Joseph Cornell: Secrets in a Box

by Alison Baverstock, Joseph Cornell, Christopher Wynne (Editor)

Published to coincide with the centenary of Joseph Cornell's birth, this child's-eye view of one of America's best-loved artists includes guidelines for making your own Cornell box. Children can relate to the art of Joseph Cornell. Look in their pockets and under their pillows and you'll see the same kinds of treasures Cornell transformed into brilliant assemblages. This delightful, interactive exploration encourages young readers to experience the power and magic of Cornell's visual poetry. Illustrated throughout with photographs and color illustrations as well as fascinating biographical information, the book takes readers through Cornell's life (1903-73) to discover how he transformed everyday objects into enchanted masterpieces. Where did he get his inspiration from? What makes these boxes so intriguing? What kinds of feelings do they inspire? A detailed exploration of specific pieces; guidelines for recognizing and appreciating Cornell's art, and step-by-step instructions for creating a Cornell box of your own make this unique book an irresistible experience for the Joseph Cornell in all of us.

Genres: Art, Childrens, Biography

30 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

The box is just a fragment of a story.

This was a very solid younger-reader introduction to the biography and art of Joseph Cornell. I would strongly recommend this over Mr. Cornell's Dream Boxes for anyone who is interested in doing or learning about art (Winters' book may be nicer for someone just looking for a picture book to read to a small child). I much prefer having the actual collages depicted rather than imprecise illustrations.



In layout this is a tad textbook-like, but it has good quality reproductions and clear information.
I especially appreciate that the end section on making one's own collage box includes practical tips like, "Collect more pieces than you think you need and consider them for a while before choosing" and "Will people be able to touch your art? Use extra glue." Also, that kids should pick things that are meaningful to them personally rather than trying to replicate what the artist made.

This was all my library had, but now I will be looking for a grown-up book on Cornell and for Surrealism by Julien Levy.

[Magdelanye · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had been vaguely aware of Joseph Cornell, it was in reading Gabriel Josipovici] Hotel Andromeda that I became fascinated with the man and his art.

I grew up thinking of art as 'the beautiful'...but I have come to understand that that is not what it is at all. Art is what manages to express that which lies buried so deep inside us that we can never find the sounds or images or words for it and so could never have access to were it not for...artists. p40
Hotel Andromeda

JC worked with objects and imagines that he gleaned from his rambles through the second hand shops and detritus of the turn of the last century New York. His collages and assemblages were all unique to the occasion and must have been a tactile as well as visual delight to their recipients, for much of his work was gifted to the individuals who inspired it.

This book is such a good introduction because of the meticulous and profuse illustrations.
I wish I could post a sample here but look it up for yourself. There is a depth and a poignancy in the depictions of the boxes that leaps off the page. What appears quite artless and simple does so because of the artists vision and hours of painstaking work.

JC's work may be more craft than art, but he pondered the artists central dilemma

...how to hold on to the 'ceaseless flow and interlacing of original experience?' How to hold on to it and not kill it in the process? p91 Hotel Andromeda

[Lyz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great intro to Joseph Cornell. While the questioning in the book is elementary or middle school level, the images and the writing about Cornell is appropriate for any age. The images and examples in the book are also solid.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of an artist's pieces are presented.

The images / text didn't grab me.

Reading time around thirty minutes.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading about this artist, who I didn't know much about, though I have heard his name before. I have seen and got take down a similar exhibit while studying in Scotland, where the artist arranges found objects in carefully-designed boxes for display. I like that this book was not just a biography, but encouraged kids to think about the art and try to decipher why he put certain objects in his artwork. I also liked that the kids could do a work of their own at the end of the book. I will have to read more about Joseph Cornell in an adult art biography.