Sound and Fury: The Art of Henry Darger

by Henry Darger

9 x 13 inch catalogue published on the occasion of solo exhibition at La Maison Rouge in Paris, 2006. Text both in English and French.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Henry Joseph Darger was born in Chicago on April 12, 1892. Four years later his mother died during childbirth. When his father became unable to care for him, Henry went first to a boys' home and later to the Lincoln Asylum in downstate Illinois. After his father's death, he ran away to Chicago where he lived the rest of his life, working as a janitor, dishwasher, and bandage roller in three local hospitals. By night he wrote his great unfinished (and still unpublished) novel, In the Realms of the Unreal, and later created the artworks for which he is best known. He died in 1973.

Reviews

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book after watching "In the Realms of the Unreal" a few years ago and just revisited it after reading the fictional book Curious Toys, which features Darger as a character. This book is short on information, there is only a very brief essay about Darger so I wouldn't use this a resource to learn more about the artist, but it does provide large, full color reproductions of his art that allow for closer inspectiom of his work. Recommend to anyone wanting to get the chance to view his art more closely.

[Keely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, disturbing, beautiful illustrations from a vast fictional tale that explores the conflict between good and evil. I was engrossed by this artist's work when introduced to it by a fellow art-lover at Big Brother Comics in downtown Sacramento this evening. After acquiring the book, it occurred to me that there are many similarities between this work and those created by professional and "outsider" artists who are also survivors of human trafficking, cult and ritual abuse, and other forms of child torture (i.e. Kim Noble, Lynn Schirmer, etc.) This is definitely artwork that contrasts the innocence, beauty & purity of childhood (symbolic inner children or literal children) with the injurious (even deadly) evils that corrupt adults are capable of perpetrating both literally and metaphorically. Whether you want to explore this shocking & masterful creative expression through the eyes of an art connoisseur, a historian, a psychologist, or a graphic fiction enthusiast, you will not be disappointed. I only hope more of Henry Darger's lifetime of creative endeavors are released for the public to appreciate, investigate, and enjoy. His work will only become more relevant as time passes!

[Anthony Riggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not much of his biography in this one, but fairly good reproductions. Another tragic, mentally ill, artist genius.