Art Life: Selected Writings 1991-2005

by Lawrence Rinder, Bill Arning (Contributor)

Entertaining, lyrical and informative, Art Life is a selection of essays by well-known contemporary art curator Lawrence Rinder, all written since 1991. Rinder's work is distinguished by a concern for art's role in reflecting and shaping daily life. Informed by history, philosophy and popular culture, these essays provide keys to understanding a broad range of contemporary practices--from painting and drawing to net art and video installation. In each of these texts, Rinder muses on how the intersection of material, image and idea creates meaning in some of the most compelling artworks of the past few decades. Among the many artists discussed are Luc Tuymans, Sophie Calle, Martin Creed, Ara Peterson, Jim Drain, Louise Bourgeois, Mark Lombardi, Jack Smith and Irit Batsry. All of the essays in Art Life are unified by Rinder's clear writing style--seamlessly interspersed with a selection of images--and his consistent engagement with the experience of art and art's relevance to our daily lives. Ideal for scholars and students alike.

Genres: Art

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2006

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book. There's a diverse array of artists presented, including a secluded African-American quilt maker, and punk artists from Rhode Island. I especially enjoyed the chapter on Rudolph Steiner's Blackboard Drawings. Rudolph Steiner was a scholar and mystic in the 19th century, and founder of the Waldorf schools. Steiner gave hundreds of lectures around the world, and while he was lecturing on his ideas, he would make drawings on the blackboard using colored chalk. Many of his drawings were saved by one of his assistants, and are considered to be important works of art. His drawings are fascinating--they show his natural ability to blend art with words to convey intellectual ideas.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

thoughtful pieces of writing concerning art theory and criticism...i've read some to my students and they were a little overwhelmed by the ideas and verbage, but through my translations my students were able to come to some interesting conversations. i thought this book brought a different level to the class, one where the students were thinking beyond their 9th grade years!