Product Description

Artwork by Edward Kienholz.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1840303 in Books
• Published on: 1996-02-02
• Released on: 1996-02-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

From Library Journal
Mixing a messy, process-based aesthetic of the Fifties with social engagement and overt political criticism better suited to the Sixties, Edward and Nancy Kienholz's assemblages occupy a unique place in the history of post-World War II American art. From the first 1954 abstract paintings that integrated assemblage but mocked artistry with their titles through life-size creations of the 1960s and 1970s that, for instance, re-created a bar wherein the patrons have clocks in place of heads to Edward's 1994 burial in his 1940 Packard, the works consistently offset a bleak social criticism with humor and humanity. In the planning stages for more than five years, the current retrospective (organized in connection with the Menil in Houston and showing in New York, Los Angeles, and Berlin) is likely to be the last survey of his large works for decades to come. Appropriately for such a climactic show, this catalog, with a half-dozen essays and more than 400 illustrations, masterfully encompasses the artists' work and their aims. A 30-page chronology by collaborator and wife Nancy and the detailed commentaries on these complex works alone make this book an invaluable tool for students and casual viewers alike. For all libraries collecting books on contemporary artists.?Eric Bryant, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Irreplaceable
I own about a thousand books,and I have been asked which one I value most,or would snatch up in a fire, on my way to safety. I would give up every book I own, if necessary, but would not relinquish this book under any imaginable circumstances.I traveled from Indiana to the Whitney for the Retrospective, and stayed all day. I purchased my copy before leaving.
In our current climate,the Kienholz' work ("Portable War Memorial" comes immediately to mind)speaks with ferocity and immediacy and is a stark critic of hypocrisy and cultural gluttony.
This book is an eternal flame.

An Extraordinary Book
Published at the time of the Kienholz Retrospective Show at the Whitney Museum in 1996, this book not only documents that show with over 400 illustrations (many in color), it is also a tribute to Ed Kienholz, who died in 1994. Contributions by art historians, artists, friends and most importantly, Nancy Reddin Kienholz, make up a history that spans 4 decades. It begins with Ed's solo work in the Beat Era of the 1950s and continues with the collaborative work done by Ed and wife Nancy from 1972 to 1994. Even those who are not artists cannot help but be moved by this book. The stories are interesting, often funny and always personal. From collages to life-size environments, the work is not afraid to confront issues of cruelty or to embrace the forgotten in society. Unique vision, artistry and the materials of everyday life (collected at flea markets and junk shops) combine to make art that can be quiet with despair, cry out in anguish, or even make us laugh. Considered by some as ugly, this work is never dull or without compassion. As art historian and curator Walter Hopps says on the book jacket, "The work of Edward and Nancy Reddin Kienholz has had an enormous impact on the development of contemporary sculpture." I recommend this book to anyone interested in contemporary art or social science -- or who just appreciates a beautiful book and fascinating story.