Tidying Up Art

by Ursus Wehrli

Tidying Up Art is an attempt at bringing a bit of clarity into our lives just where it makes no sense at all! Ursus Wehrli, a popular stand-up comedian, rearranges famous works of art, sweeps all unwanted things out of the way and lines everything up in neat after all, being tidy is a virtue.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Humor, Reference, Picture Books

48 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2002

About the author

Urs "Ursus" Wehrli is a Swiss comedian and artist, best known for his books in which he "tidies up" works of art.

Reviews

[Orsodimondo · Rating 4 out of 5]

TANGRAM



Ursus Wehrli è un attore che non conosco e non ho mai visto recitare.
Ma Ursus Wehrli è anche un artista che fa arte mettendo a posto l’arte degli altri, proprio come in questo incantevole libro.
Come un bambino che riceve in dono un giocattolo e lo smonta in mille pezzi, nei pezzi che lo compongono, Ursus Wehrli ‘smonta’ l’arte che gli artisti ci hanno donato, ne ricava e isola i pezzi, gli elementi che la compongono, li allinea, li mette ‘in ordine’.
Ordina il caos dell’arte.
Organizza il soqquadro nei quadri.



Scompone e ri-assembla, destruttura, e così facendo dà rilievo primario alle parti componenti, all’ordine (primigenio?), al colore, al segno, alla forma.
È un vortice ordinatore che sa ‘smontare’ la bellezza dell’arte e con grazia estetica ricomporla in altra forma.
È un gioco, uno scherzo, uno svago surreale, un sorriso, non certo una sfida.
In fondo, non si potrebbe anche dire che Scrivere è mettere a soqquadro l’alfabeto?

La prossima sfida è riallineare anche le stelle nel cielo con metodo e precisione!



In Italia sotto i Borgia, per trent'anni, hanno avuto assassinii, guerre, terrore e massacri, ma hanno prodotto Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci e il Rinascimento. In Svizzera hanno avuto amore fraterno, cinquecento anni di pace e democrazia, e che cos'hanno prodotto? Gli orologi a cucù.
Orson Welles/Harry Lime, ‘Il terzo uomo’.

[eb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, but also surprisingly insightful. Deconstructing famous artworks into their parts and arranging those parts into neat arrangements actually allows you to see interesting compositional and formal choices that the artist made. The point of this book is humor-- the author is a comedian-- but if you have an art background or interest the approach is both funny and an interesting formal exercise. My favorite re-arrangement was "cleaning up van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles " in which all the furniture in the painting is stacked on the bed or shoved under it.

[Sheri-lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Art is complicated and the feeling created by art even more so.

The rearrangements are also very interesting as art to me...and the feelings they evoke as well.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is similar to his other book, which is to take a thing and break it down into it's component parts--in this case he does it with works of art,
and the results are both clever and hilarious.
I recommend this as a coffee table book if you want to have something for people to pick up and page through, but want it to be lighter and less thought provoking than a lot of books in this genre. Sometimes you just want to have a little fun.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Humor and art. I enjoyed his photography book more, but this playful take on great works of art is a fun way to take a closer look at the paintings. I think had I not known what Wehrli does from his other book, I’d have enjoyed this even more. The interpretation of Seurat made me laugh out loud.

[Chloe Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is really goood
:)

[E.T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

很欢乐

[Briana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I had expected.

[Tracey Allen at Carpe Librum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last year I read The Art of Clean Up: Life Made Neat and Tidy by Ursus Wehrli, and this is his earlier offering, Tidying Up Art.

Again we see Wehrli breaking down (in this case an image or famous artwork) and re-organising it so that it's neat and tidy.

Many of the artworks chosen were examples of modern art, abstract art and cubism and while these were entertaining, to be honest, I would have preferred some more selections over a wider selection of styles.

Nevertheless, Tidying Up Art did make me smile and ponder his work for some time, although it didn't make me laugh out loud the way The Art of Clean Up did.

Having enjoyed this series so much, and admiring Wehrli's technique, I've since discovered that there's a term for what he does and it's called knoll or knolling.

Knolling is the process of arranging like objects in parallel or 90 degree angles as a method of organisation.

In fact, you can see this 'method' of organisation everywhere as soon as you start to look. Have you heard of knolling? I love it!

[John Boettcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most ingenious and groundbreaking books on modern art there is out there. Finally, someone with a sense of humor that can pay attention to some of the absurdities of modern art.

The funny thing is that he uses his Swiss utilitarianstic upbringing to make some of the smartest and funniest print around. Taken directly from the originals, this book will leave you wanting to get prints from him!

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a fascinating and funny look at art (...especially for those of use who are ever so slightly anal-retentive) -- I particularly loved the piece that could be tidied into a Mondrian. My only critique is that I wish the book had been heavier on text. Though the pictures were in and of themselves interesting, I'd love to know why he breaks down each painting as he does.

[Rachelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, tongue-in-cheek, approachable art book. The tidied up art are like jigsaw puzzles that we reassemble in our minds. I especially like Georges Seurat's "Models" tidied up into a bag of colorful round balls (three-dimensional pointillism). Art needs no explanation, but I would have appreciated a short description of the art style or Wehrli's tidy inspiration.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, a book for all those people who just want to reach into an artwork and straighten it up...just a little...a bit...a tad...you know, make it look nice...in case your Mum stops by...you wouldn't want her to see it like this would you? Your tag's sticking out...let me get it for you.

[Lisainberlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy idea! This guy takes famous works of art ( Magritte, Klee, Van Gogh) and puts their elements into neat little piles which become works of art themselves. Somehow it's all very funny to see these famous works rearranged so carefully.

[jeannine · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK! A must for any art lover, teacher or those who are into order! :)

[Duane Galle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

I "read" this with my 6yo & 9yo boys one evening. When people say they LOL... well, we seriously were. Make sure you read ALL THE WAY TO THE END. ;-)

[Bayneeta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever. The Seurat is my favorite.

[Christel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ein wunderbares Buch, immer gut als Mitbringsel für kunstinteressierte Freunde

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! How do people come up with this stuff? I love it and I love that someone made this happen!

[Melusine Parry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant idea, brilliant photoshopping, endless hours of fun with my sister figuring out what went where

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOL the Bruegel.

[Anouck Moortgat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funniest book ever

[Cornelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an idea! :-D I like van Gogh's "Bed Room" best.

[Rhiannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silly and smile-inducing!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved art of clean up, and tidying up its predecessor, the bang was not as loud for me in this earlier work but it's just as clever, maybe more so .