30 Years: Interviews and Outtakes

by Michael Auping

Thirty of today's leading artists reveal their ideas, insights, and inspirations in their own words. No one can communicate the meaning of art better than the artists themselves. In a curatorial career that spans thirty years, Michael Auping has had the unique opportunity to visit hundreds of painters, sculptors, architects, and writers in their studios to talk about what they do and how they do it. His interviews are renowned for their clarity and depth. Here he collects thirty of the most compelling and penetrating of these interviews, each illustrated with images of the artist at work. Conversations with Tadao Ando, Louise Bourgeois, Francesco Clemente, Jenny Holzer, Anselm Kiefer, Susan Rothenberg, and Richard Tuttle, among others, offer extraordinary insight into the creative process of some of the most influential artists at work today. Together they provide a collective portrait of the artist's responses to the world we inhabit.

Genres: Nonfiction

286 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2007

About the author

Michael Auping is chief curator at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Texas.

Reviews

[ramedhis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main reason I read this book was my admiration for Tadao Ando—his approach, philosophy, and works reveal what a truly inspiring human being he is. Back in 2019, while researching for an assignment in one of my architecture school courses, this book appeared alongside other titles that mentioned his name. I was specifically looking for something original, unrehearsed, and open, like an interview or an oratory biography—words and thoughts spoken directly and unpolished from Ando himself. However, I didn’t manage to read the book at that time because I couldn’t find where to buy or borrow it. A few months ago, I discovered that Amazon had used paperback copies available, so I asked my friend in Oregon to purchase it and scan it for me to read on my phone or Kindle. Ironically, I later discovered that the book was archived on Archive, but by then, we had already purchased it—a funny little story for me.

Although the writer placed Ando's interview as the first chapter of the book, my curiosity quickly faded upon realizing it only contained 14-15 pages of his interview. As someone who admires Ando almost like a religious figure, I felt a bit disappointed. Still, I reminded myself that this book wasn’t solely about him. I kept my enthusiasm intact and continued flipping through the pages. Soon, I found that the other interviews were also, surprisingly, interesting, although not the most engaging. It felt like peeking into the lives of about 30-ish creative individuals, most of whom I had never heard of before. While I enjoy art and occasionally create visual art myself, my focus has always been narrow. This book broadened my horizons, introducing me to “known” yet unfamiliar figures in the art world.

These interviews offer glimpses into the creative forces, personal backgrounds, and inspirations that shape these individuals. Some of the insights are profound, while others are simply interesting. Michael Auping's approach to interviewing was minimal—he often asked simple questions that required no further explanation and could even be answered with a simple yes or no. Interestingly, this approach revealed much about the interviewees. Some spoke at length, seemingly indulging in a bit of ego-boosting, while others were more reserved, offering detailed responses only when the questions demanded them. Perhaps this explains why it took me more than three weeks to finish the book.

As I said, this book serves as a handy glimpse into the minds of "creative" people. Whether inspirational or not, it’s a quick way to get to know a tiny part of what makes them who they are.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it apt that the Richard Tuttle interview was entirely about Agnes Martin.

Easy to read, bite-sized chunks of interviews with ultra-famous to medium-famous artists conducted by Michael Auping, curator at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. The only question he seemed to ask over and over again was if the artist thought his/her work was emotional. So of course all the artists that you expect to say yes, say no, and vice versa.

[Stephan Ferreira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually a gift for Kelsey, that I'm not sure if she had read. Ok.