by Eduard Hüttinger (1977)
"The Swiss artist, designer and architect Max Bill (1908-1994) remains a key figure in Europe's applied arts and is one of Concrete and Constructive art's most influential exponents. Bill's 100th birthday offers the occasion to cast a new glance at his versatile oeuvre; several of the sculptures, paintings, furnishings, use objects and typographies in this book have only rarely been available for viewing. The texts additionally shed light on Bill's artistic environment and document his influence on other artists."--Jacket.
with texts by Lynne Cooke [and 3 others
"The German artist Rosemarie Trockel has gained international renown for a multifaceted practice encompassing painting, sculpture, video, and drawing. Issues including a concern with natural history, the creative expression of diverse species, and the representation and role of women in contemporary culture fuel her work"--Random House website (viewed November 26, 2012).
Hubertus Butin
The phrase "unique pieces in series" seems to be contradictory at first sight. For how can something that only exists once be present several times? But some of Gerhard Richter's editions embody this particular principle of uniqueness in series. In paintings, photographic works, prints, and drawings, Richter has developed the possibility to vary individual copies in their appearance. The entire set of an edition thus consists of unicultural variants whose difference is intended. Probably no other artist has made this design concept into a fundamental method of their art in such a fascinatingly diverse way. Die Formulierung "Unikate in Serie" scheint auf den ersten Blick in sich widersprüchlich zu sein. Denn wie kann etwas, was nur einmal vorhanden sein soll, mehrfach vorliegen? Doch manche von Gerhard Richters Auflagenwerken verkörpern dieses besondere Prinzip der Einzigartigkeit in Serie. In Malerei-Editionen, Fotoarbeiten, Druckgrafiken, Zeichnungen und Multiples hat Richter die Möglichkeit entwickelt, im Rahmen der jeweils gleichen Produktionsweise einzelne Exemplare in ihrer Erscheinung zu variieren. Die gesamte Auflage einer Edition besteht somit aus unikatären Varianten, deren Unterschiedlichkeit intendiert ist. Wohl kein anderer Künstler hat dieses gestalterische Konzept auf so faszinierend vielfältige Weise zu einer grundsätzlichen Methode seiner Kunst gemacht.
Daniel S. Walker
Fifty of the finest Oriental rugs collected in the past five decades are assembled here to illustrate the extraordinary achievements of village and nomad rug-weavers across Asia. Included are examples from Turkey, Iran, the Caucasus, Soviet Turkestan, Central Asia, and China. All belong or once belonged to members of the Hajji Baba Club, America's oldest and most prestigious rug society. Although they are all referred to as rugs, these pieces were not exclusively intended to be floor coverings. Many decorated the walls of tents, were used as bags for storing or transporting possessions, served as saddle covers or blankets for horses and camels, took the place of coverlets, or provided a surface on which to kneel during prayer. They were intended to be utilitarian but also highly decorative, and their jewel-like colors, bold patterns, and lustrous wool have proved irresistible to Western collectors. Both pile rugs and flat-woven kilims are represented in this selection. Some are crowded with intricate geometric details worked in sublet shades, others rely on a few simple motifs and striking color combinations. Most were made in the nineteenth or early twentieth century. The so-termed classical rugs produced in court workshops in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which are not represented here, have largely disappeared from the marketplace, but it is still possible to discover fine examples of the more recent weavings. In addition to a detailed discussion and technical analysis of each rug, Daniel S. Walker, Curator of Ancient, Near Easter, and Far Eastern Art at the Cincinnati Art Museum, has provided a brief history of the Hajji Baba Club which should be of great interest to those who have recently fallen under the spell of Oriental rugs. Fifty color plates, a glossary of important terms, and a bibliography make this volume a particularly useful reference for specialists and non-specialist alike. -- Inside jacket flap.
commissariat de l'exposition, Nicolas Surlapierre
Catalogue de l'exposition présentée au musée d'art et d'histoire de Belfort, du 23 juin au 24 septembre 2012. Bartholdi (1834-1904) effectue, au départ de Marseille, sur l'Osiris, un long périple du 1er novembre 1855 à la mi-juin 1856 pour l'Egypte et le Yémen. Ce voyage de groupe notamment avec Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904) est itinérant. Il arrive à Alexandrie, fait étape au Caire, remonte en dahabieh vers les sources du Nil jusqu'à Assouan. Au cours de ces haltes, d'études, l'artiste rencontre de nombreux personnages pittoresques ou hauts-en-couleurs. L'exposition grâce à 100 dessins, les premiers calotypes de Bartholdi (une vingtaine), des documents d'archives inédits, des livres rares et précieux que Bartholid consulta pour préparer son voyage retracera cette singulière expédition.