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New Art City: Manhattan at Mid-Century
by
Jed Perl
In this landmark work, Jed Perl captures the excitement of a generation of legendary artists–Jackson Pollack, Joseph Cornell, Robert Rauschenberg, and Ellsworth Kelly among them–who came to New York, mingled in its lofts and bars, and revolutionized American art. In a continuously arresting narrative, Perl also portrays such less well known figures as the galvanic teacher ...more
Paperback, 656 pages
Published
June 3rd 2009
by Vintage
(first published October 4th 2005)
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About the contemporary art movement in New York in the 50's and 60's. This movement led the way for artists such as Andy Warhol and, current artist, David Hockney.
i think i don't want to know about the personal lives of artists. it diminishes the enjoyment of the artwork to know about their ego-maniacal tendencies & really their little demons and pettiness is boring.
Yes, a fascinating time and Perl knows his stuff backwards and forwards and has the passion to go with it. But it's (overly) long, IMO. I found swathes of it dry reading and skipped paragraphs and pages, something I rarely do. That said, the chapters on Joseph Cornell and on the history of the creation/building of MoMA are gems of essays in and of themselves.
Some head-scratching omissions as well. Most glaring for me was how one could write a 400-page book on this time and subjec...more
Some head-scratching omissions as well. Most glaring for me was how one could write a 400-page book on this time and subjec...more
Jed Perl examines the "American moment" in modern art - the artists and movements around abstract expressionisms rise in New York. Gathering in a wide variety of personalities, the account is somewhat biased (a burning hate for Pop and all things Duchamp pervades the book) but all the more readable for it. Lifting up some more obscure artists and downplaying the role of the most prominent, "New Art City" lives up to the double meaning in its name - showing a fresh view of the...more
Very thorough and well-written discussion of the New York art scene from the late 40s through the mid 60s. It basically starts with Hans Hofmann and runs through Donald Judd. The only real disappointment is the fact that the images are all B&W, and generally pretty small. Perl gives a great sense not just of the artwork and why it was important, but also of the social scene and the connections of NYC artists to scenes in Europe and other parts of America. Lots of original research went into this...more
So I really shoulnd't give this book a rating until I finish it. This is one of those books that I started about a year ago, yet have not finished. Luckily it is not owned by the esteemed the Free Library of Philadelphia, so I am not collecting large fees on this book. From what I have read so far I have gained a larger understanding of the 1950's New York arts scene beyond the megolomaniacs including Pollack and DeKooning. I particularly enjoy the chapter on Buckminster Fuller, designer of ...more
I've read over half of this book. The first quarter or so I read in less than a week, and absolutely loved it. However, the author eventually starts talking about individual artists in an unconnected manner. These artists are discussed merely through individualized analysis of individual works. I began to lose interest and didn't feel like I was gaining anything. It was a struggle to keep reading it. Hopefully, if I ever finish it off, the work will become more cohesive and didactic.
The most interesting thing about this book is its dust jacket: sleek and translucent in a wax-papery way, New Art City is exciting to the touch.
Just don't open it. Jed Perl seems to think that Art began and ended in midcentury NYC; his implicit self-importance and verbosity made me feel like an asshole for even liking art at all -- not, I assume, the intended affect.
Just don't open it. Jed Perl seems to think that Art began and ended in midcentury NYC; his implicit self-importance and verbosity made me feel like an asshole for even liking art at all -- not, I assume, the intended affect.
Find it a little troublesome as to who he is including in our future history. All are pretty obvious, thank god for the few lesser known artists that make the book a more interesting read.
Oh, the good old days......
Great stories of Hoffman, Pollock and the (abstract expressionist) gang during the golden age of art...New York in the 1930's, 40's and 50's.
Great stories of Hoffman, Pollock and the (abstract expressionist) gang during the golden age of art...New York in the 1930's, 40's and 50's.
If Jed Perl used the word "dialectic" one more time I was going to scream. Incrdebily interesting topic not very interestingly conveyed.
Excellent, but not quick reading. I think I'll buy this one.
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