de Kooning: An American Master

I found de Kooning: An American Master to be one the most colorful and interesting biographies I have ever spent time with. The authors' discussion of de Kooning's art is accessible and insightful and woven into the context of his life and relationships. I particularly valued the authors' discussions of de Kooning's relationships with women, which so powerfully influenced his art and are fascinating in their own right. In addition, the authors' discussion of the rise of the New York school of abstract expressionism provided a rich and informative perspective (at least for those largely uninitiated in art history, like me) in tracing de Kooning's own ascent. Moreover, the book is wonderfully written, never dull.

What an amazing man, living in an amazing time. I was very moved by this biography, especially in the way in which de Kooning and his world come alive. The writing contains enough analysis to help connect the dots of the artist's life. And the book is rich in detail, especially about the art world in downtown New York from the 1930s on. I enjoyed reading some of the detailed descriptions of various New York venues. One thing that struck me was how uniformly negative most of the reviews of de Kooning were. It seems as though he enjoyed a brief romance period with the critics early on, when his work was still entirely abstract. That was in 1950, after his work "Excavation." After that, the critics basically wrote him off, declaring that he was past his prime. There were, of course, some exceptions to this, including de Kooning himself. It was also distressing to read in detail the gradual deterioration of the artist by alcohol and his destructive personal behavior. This was the only aspect of the book I had difficulty with, as at times I felt like a peeping tom, peering in on the lurid goings on in the de Kooning household. But I don't suppose there is any way to tell the story without telling that part of it. It is no big secret that many great artists, performers, poets, writers, etc., have had more than their fair share of demons to contend with, and this biography illuminates that point vividly. The biography is extremely well written and the pages fall away with novelistic abandon. I did not feel weighed down by an over abundance of detail, but I also came away feeling very "satisfied" as a reader. Please go ahead and treat yourself to a powerful experience. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in artistic expression, in the process of creative expression and where it comes from, in the craftmanship and hard work that goes into his art, and in a fascinating period in history. The authors have captured a dynamic view into the soul of a master.

The New York abstract expressionists have been written to death. The Village, the Cedar, the Hamptons-is there anything we don't know? As it turns out, yes. This big, fat bio of Willem de Kooning takes all the familiar people, places and ideas and makes them pop up off the page. As they tell de Kooning's story, Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan lead you through downtown New York the '40s, '50s and '60s, when rebellion, sex and booze helped fuel perhaps the most modern of artistic movements. This is intellectual history, sure. But the depth of the research and reporting in the book puts you in the room as things are happening-painting, arguing, affairs-in a way that few biographies can. But the book isn't just a long party sequence: You see and hear de Kooning struggling with his art, his celebrity, and, ultimately, his integrity as well. And then there's his long sad decline; after a White House dinner he had to be reminded that the man he had sat next to was President Ronald Reagan. In the full disclosure department, I have worked with the authors. Even if I hadn't, I would still press "de Kooning" on my friends.

I found this book riveting--both a brilliant portrait of the artist and a deeply felt exploration of his art. In the past, I was always puzzled by the passionate, reverent affection a friend of mine, a successful figurative painter, expressed for de Kooning's work. Now I get it. Like all good criticism, "De Kooning: An American Master" expands the reader's understanding of (and appreciation for) the art it luminously examines. At the same time, the authors deftly conjure forth a three-dimensional picture of de Kooning the man: self-contradictory, funny, brilliant, maddening, and wholly original. The result is an insightful, fascinating book-as Janet Maslin wrote in the New York Times, "smart and unflinching," "remarkably lucid," a "sweeping, authoritative biography."

I was outraged by Edward Baiamonte's review of the biography DE KOONING, AN AMERICAN MASTER. Mine is not a review but a rebuttal to such harmful comments. When he speaks of "egotistically" I think he should look at himself, who seems to think he alone knows what art should be expressing. De Kooning's work is a great importance in the history of art and in the expression of the inner self of a great artist. De Kooning was well trained in the Old Masters type of portraiture (if this man read the book, he'd know that),;he had exquisite skill. Abstract Expression is just one way of releasing, exploring and communicating the complexities of life. This biographyh of de Kooning is remarkable in its thorough examination of the life of one of the great characters of the century and remarkable for its ability to make the act of painting a physical and psychological experience we, the readers, can understand. I, for one, dread facing long books because I am a slow reader, but, in this case, I couldn't put the book down -- as we say. It is a great read, it is based on serious research, it could not be more immediate in terms of pleasure. It's a great read,. If this reviewer wants to bring God and morality into this book, I think any god, including his, would be proud of such a searching mind and talent, de Kooning would represent man's higher nature in all its soul searching, in failures and success. I am giving this book to most people on my Christmas list!