Kirk Varnedoe Libri

The recent Jackson Pollock exhibition at New York's Museum of Modern Art was a critical triumph, proving that sometimes more is better. With the line to get in the door snaking endlessly around the block and the faces of the viewers inside showing astonishment at the sheer experience of seeing so much of the pioneer of abstract expressionism's work in one place, Pollock's position in art history has become assured. Featured on the cover of the catalogue is one of Hans Namuth's photographs of the artist at work; many more are shown inside. An essay on the artist's turbulent life and violent end are highlights, but the real story here is the more than 200 color reproductions of the paintings, prints, and drawings, including some to-scale details and gatefold spreads of major works.

Focusing on the analysis of significant art pieces and the works of renowned artists like Richard Serra and Cy Twombly, this book serves as a final testament from a distinguished curator. Varnedoe's deep understanding of modern art shines through as he courageously asserts the merits of various artists, offering insights that elevate certain figures above others. His reflections not only celebrate modern abstraction but also challenge readers to reconsider the value and impact of different artistic contributions.

"Proceedings of a symposium held at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, November 10-15, 1989, in conjunction with the exhibition 'Picasso and Braque: pioneering Cubism, ' shown September 24, 1989--January 16, 1990"--T.p. verso./ Includes bibliographical references.

A challenging exploration of the visual arts from 1880 through 1920, Modern Starts is an unconventional guide to the beginnings of modernism. Deliberately abandoning customary labels--such as Fauvism, Cubism, and Futurism--and accepted chronological ordering, Modern Starts offers many pathways, each independent and self-sufficient, intended to suggest fresh modes of looking at and thinking about works both very familiar and quite unfamiliar. Loosely organized into three thematic sections, the book begins with "People," treating the great period of early modern figurative art from Rodin and Matisse to Munch. "Places" features landscapes and cityscapes by such artists as Atget, Cazanne, de Chirico, and Lager. "Things" addresses the importance of object-like works, such as Duchamp's "Readymades" and Brancusi's sculptures; and representations of things from Picasso's still lifes to Lucian Bernhard's advertising posters. Provocative juxtapositions, new contexts, and inventive interplays of mediums provide a stimulating look at the beginnings of modernism. Published to coincide with MoMA2000, an 18-month series of exhibitions at The Museum of Modern Art, New York drawn from the Museum's incomparable collection. Modern Starts is the first in a series of three volumes focusing on distinct 1880-1920, 1920-60, and 1960-2000.

In a lively panorama of stimulating juxtapositions, sequences, and cross references, Modern Contemporary provides a cornucopia of more than 550 works of key contemporary art. Thought-provoking page spreads pair Matthew Barney, Kara Walker, and Jia Zhang Ke; Gabriel Orozco, Chris Ofili, and Jeanne Dunning; Rineke Dijkstra and Philippe Starck; Jenny Holzer and Robert Gober; Mona Hatoum and Teiji Furuhashi; Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Juan Snchez, Raymond Pettibon, and Rosemarie Trockel; Lari Pittman, Gary Hill, and General Idea; and David Wojnarowicz and Bruce Nauman to name a few. The first publication to address the extensive holdings of contemporary art in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Modern Contemporary covers an international spectrum of art in a variety of mediums, all made within the final two decades of the 20th century. Organized chronologically and encompassing a prime selection of painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, drawings, design, prints, film, and video, this rich and varied array of art from 1980 until now offers a virtual compendium of the visual culture of our own time.

Der ausnehmend schön gestaltete Band, im amerikanischen Original Begleitbuch zu einer Ausstellung des Museum of Modern Art New York, führt mit einem anspruchsvollen, aber allgemeinverständlichen, stilistisch brillanten Text und reichhaltigem, vorzüglich ausgewähltem Bildmaterial in die wohl aufregendste Epoche einer der bedeutendsten Kunstmetropolen des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts. Im Anhang Zeittafel und umfangreiches Literaturverzeichnis. Sehr preisgünstig. (1)