to translate the novel into a purely visual language.

1 comments about Postmodernism (Movements in Modern Art).

1. good overview of post modernism. very informative, it talks about many of the key issues in fairly decent detail.

5 comments about Bully: The Pits.

1. I own quiet a few books about Pit Bulls, from coffee table books to hard reading and this book is by far my favorite. This book is urban, well designed, well written and truly a great representation of Pit Bulls & Pit Bull culture. This book covers all the bases -acknowledging the Pit Bull condition in 21st century North America but working to redraw the breeds bad rap all at the same time. This is a must own for ALL Pit Bull parents and admirers. I bought this book as gifts for all of my neighbors who own Pitty Bulls and they were all amazed at how cool this book is!



2. As the owner of 3 awesome pit bulls I was thrilled to buy a book that captures the spirit of these great dogs. The pictures are really good and really capture the dogs spirit. They interview lots of people who tell their own "bully" story. I would highly recommend this book for any bully lover, or anyone intersted in this noble breed.



3. Great book, I would recommend it to anybody. The pictures and short stories are great. Buy it and enjoy!



4. This is a good book for pitbull lovers and haters. The book is really put together well, pictures and art are great. I wasn't expecting to learn much about the breed with this book, but surprisingly it does teach you a bit. But all in all this is more of a visual book. Good stuff.
   
   Use your head, punish the deed not the breed!!



5. Paul 107 presents the bulldog breeds fantastically. He does so with intelligence and facts without glossing over the breeds history. There are plenty of full color photographs and illustrations to accompany the entertaining commentary. I love the "coffe table book" style of this book.....I also love that it covers ALL of the bull breeds and focuses on them as pets in RESPONSIBLE homes. Yes, some of the images are "street" with logging chains around the dog's necks, but the context of the book is such that you learn to respect this noble breed and appreciate the interviews with various bulldog people. I highly reccommend this book for the bully collector. It's not your typical "table of contents", "housebreaking", "how to train your dog" book, rather it is a compilation of many different types and styles of writing, including poems, art, interviews, etc, as well as information on where to get quality bulldog items. A great read!

4 comments about Noa Noa: The Tahitian Journal (Fine Art Series).

1. Very readable translation. This is not the best edition if you want good reproductions of drawings. But in terms of getting a good text for a good price it's great.
   
   I'm not really going to review the book itself as I assume most people who are here know that this was Gauguin's attempt to put together a what he hoped would be a best selling travelogue that would promote his art. He was hoping to cash in on the success of Pierre Loti's best seller the Marriage of Loti which was set in exotic Tahiti. It never made any money, but this is mostly because of it's idiosyncratic style. But for anyone interested in Gauguin's Tahitian experience it's great. Also check out his intimate journals which came out posthumously and cover also his life before Tahiti.



2. Typically considered a journal or memoir, Gauguin's book is in fact an early type of experimental multimedia novel. Thematically, Gauguin burlesques Pierre Loti's "Marriage of Loti", while structurally he interleaves narrative with his own highly-inventive Post-impressionist woodcarvings. It's a fine book: Gauguin could have been a great novelist, if he weren't already busy.



3. Though you may quarrel with Guaguin tactics or motivations, his art stands alone--brilliant, moving, subtle. It is always intriquing to hear the voice of a master painter and "Noa, Noa," affords that opportunity.



4. Contemplations visual, intellectual and spiritual. In 1891, French painter Paul Gauguin fled to the island of Tahiti - "a sixty-three days' voyage, sixty-three days of feverish expactancy;" begun as an unofficial visit regarding the imminent death of the island's king Pomare -- and resulting in a profoundly moving sea-change (spirit, observation, happiness). The Tahitian theology, natural history, and especially the progress of his relationships - a gift. This is a good book to read BEFORE embarking on your "desert island" voyage, but beware! Hard to top once you're there on some other island. An exceptional journal, with a graceful translation (it seems) by O. F. Theis from the French. Rated 9 (needs more color plates of paintings! but a lovely, portable paper edition) Other recommended travel/discovery books: Off the Map: Bicycling Across Siberia, by Mark Jenkins. 1993 HarperPerennial pb. Letters from Iceland, by W. H. Auden & Louis MacNeice. 1990 Paragon House pb. Why Come To Slaka? by Malcolm Bradbury. 1991 Penguin Books pb. Travels With Lizbeth (writing/homelessness), by Lars Eighner. The Starship & the Canoe (Freeman Dyson & son George) Bird of Jove (falconry), by David Bruce. 1994 Texas A&M pb. The Earthsea Trilogy, by Ursula K. Le Guin Ishi (anthropology/Native American history), by Theodora Kroeber

4 comments about Approaching the Magic Hour: Memories of Walter Anderson.

1. I have read numerous books on Walter Anderson but this by far was the best. His wife gave a personal account of his as well as their lives. It has truth as well as compassion. His art is much easier to appreciate after reading this enlightening book.



2. I first heard of Walter Anderson from an artist living in Mississippi when I was in high school, in 1963. She took me to the compound where Walter Anderson lived with his wife, brother and extended family. Anderson had become a recluse by this time, and I never met him. I got to see the pottery work he did and became fascinated with his art. As a sixteen-year-old, I was impressed with the colors and designs. I have aged, become an artist myself, and seen more of his work, I have come to appreciate the mystic quality, the blending of earth, sky, animals,plants, air, being and emotion into a whole expression.

   That this passionate expression was tied in with madness has fascinated me in understanding the edge between creativity, altered states of consciousness and mental illness. Understanding the complex persona of a person who has collapsed his entire life into his art is the challenge here. This is the person who tied himself to a tree on an island in the path of a hurricane to stay at work, after all. The relationship of this creative genius to his family and his struggle to bring forth the body of work we gratefully have today is the story of this book. It is honestly and well told. The unstated story is that without the tolerance, understanding, even suffering of Agnes Grinstead Anderson (the artist's wife), neither the man nor his work might have survived. In a time when people are less willingly to sacrifice for each other, This woman's story looks at the complications of a real life beyond the reach of easy pop psychology solutions.




3. Walter Anderson had the eyes of a child. His wonderment at the world around him, his passion for recording his love, and his driven personality -- all this makes for fascinating and inspirational and romantic reading. Anderson is being discovered as a true original -- his classical training in Europe and the Northeast is the foundation for his unusual work. I found this account to be as marvelous as the letters and life of Van Gogh. Sissy Anderson's writing is poetic and unpretentious. A classic.



4. This is a wonderful book that chronicals the life of the brilliant, yet disturbed Mississippi artist, Walter Anderson. Told by Anderson's wife, Sissy, the book tells of the passion Anderson had for the natural world around him, and the torture he endured because of this passion. The book tells of Anderson's life as a boy, and the love affair that he and Sissy shared. It chronicals the relationship he had with his children, his bouts with mental illness and depression, his long stays on Horn Island (Anderson's own personal paradise) and the discovery of the magnificent "Little Room", full of brilliant murals and paintings.

5 comments about Matisse And Picasso: The Story Of Their Rivalry And Friendship (Icon Editions).

1. This is an excellent book. I am thoroughly enjoying it.
   This book compares great painters 'Henri Matisse' and 'Pablo Picasso' works and the influence of each other and their works on the others art.
   Henri Matisse with his keeping the painting simple and lively and Picasso with his cubism, drawing from imagination are 'artists of different worlds'. They have different painting styles and they paint at exactly opposite times.
   The book goes through the works of each in the order one was done as a reacton to the other, sometimes one trying to beat the other at their own style.
   
   CITES:
   Baudelaire's essay- 'The Painter of Modern Life'.
   Apollinaire's essay on Picasso's work.(also his 'La Poete assasine')
   Picasso's play - 'Desire caught by the tail'.
   Matisse - 'Notes of a Painter'.



2. Imagine one tightly written book that can tell you what the art world was like for much of the 20th Century! Jack Flam is the man who did just that in "Matisse Picaso." Then imagine learning all about the lives of Matisse and Picasso and their loves along with their push-pull friendship and competition. After that get the skinny on the paintings both men painted. I never even saw all the -------- in Picasso's paintings. Now, it is hard to see anything else.
   
   I found this book to be much more exciting then typical biographies that include all the boring parts of people's lives. Here you get all the interesting parts with all the boring parts left out. I read every word and recommend the book without reservation. In fact, I believe every art student needs to read this book, every artist, every art affictionado.



3. If this be gossip, then it is the best kind. Engaging account of the rivalry/synergy of Matisse and Picasso and the interactions over half a century, with a Gertrude Stein introit at the beginning. This competition is fairly lightweight stuff as far as I can see although throwing rubber suction darts at a Matisse painting gets close to borderline rascalian--Picasso probably loses points on adolescent misdemeanours, but the art of both leaves us unable to judge, save that a third here could not be found.



4. This is an excellent work for art history enthusiasts. It depicts
   many famous works of art by Matisse and Picasso. Classically,
   Matisse is known for the artful use of color; whereas, Picasso
   is credited with the unique form of Cubism which pervades
   his artwork. Flam depicts important works by both artists.
   For instance, Matisse's "The Woman With The Hat" is shown in
   full color. Picasso's "The Acrobat's Family" is depicted
   together with "The Two Nudes". These pictures show the emotional side of Picasso's work in contradistinction to
   Matisse's exercise of restraint. This book would make a
   perfect gift for a friend, relative or art buff.



5. Before there was Andy Warhol, the ultimate in art cool, there was Picasso. And before there was Picasso, there was Matisse. Picasso and his cronies used to make fun of Matisse's primitive style and threw fake darts at Matisse's portrait of his daughter, and people laughed in the salons at Matisse's Joy of Life but no artist influenced Picasso more than Matisse, from his works to his introduction to African and Iberian art, Matisse was one of the few constants in Picasso's life, always keeping the paintings that he had of Matisse. These two heavyweights, more than anybody, have influenced the way we make art today. This books does a great job fleshing out the relationship between these two artists and how they affected each other in a well written and highly accesible format. An excellent book worthy of the excellent artists.

1 comments about Giddy Up! Cowgirls Gone Loco! A Gallery Girls Book (Gallery Girls Collection).

1. The latest edition in SQP's Gallery Girls collections takes a trip to the old west with Giddy Up! Cowgirls Gone Loco! Cowgirls are new avenue for the Gallery Girls Collection but as usual, SQP has lined up the usual array incredibly talented pin-up artists to bring these stunning ladies to life. Good ol' fashion Americana at its finest! The roster for this edition includes Arantza, Joe Pekar, German Ponce, Pelaez, Ernesto Cumpian, Danilo Guida, Perla Perlucki, and Marcelo Sosa. Stefano Mazzotti provides the front cover while Danilo Guida handles the back cover, both in full-color.
   
   In a way, it seems rather odd that these mostly Spanish and South American artists would be working a theme so inherently "American" as the wild west, but trust me, it all works out very well. In side is everything from sharp-shootin' gun-slingers, saloon girls, Indian maidens, and rodeo girls (usually using their ropes in erotic bondage illustrations).
   
   Alejandro Ferrero gives us a sheriff and her deputy surrounded by horde of blood-thirsty Indians...we know she's the sheriff because she has her badge tattooed on her buttocks! Diego Florio's sexually enticing "Big Boobs Jane, Wooden Signs" has a rather amply blessed young lady who uses her assets to paint with in lieu of paintbrushes. Pelaez's soft, subtle lines and attention to detail is always a highlight of any Gallery Girls collection and this one is no exception. Palaez provides us a sexy topless cowgirl brandishing a flaming branding iron. Arantza's contributions are always highly anticipated as well. One of her pieces showing an Indian lass atop a rearing horse is certainly one of the book's best pieces.
   
   Giddy Up is printed on high quality, glossy stock, with 64 pages of gorgeous women. The wild west has NEVER been this wild...or this hot!
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson