The best source of information .They’re a real pleasure to read,and one is always astonished to find that a great artist isn’t just skilful with his hands but can also think intelligently without any help from the critics. Until recent years such books were buried;they were forgotten,out-ofprint volunmes gathering cobwebs in university libraries; but latey there’s been an explosion of published artists’ memoirs, thanks to the fabulous price-rises on the modern art market.
As a bluffer you absolutely loved Du spirituel dans l’ Art by Kandinsky, the writings of Marisse, and you’re familiar with the publication in Paris of picasso’s writings, a book so monumental that it’s far easier to read than to lift.
Art Bookds:
The more famous an artist becomes, the more gigantic volumes are published about his works. Glory leads to mpre glory, so some artists blow their own trumpet by publishing books on themselves. The most beautiful are produced in Italy or Switzerland.But sometimes, young publishers manage to bring out huge books on contemporarary painters whoare entirely unknown to the public.
The most renowned critics write artists’ biographies; unfortunateiy these usually get bought as Christmas presents. Most people just like looking at the pictures, and forget to read them. Such books must, above all, be in colour to make an impressin as a gift, and they’re generally bought ar saleprice after being remaindered.
Art Magazines:
Since these are about as much fun to read as the books of Emmanuel Kant, their illustrations are very necessary.Art magazines launch the latest trebd. In thepast, they used to fade away along with it but today they keep going and put pressure on artistic movements to remain ‘up to date’. Painters make every possible effort to appear in them,and bluffers to read them.
As a true cosmopolitan, you adorn your living room with strategically scattered issues of such publications, preferably foreign ones like Art in America and Art Forunm,the latter founded in san Francisco.They fascinate you as California does, and for similar reasons: luxury is attractiveto everybody.
