No comments about Art Basel Miami Beach 2008.

No comments about The Interventionists: Users' Manual for the Creative Disruption of Everyday Life.

1 comments about Splendors of Versailles.

1. 
   This is the lavishly produced catalog for the impressive one-time, one-venue 1998 show of the same name at the Mississippi Arts Pavilion, in Jackson. The 225-page, 9x12 inch format heavy card-cover tome begins with outside and inside views of the major rooms of Versailles, mostly full-page size, then focuses on shots of the 120+ artifacts and installations included in that ambitious show.
   
   The Mississippi Commission on International Cultural Exchange did a 1996 one-venue show on Russian Imperial Style that broke U.S. exhibition attendance records -- those folks do great work, and this show's catalog reflects it. Printed on heavy gloss paper in superb color, it includes well-selected paintings, tapestries, porcelains, the king's bedchamber installation, and the controversial 10-ton equestrian statue by Bernini.
   
   This is a superb coffee table book, especially for the remarkably low (as of this writing) aftermarket price. I'm not familiar with the other extant Versailles books, but this one looks like a must-add to any enthusiast's collection. It would be in much higher demand -- and fetch higher prices -- if it weren't a show catalog, and hence not as well known as it might be. A royal sleeper!

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

3 comments about War Posters: Weapons of Mass Communication.

1. This book is very interesting because it shows posters made for war propaganda from both sides of the conflict. The posters give the reader a glimpse of how the other side viewed itself and its enemy.
   
   I am totally against fascist regime in Nazi Germany, Italy, and Imperial Japan, but to see their war posters, I sensed they really believed that they were fighting against a greater evil. The question is, what if we lost? Would we be portrayed as the evil capitalist empire on a mission to exploit the entire world?



2. It's not surprising to learn that this handsome volume was printed in conjunction with a British museum exhibit of war posters. The graphics chosen for inclusion here are of the highest caliber, and I can only imagine that curators pored over each of these and culled dozens (hundreds, even!) of others.
   
   It's fascinating to compare the icons, color schemes, and appeals to patriotism that have accompanied modern warfare in its various arenas. The posters are worth lingering over and thinking about, and the international flavor of the selections is laudable.
   
   I might quibble that the final chapter of anti-war posters seems vastly less impressive than it could have been; perhaps the author felt that it needed to be included, but didn't have the page count to accommodate the topic? No matter. A brilliant book; highly recommended.



3. This book is a formidable weight! It can be used as a 'coffee table book' but it is more than that. The illustrations are brilliant and the explanatory text very interesting. If you have an interest in propaganda, you should love it. I was given it as a present but I would have bought it anyway if I had spotted it first. It is unusual and brilliant.

1 comments about Silver Springs: The Underwater Photography of Bruce Mozert.

1. This is not your typical underwater photography coffee table book!! It is a quirky collection of carefully-posed photographs taken for crowd-pleasing effect, made for publicity pictures and postcards at Silver Springs. The effects are variously surreal, amusing, risque and kitsch. The photographer Bruce Mozert spent an entire career thinking of wacky scenes to shoot, and some of the ideas are brilliant. It's also a testament to the photographer's professionalism and achievement in making the best of the practical constraints (shallow fresh water, breath-holding models, buoyancy). The photographer and the models obviously had a lot of fun doing it. It's great fun to read. There are no stunning world-class masterpieces of technique or artistry here, but there's a style that grows on you. And to my surprise, there are a couple of hidden gems about underwater photography technique. Most of all - you're supposed to enjoy it.

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.

4 comments about The Artist-Gallery Partnership: A Practical Guide to Consigning Art.

1. I have a small space for a gallery. This book taught me that running the gallery myself was more involved than I had thought. I will leave the operation itself to a lessee. Essential first step for people who think it would be simple fun to open an art gallery.



2. Whether you are a gallery owner or artist, I suggest finding a book that goes much more in depth. The Artist-Gallery relationship is much more complex and has many nuances not covered. The artist once again gets the short end of the "stick."



3. This book is regarded by many as the "bible" for artists who consign work to galleries. All the pitfalls and potential problems you can imagine are cited here, along with practical, simple advice for making the most of an artist's relationship with a gallery.
   
   Tad Crawford, who has written extensively on the legal and other business aspects of artist practice, has scored again with this great work.



4. I own a small gallery because I love art and artists, but I was not prepared for the variety of business and legal headaches that this field could produce. During yet another frantic call to my attorney, she recommended this book to me and life has been considerably calmer ever since.

   Let's face it: art is a business and if you are an artist or a gallery owner, you can't afford to be without this information. I use this book to maintain records; I check paperwork against it before visiting my accountant; I use its sample forms and agreements every time I get the place ready for a new exhibit; and I follow this book's advice with every sale and display we make. This book should be required reading for everyone who has anything to do with art consignment...

5 comments about Andrew Wyeth: Autobiography.

1. I discovered this book at my sister's home after I bought a print while visiting. The comments accompanying each print in the book provide an intimate look at Wyeth's life and art. It added a new dimension to my fondness for his work. I'd highly recommend this book to any admirer of Andrew Wyeth.



2. This isn't a linear autobiography, in the usual sense. Instead, it presents selections from Wyeth's entire life as a painter, from his mid-teens to his late seventies, when this book was published. Wyeth's own notes on each piece make it an autobiography.
   
   This says less about the artist than about his artwork, which speaks for itself. His subdued palette captures the people and places of his life. Places include farms, barn or farmhouse interiors, Maine shorelines, and other open spaces that are increasingly hard to find. Wyeth's people include his wife Betsy, his sister, and neighbors. Grittier than Norman Rickwell but no less affetionate, he presents them at work, at hard-earned rest, or simply at a quiet moment. A few nudes of teenaged Siri, including the remarkable "The Virgin," capture the gawky grace of emerging womanhood. Two images really stood out for me, though, images I would never have associated with Wyeth. "Spring" and "Christmas morning" carry a surreal sense, somehow even closer the the supernatural for their entirely realistic rendering. "Spring," especially, offers an amiguous sense of hope using the starkest and bleakest of visual language.
   
   As Wyeth narrates each painting, a sentence to a paragraph for each, parts of his life emerge: friendships, successes, and losses. Without being mysterious, the text comes across as spotty and selective, omitting far more than it presents. If you want a standard kind of biography, you'll have to look elsewhere. Instead, this book is closer to the occasional cup of coffee with the artist, shared over weeks or months, in which different moments of his life arise almost at random. His words add an intimacy to the art that's hard to express, but that is worth experiencing - as is the art itself.
   
   -- wiredweird



3. I purchased this item as a gift for an artist friend, she was very happy with the quality of the reproductions in this book.



4. I didn't know a lot about Andrew Wyeths work before reading this book. I had seen the paintings and I liked them a lot, but I didn't know that much about them.
   
   The book is labeled as an autobiography, but its form is not what many might expect. This is not a book consisting of prose with the occasional picture, it is a book that mainly shows Wyeths paintings with a paragraph or two about the paintings below. Written by Wyeth. For some this may not be what they are looking for, but I liked this very much.
   
   It is a very good introduction to Wyeth's paintings and the subject matter he painted. The people, the places and their history. There isn't a lot of information about Wyeth himself in the book. At least not in the sense one would expect from a traditional biopgraphy. But after reading it I feel I know a lot more about both Wyeth and his paintings than a typical art-history or biographical text would give me.
   
   I'd be happy to recommend this book.



5. My teacher introduced me to Andrew Wyeth's paintings and drawings about a year or two ago. I've been in love with his work ever since. It's just how beautiful his linework is and how he brings life to the paintings. That is so incredibly rare. There are plenty of portrait artists out there, but I can't think of one that impresses me as much as he does. I think this is because of how well he knew his subjects.
   
   He said drawing with pencil helped him get to the core of a thing. If you've ever drawn or painted people and animals from life, as he did, it increases the appreciation for his work one hundred fold. I also think that this is why his paintings and sketches are so full of life - you just don't get that from a photo, there is NO comparison. His landscapes blow me away every time, and I'm not really a fan of landscape paintings. Something about the solitude of it all just takes me in.
   
   My favourite is Night Sleeper, which is on the cover. His palette is just beautiful, i don't really think it's muted or drab - the closer you look, the more colours you see. How he played colours in juxtaposition, so that they glow, is another part that gives his work such intensity and life.
   
   The comments beside all the work are, as people have mentioned, very good. The entire book is one of those slow joy books. It's just nice to sit with it and turn the pages slowly and take in every thing.

5 comments about What is Exhibition Design? (Essential Design Handbooks).

1. I have been a big fan of Mr. Skolnick for a long time and was eagerly anticipating his book, however, I found it to be a complete disappointment. As a graduate student in design, I found his tone to be lordly and condescending and seems to have no respect or patience for his reader. In addition, the treatment of exhibition design is shallow and unhelpful - I was surprised by the complete lack of depth in the book - a frustrating and lackluster effort. For a much better look at exhibition design I would recommend Exhibition Design by David Dernie - that book is really the standard in this field.



2. Wrong finger!! Or at least it should be a thumb pointing down!! The real title should be "What is a way to waste a week of my life reading a book and learn nothing?" In all seriousness, I was very excited to read this book but found myself thoroughly disappointed and feel like I wasted my $35. While reading, I found myself consistently writing in the notes "already knew that"



3. After reading this book, I officially know LESS about exhibition design than I did before reading it. Of the three sections in the book (Issues, Anatomy, and Portfolios) I would give each a resounding 1 out of 10 in terms of information, relevance, and coherence. The photographs are ok but I could have taken them myself and wouldn't pay $25 for a few BW photos. I highly recommend against anyone buying this if you have any interest in knowing more about exhibition design after reading it. If you really want to know something about ED, read Vrancx's ED book or David Dernie's. Scolnick is terrible and his book is a total waste of money.



4. I have to agree with the other negative reviews of this book. I am really scratching my head about the positive reviews here -- must be friends or family? This book is dense, boring and unoriginal. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere.



5. This book is complete garbage. Are these other reviews from family members? There is absolutely nothing insightful about this book. Most of it is rehashed, old ideas that he has taken from others. I'd like my money back from this hack.