Kirjahaku

The first book devoted to the enigmatic and thought-provoking drawings and watercolours of Carmen Cicero — in a handsome oversize format. Carmen Cicero (b. 1926) is now in the midst of his seventh decade at the cutting edge of contemporary art. His works of the 1950s — collected by the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, and other major museums — combined the gestures of Abstract Expressionism with the complex emergent forms of Surrealist automatism. In the 1960s, Cicero was one of the first members of the American avant-garde to return to figuration, pursuing, through the 1960s and 1970s, a style he called “figurative expressionism.” This evolved into his more recent “visionary” mode, in which he depicts, with a startling clarity, mysterious scenes animated by multiple contradictory feelings — unfulfilled desires, jealousy, despair, and isolation — as well as a generous dose of humour. Throughout his entire artistic evolution, drawing and watercolour have remained central to Cicero’s practice, allowing him to body forth his fertile imaginings with a vivid immediacy. This oversize volume presents a generous selection of drawings and watercolours from every stage of Cicero’s career; it is printed on a quality uncoated stock that recalls the artist’s favoured Arches watercolour paper, and many of the drawings are reproduced at actual size. An essay by the noted critic David Ebony brings out the humour, pathos, and consummate skill of Cicero’s art, and a full apparatus — including an artist’s statement, chronology, and bibliography — further add to the value of this work, which will be an essential addition to any library of American art.

The first major retrospective of the preeminent Greek-born American artist, who was a pioneer in the use of neon in the realm of fine art. Prolific multimedia artist Stephen Antonakos (1926 2013) is best known for his resplendent abstract neon sculptures instantly recognizable for their vibrant colors and crisp geometry. Along with well-known artists Lucio Fontana, Bruce Nauman, Keith Sonnier, and his compatriot Chryssa, Antonakos brought new perceptual and formal possibilities to the medium of neon. This comprehensive book comprises Antonakos s diverse output of neon, canvases, drawings, travel collages, chapels, and gold works, all of which reflect an abiding concern with illumination, incomplete geometric shapes, and an almost mystical spirituality that is manifest throughout his oeuvre, from his overtly religious pieces to his playful assembled collages from his trips to Greece. His later pieces feature neon lights placed behind painted or gold-leaf panels, often bathing the surfaces and the surrounding space in gold halos like Byzantine icons, a tradition that has long fascinated this extraordinary artist. Author David Ebony provides research on Antonakos as a central figure in the international avant-garde of the 1960s and 70s. He also discusses the artist s Greek heritage and legacy, as well as the spiritual and mystical aspects of his later works.