The beauty of the front lawn or opening to a house.
Sunday, 26 June 2011
A collector to me is always someone who exposes him or herself via their obsession or collection. Richard Prince is an artist who totally focuses on the importance of the image and how that image is used in various contexts. So its fascinating how he takes on something so personal - in other words his book collection. And it is a book collection to end all book collections. He has many signed rare editions, but also loves the nature of the pulp paperback - but even that has a rare quality to it.
The books he mostly collects are editions that were produced in 1949 to the year 1984. "1984" being one of his favorite novels, which was written in 1949, and by chance also the year of his birth. So this is a collection that defines Prince as an individual and an artist. This beautiful book has tons of book covers - but more importantly documents various titles. For instance he has every version of "On The Road" possible, but beyond that he has editions that are signed by Kerouac to various greats - William Burroughs, Ginsberg, Vidal, etc. And the fact that he somehow got these signed books is surely a man focused on the communication between the writer and his readers/friends. He also collects Jimi Hendrix letters - which as far as I know have never been published before - but that's fascinating.
But the meat and potato of his collection is 20th Century classics - and how those classics talk to him as an artist is really something. This has to be one of the great books on an artist and his muse - books. And the fact that we get some great excerpts is a plus as well. A book that can be in the art as well as in the literary criticism section. Love it.
But the meat and potato of his collection is 20th Century classics - and how those classics talk to him as an artist is really something. This has to be one of the great books on an artist and his muse - books. And the fact that we get some great excerpts is a plus as well. A book that can be in the art as well as in the literary criticism section. Love it.
Sunday, 19 June 2011
But as any Morrissey fan knows, there is no low peeks in this man's work. Some songs are better than other songs, some albums are better than other albums - but one has to look at Morrissey's entire career - and that is a magnificent opportunity to see the entire culture of one man's obsession. Which is....Morrissey.
Which is not a bad obsession at all. I learned a lot of culture by listening to Morrissey's music, but even more important, his visuals. One can't separate his visuals from his music - its essential and equally important. And this book is a must for all Morrissey fans. One because it is obviously approved by him, and two, it has a very nice introduction by Michael Bracewell, who is currently one of my favorite writers out of the UK. But Linder, the photographer, is interesting as well. Music maker, visual artist, and of course photographer. I don't know her work as a photographer, outside the Morrissey portraits. But her collages I do know, and I do know some of her music.
So the book candidly captures the tour of 1991. From Japan to the U.S. to the U.K. - and what of course strikes one is the relationship between the performer and his audience. It is almost like the audience is part of the Morrissey band. And its fascinating to view the connection between the two. Mozipedia is the essential Morrissey book, but this is a must-have as well.
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