MoMA Highlights: 350 Works from the Museum of Modern Art, New York

by The Museum of Modern Art, Harriet Schoenholz Bee (Editor), Cassandra Heliczer (Editor)

In this updated, expanded, and superbly produced handbook, The Museum of Modern Art presents its own selection of the most significant artworks in its collection. Few institutions approach the richness of The Museum of Modern Art's holdings in painting, sculpture, drawing, prints, illustrated books, architectural models and drawings, graphic and industrial design, photography, film, video and multimedia installations. In this volume, some 350 highlights--23 of which are new to this edition--from the Museum's six curatorial departments, are interwoven to present a sumptuous and broadly chronological overview that takes readers from Post-Impressionism to contemporary art. Every work that was executed in color is reproduced in "MoMA Highlights" in vibrant hues, and each is accompanied by a brief commentary. Updated and revised, this book is the definitive guide to the broad scope of MoMA's collection. Also updated and expanded, The Museum of Modern Art recently reopened on November 20, 2004 in its newly designed building by architect Yoshio Taniguchi. Founded in 1929 as an educational institution, MoMA is dedicated to being the foremost museum of modern art in the world. The ultimate purpose of the Museum declared at its founding, is to acquire the best modern works of art in all visual mediums.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Reference, History, Art History, Travel, Design

380 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.

MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, and includes over 200,000 works of architecture and design, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, prints, illustrated and artist's books, film, as well as electronic media.

Reviews

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really great and they just reprinted the second edition this year. It includes (as you may guess from the title) 350 of the most famous works from the museum. Each work of art is featured on it's on page in color along side information on the artist, the painting itself and it's context. This book would be used well in a situation where students have to pick an image to work with, but buyer beware there might be some inappropriate images/commentary for the classroom. A solution would be to pull images from the book for the students to look at.

[emily whitney · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok i tried to be an artsy nonfiction girly and i failed. i literally zoned out every time i tried to read this book. i like art i promise i just could not finish this. i’ll try again with a shorter art book soon.

[Caroline Jusviack · Rating 4 out of 5]

é muito interessante explorar o contexto social e político que marca muitas das obras do Moma e como a própria curadoria é um posicionamento do museu.

[Hoyadaisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice to have small format, book, but often, format is too small to see image details. Also, colors often washed out. Film stills are a fair percentage and seem an odd choice. All that said, analyses are valuable.

[Kalle Wescott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspring. I want to learn more about Wilfredo Lam, Arshile Gorky, and Matta!

[Martin Herbordt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title tells what it is: 350 presentations, each usually exactly a page that includes a picture and a description, preceded by the barest introduction. There is almost no organization with two exceptions: a basic chronology is followed and facing pages often have some thematic intersection. Most artists represented have one work, although Warhol has three and Picasso four. All departments are represented: painting and sculpture, photography, performance and film, design and architecture, prints and illustrations. As is the nature of the history of modern art, the first half has more familiar artists and works, with most of the artists and many of the works being familiar; by the 1950s certain icons are obviously familiar (Warhol), and a few surprises (Raging Bull, ipod), but most quite frankly are examples of ever more obscure wackiness where the only thing that seems to count is originality and a story (48 bales of hay with a golden needle ha pause ha, man in the piano).
Art criticism (modern art itself?) is a statement of the obvious (it’s white), some perceptive observations (the dancers seem to float), plus an exegesis (“implying methods from …”), plus complete projection (“we see our own creations,” “conveys the confusion”) that is often strained to the ridiculous. The descriptions often start with some influences and a little background, then follow with those sections. Overall, informative and entertaining, especially when reading a few per day over the course of six months.
Overall thought – This is (of course?) more a book to be brought along on a museum trip to add richness to the experience than to be read serially. Or to be referenced to recall particular favorites. Isn’t that what essayists and critics are for? And textbooks? Well, maybe for medieval art, or Netherlandic still-lives of the 17th century, but for modern art this may be the best approach. The whole point of modern art appears to be that everything that makes art history a thing – styles, materials, types of customers – are now unconstrained. Which makes the blunderbuss approach as good as any.

[Benjamin]

is still sealed in the wrapping in which it was bought from the MOMA, we purchased on trip to NYC in Yr 2012

[Wing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through 350 selected works, this guide chronicles the dialogues between representationism and non-representationism; the material and the conceptual; the ephemeral and the timeless; the banal and the transcendental; the nihilistic and the optimistic. It is also a tale of how western art struggles to find its meaning, and a celebration of innovation triumphing over mere tradition, cosmopolitanism over parochialism. Above all, it shows how a great institution can shape our ways of seeing. Four stars.

[Yossi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun as a coffee table adornment. Pretty to look at and read casually,…but the introduction and the museum’s “hashkafa” as expressed in the book is too postmodern and woke, (even for me) to allow the book be

[Jessica peyton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has 350 works from The Museum of Moder Art -New York
I love the cover!

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little snippets running the history of art. Great collection of a great collection.

[Nio03 · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy-read. A carefree journey through art.

[Pablo Menchaca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection for a great collection.. If you love MoMa, this is a great option to be close!!!.. thks for this gift!!

[mellyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good reference. Conscise. I'd like walking through MoMa with this book in my hands.

[Geert1962 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice capita selecta of works from the Moma