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New York School Painters & Poets: Neon in Daylight
New York School Painters & Poets charts the collaborative milieu of New York City poets and artists in the mid-twentieth century. This unprecedented volume comprehensively reproduces rare ephemera, collecting and reprinting collaborations, paintings, drawings, poetry, letters, art reviews, photographs, dialogues, manifestos, and memories. Jenni Quilter offers a chronological survey of this milieu, which includes artists such as Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Alex Katz, Jasper Johns, Fairfield Porter, Larry Rivers, George Schneeman, and Rudy Burckhardt, plus writers John Ashbery, Bill Berkson, Ted Berrigan, Joe Brainard, Edwin Denby, Larry Fagin, Frank O’Hara, Charles North, Ron Padgett, James Schuyler, Anne Waldman, and more.
“Giving us for the first time a full picture of the scene these artists and writers shared,” writes Carter Ratcliff in his foreword, “this book illuminates the unities and tensions, the playfulness and glamour and startling authenticity of their collaborations. Here we not only see evidence of a modus operandi. We also feel the exuberance of a certain modus vivendi, a way of life.”
By Jenni Quilter, Edited by Allison Power, with Advisory Bill Berkson and Larry Fagin, and Foreword by Carter Ratcliff.
“Giving us for the first time a full picture of the scene these artists and writers shared,” writes Carter Ratcliff in his foreword, “this book illuminates the unities and tensions, the playfulness and glamour and startling authenticity of their collaborations. Here we not only see evidence of a modus operandi. We also feel the exuberance of a certain modus vivendi, a way of life.”
By Jenni Quilter, Edited by Allison Power, with Advisory Bill Berkson and Larry Fagin, and Foreword by Carter Ratcliff.
- GenresArt
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 20, 2023
One of the most glaring issues with this exhibition is the way it carelessly groups artists together without considering the distinct nuances of their individual styles and philosophies. By lumping them under the vague umbrella term "New York School Painters & Poets," the curators undermine the unique contributions and identities of these artists, erasing their individual voices in the process.
Furthermore, the exhibition fails to provide any meaningful context or analysis of the artists' backgrounds and the historical and cultural milieu in which they worked. Without a proper understanding of the social, political, and artistic landscapes of the time, it becomes impossible for the audience to grasp the true significance and complexities of the artworks on display.
The curators' interpretations of the art appear shallow and uninspired, reducing the rich and multilayered meanings of the works to oversimplified and clichéd statements. It seems as though the curators approached the exhibition with a predetermined agenda, imposing their own biased readings onto the art, rather than allowing the art to speak for itself.
Moreover, the exhibition fails to acknowledge the diversity within the "New York School" movement, both in terms of artistic styles and cultural backgrounds. This oversight perpetuates the art world's tendency to favor certain artists and exclude others based on narrow criteria, thus perpetuating the erasure of lesser-known and underrepresented voices.
The lack of proper documentation and accompanying materials further hinders the audience's ability to engage with the art and gain a deeper understanding of the artists and their intentions. Instead of providing insightful essays or informative labels, the exhibition leaves visitors feeling disconnected and uninformed.
Furthermore, the exhibition fails to provide any meaningful context or analysis of the artists' backgrounds and the historical and cultural milieu in which they worked. Without a proper understanding of the social, political, and artistic landscapes of the time, it becomes impossible for the audience to grasp the true significance and complexities of the artworks on display.
The curators' interpretations of the art appear shallow and uninspired, reducing the rich and multilayered meanings of the works to oversimplified and clichéd statements. It seems as though the curators approached the exhibition with a predetermined agenda, imposing their own biased readings onto the art, rather than allowing the art to speak for itself.
Moreover, the exhibition fails to acknowledge the diversity within the "New York School" movement, both in terms of artistic styles and cultural backgrounds. This oversight perpetuates the art world's tendency to favor certain artists and exclude others based on narrow criteria, thus perpetuating the erasure of lesser-known and underrepresented voices.
The lack of proper documentation and accompanying materials further hinders the audience's ability to engage with the art and gain a deeper understanding of the artists and their intentions. Instead of providing insightful essays or informative labels, the exhibition leaves visitors feeling disconnected and uninformed.
November 6, 2023
Fascinating and worth the read, if these are names familiar to you. I've read quite a few of the poets, but the painters were unfamiliar to me. It's a fascinating community that assembled here, generating material prolifically as they worked together and in opposition to each other. The letters are fascinating, and so many of the photos are candidly shot. Well worth the read, even though the book itself is quite a doorstop (or maybe even a door).
August 20, 2018
I thought this book gave you a very real sense of what the painters and poets lives were like. The letters in particular revealed an intimacy among the artists and showed a side that is so often edited out in the official history.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews