Abstract Expressionism

Heritage: from Cubism "the backcloth of modernism" through influences such as Benton and Avery then onto the various AB-EX artists. This book presents a grand sweep of a 'group' of artists without center. They remained too individualistic to accept a group identity. An broad breath that extends from Newman's abstract measured panoramas to de Kooning's fierce figuration. Anfam presents Pollock, de Kooning, Still, Rothko, Noewman, Klein, Guston, Gorky, Motherwell, gottlieb = the prime members of AB-EX. Their personal progression, growth and acceptance. Individual original statements. A boundless art movement without compare. To allow ones feeling to lead and dictate the structure and formation of art. "The elimination of all obstacles between the painter and the idea and between the idea and the observer". In no other art movement is the observer closer to the feelings of the artist. Stand before a Rothko, Pollock, or Still and just feel the power their art exudes. Imagry, sybolism, and outright bravado ended the silence and solitude of art past thus allowing for a stretching of the arms of art future. Maybe Pollock "broke the ice", but these guys unrelentingly fixed it into our collective psyche. The heritage of AB-EX is enormous. Every artist since is a bastard of there guys. Everything we see around us, on TV, magazines, etc., is directly influenced by this art period of the 1940's. An impressive edition effectually written and beautifully presented by David Anfam. No this is not a cocktail picture book. Rather an expert history exploring a fascinating subject. Wonderfully complimented by appropriate art reproductions.

What I found most striking about this book was the way that the writing ABOUT the art rose to such a complex, historical, metaphorical and intuitive exploration of the art, that I sensed it beginning to vie with the abstract expressionist art itself. In reading this book I began to understand how it is that we've arrived at a time where art criticism can seem like a snobby and pretentious game to many, where many self-serving pages can be written about the meaning of a work of art which consists of a toilet or a piece of trash. Not that the art criticism in this book itself seems to partake of intellectual fraud -- no, I did not sense that at all -- but rather I can start to sense here the justification of the art criticism as an art in itself, and sense it beginning to break away from the art to have a life in itself. I do believe that rather than being hung in museums, art serves a better purpose when it lives with us in a more daily, ordinary way, and that the best response we can have to it, is not an attempt to intellectually understand it, but rather to artistically respond to it. In that regard, it makes sense that art criticism would begin to exist as an art in itself. As other reviewers mention there are a lot of black and white reprints in this book, but you can still enjoy the forms and tonal values of the paintings, and I even think it's sometimes helpful to look at a color painting in monochrome to see these aspects of it more clearly. This reduces some distractions.

Whether you are a student, a teacher, or just an art lover, this is undoubtedly the best introduction to the abstract-expressionist movement available on the market. The author is a leading authority on the subject and covers the careers of all the major exponents of the movement (Rothko, Pollock, De Kooning, Kline, Newman...), explains their roots, how they turned New York into the art center of the world, what message they wanted to convey and also, the heritage and the limits of the movement. Many illustrations (most in black and white, unfortunately) help this book make for good, easy, and yet serious, reading.

Great review of several artist,mainly well know ones.Most pictures are black and white.Author talks about individual paintings.Nice size pocket book to take or read any where.

David Anfam's Abstract Expressionism is as good an introduction to 20th century American art as you'll find anywhere. Whether you're a novice or an expert (I'm sort of inbetween) I think you're bound to find this book indispensable. Despite its concise length Abstract Expressionism manages to cover the subject in depth as well as breadth. Besides offering sharp insights into the classic work of Pollock, Newman, de Kooning etc more neglected artists, such as Lee Krasner and the photographer Aaron Siskind, are brought into the fold. The description of the pre-war origins of the New York School makes fascinating reading and helps you appreciate the high-point of Abstract Expressonism. There's not a single superfluous sentence in the book. That's not surpising as Anfam really knows his subject - it turns out he's also the author of the definitive work on Rothko, the brillliant Rothko Catalogue Raisonée. This book has me itching to get into the gallery and see the work - and for an art book you can't say better than that. It's just a shame it's a 3,000 mile trip from London to MoMA - tate modern just won't do!