Cassell A-Z Great Modern Artists

"Great Modern Artists A to Z" is an original contribution to the genre I'll describe as "quick guides to complex topics." In this case, the complex topic is fine art (primarily painting and sculpture) of the 20th and 21st centuries. Andy Tuohy, a prolific British illustrator, partnered with British art historian Christopher Masters to showcase 52 luminaries of modern art (8 of them still living), including many familiar names (like Picasso, Warhol, O'Keeffe, Dali, and Kahlo) along with some lesser-known contributors. Tuohy points out in his Preface that a few members of his select group are non-Western artists (from Japan, China, India, Lebanon, and Sudan) that he hopes "people will investigate further."Each artist receives 3 or 4 pages in this small (about 6 by 9 inches) volume, including a brief biographical essay that describes the artist's style and significant contributions. At least one of the artist's works is reproduced in full color, and for a few artists, two sample works are included. The first page of each artist's entry identifies his or her country of origin, and year of birth and-- when applicable-- death. A 2-page glossary at the back of the book defines names of several art movements and organizations.The initial page for every entry also contains two small boxes: one is titled "Where to See [Artist's] Work" and contains a list of museums and galleries, worldwide, that house this artist's work. The other box, titled "Did You Know?", contains a "factoid" related to the artist's life or work. (Examples: Louise Bourgeois supported gay and transgender rights; Salvador Dali was named after a brother who died a year before he was born; David Hockney has produced the largest paintings ever made in open air; Mark Rothko studied at Yale but didn't graduate, and later received an honorary doctorate from the school.)But the focal point (and the primary reason for this book) is displayed on the second page of each entry-- a color portrait of the artist, created by Tuohy, using a uniform, minimalist illustration approach that also incorporates some attributes of each artist's "signature" style. Sometimes the inspiration for Tuohy's portrait is obvious-- for instance, Jackson Pollock's head is a paint can, and he wears a shirt splattered in colors that resemble Pollock's "Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist)", which is reproduced on the page following Tuohy's portrait. Similarly, Piet Mondrian's portrait is made of white squares and rectangles outlined in black, with a few blocks of primary colors used to create eyes, ears, and clothing, thus closely resembling the well-known Mondrian "Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow" that appears on the next page.In some cases, however, simply comparing pictures isn't enough, because the Tuohy portrait displays identifying elements that will be clear only if the reader already knows the artist's work, or reads the accompanying essay carefully. One such example is German Surrealist Max Ernst, portrayed by Tuohy as a two-headed half-man, half-bird. No birds appear in the Ernst painting "Celebes" reproduced in the book, but a paragraph of the text discusses Ernst's frequent use of a "bird-like alter ego" and "sinister avian creatures" in many of his paintings and collages done in the 1930s.Tuohy's interpretations are fun for those already familiar with the artists (he says he started the series of illustrations "for no better reason than to amuse myself"), and in many ways the book achieves its goal of providing "an accessible introduction [to modern art] for a new generation."Nevertheless, I assigned 4 stars rather than 5, because of two shortcomings. One is that the short essays frequently refer to works not contained in this book. I'm guessing that Tuohy's and Masters' intent is to stimulate readers to seek more information elsewhere, or at least to power up their computers and look for online images of the works mentioned-but-not-displayed. However, beginners can't fully appreciate some of the insights offered in the text unless they take time to do this extra research. (A related nit-pick is that titles of all art works mentioned are included in the index-- which isn't helpful if you simply want to locate the art that is included in this book.)The other weakness is lack of a bibliography for readers who want to learn more about an artist, can't necessarily visit one of the listed museums, and want a pointer to an authoritative information source. Even providing just one "For more information" reference with each entry would, in my view, help the book better achieve its goal of "celebrating" the art and artists of the modern era.Still, this book is admirably designed, and inexpensive-- so as a quick guide to modern art, it's worth considering.

Good book. Fun to read and to improve English knowledge in new aspects.Containing at least one art work per artist you get a short insight in his or her works

O livro é bem colorido, parece ser ok!

I loved this book. As a study guide or an introduction to modern art for the casual fan this book is wonderful to dip in and out of. Andy's illustrations are fantastic, really fun and as a snapshot encapsulating an artists' style, very informative and accurate. I would recommend this book as a great gift idea for the art lover in your life or as a treat for yourself. I would also highly recommend Andy's follow up book in the same style; A-Z Great Movie Directors. I hope there's more to come in the series.

A Good find