Black Velvet: The Art We Love to Hate

When I saw this book I had to get this. So I ordered it from Amazom, I was disapointed when the book arrived, I started to open the book and I was fascinated by the use of colours and life in the book, many thanks for this book.

This book is a catalog of sorts for an exhibition that the author was trying to promote. It is full of all sorts of black velvet painting images with many of the most common images (Elvis, etc.) featured. The color images are of good quality and the selection well represents the genre. It is a great reference just to have a visual example of the form at your fingertips. There is one short esay by the author at the beginning. It is an easy, albeit convoluted, read. It is more a laundry list of the types of perspectives the author would like for you to have about black velvet art. I remain unconvinced that the genre is above being anything but kitsch. But, that's why I like the stuff. At the very least, though, the author is honest about the fact that much black velvet art is mass produced. Several people work, assembly-line, on a single piece. The guy running the factory signs it, not anyone who actually painted it. Yet, there are some pieces shown in the catalog that are clearly listed as having a known single artist. I don't think any of these folks ever really got famous, but what do I know? I just wish there had been more writing about the artists themselves. As is, the essay is superficial in its treatment of how the paintings are made, speaking only in bold generalizations. Still, it's fun.