The Art Shelf

The Fantastic Gustave Dore
Alix Pare, author
Valerie Sueur-Hermel, author
Prestel Publishing
www.prestel.com
9783791379630, $65.00, HC, 480pp

https://www.amazon.com/Fantastic-Gustave-Dor%C3%A9-Alix-Par%C3%A9/dp/379137= 9631

Synopsis: "The Fantastic Gustave Dore" is comprised of an informative and u= nique retrospective of the best and most representative of French artist Gu= stave Dore's prints and pictures selected from an archive of more than 10,0=
00 pieces of his work. Originally published by: Editions du Chene - Hachett=
e Livre, this new large format hard cover, half-linen, edition (20.5 x 26.0=
cm, 23) of The Fantastic Dore by co-authors Vaalerie Sueur-Hermel and Alix=
Pare is enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of 23 color illustratio=
ns and 380 b/w illustrations by the legendary French artist, print maker, i= llustrator, and sculpture Gustave Dore (6 January 1832 - 23 January 1883).

Critique: Simply stated, this magnificent an informative volume showcasing = the artistry and imagery of Gustave Dore is a singular and unreservedly rec= ommended addition to personal, professional, community, college, and univer= sity library Art History collections in general, and supplemental curriculu=
m Gustave Dore studies lists in particular.

Editorial Note #1: Alix Pare is a lecturer specializing in 17th, 18th, 19th=
, and 20th century Western painting. She held previous positions at the Lou= vre Museum in Paris and the Ch=C6=92teau de Versailles, France.

Editorial Note #2: Valerie Sueur-Hermel is curator of the Department of Pri= nts and Photography at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, in Paris, Fran= ce. She has curated numerous exhibitions such as: Daumier (2008), Gustave D= ore (2014), Odilon Redon (2011).

Alice Neel: Hot Off the Griddle
Eleanor Nairne
Prestel Publishing
www.prestel.com
9783791379661, $29.95, HC, 152pp

https://www.amazon.com/Alice-Neel-Hot-Off-Griddle/dp/3791379666

Synopsis: Alice Neel (January 28, 1900 - October 13, 1984) was one of the g= reat American painters of the twentieth century and a pioneer among women a= rtists. A painter of people, landscape and still life, Neel was never fashi= onable or in step with avant-garde movements. "One of the reasons I painted=
was to catch life as it goes by," she explained, "right hot off the griddl= e."

"Alice Neel: Hot Off the Griddle" by Eleanor Nairne is a beautifully design=
ed volume that takes a unique approach to the exhibition catalog, highlight= ing Neel's understanding of the fundamentally political nature of how we lo=
ok at others, and what it means to feel seen.

Long a favorite of portrait lovers, Neel has recently gained an even wider = 21st-century audience appreciative of the searing candor with which she vie= wed the world, the depth of her humanity, and her championing of the underd= og.

This beautifully produced catalog from Prestel Publishing features a thorou= ghly modern design, as well as an essay by renowned critic Hilton Als and p= oetry by Daisy Lafarge.

Critique: A unique, informative, and fascinating study of Alice Neel and he=
r work by art gallery curator Eleanor Nairne, "Alice Neel: Hott Off The Gri= ddle" is full color compendium of her artwork is further enhanced for the r= eader with a chronology of her life and accomplishments and unreservedly re= commended for personal reading lists for art students as well as community,=
college, and university library 20th Century American Art History collecti= ons and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Eleanor Nairne (https://artuk.org/discover/profile/eleanor-= nairne) is Curator at Barbican Art Gallery, London. She is a contributor to=
the London Review of Books, has written for magazines including frieze and=
is a previous Jerwood Writer in Residence. Her previous books with Prestel=
include Jean Dubuffet and Basquiat: Boom for Real! She live in London, Eng= land.

Creative Wanderlust
Kasia Avery
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9780760381434, $24.99, PB, 128pp

https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Wanderlust-Mixed-Media-Journaling-Technique= s/dp/0760381437

Synopsis: With the publication of "Creative Wanderlust: Unlock Your Artisti=
c Potential Through Mixed-Media Art Journaling Techniques", mixed-media art= ist and author Kasia Avery shows how to set up and begin an art journaling = practice, and then how to fully enjoy and benefit from it with ideas and to= ols for moving beyond obstacles such as perfectionism, self-criticism, and = finding space and time to create.

The founder of the Everything Art mixed-media online learning platform and = the lead teacher of its yearlong mixed-media course Wanderlust, Kasia knows=
what artists need, having coached thousands of students over the years and=
listened to their struggles while helping them break through and find joy =
in art.

"Creative Wanderlust" is includes: Comprehensive information on supplies an=
d the fundamentals for getting started in an art journaling practice; Secti= ons focusing on overcoming common creative and personal issues, supported b=
y related prompts, lessons, and projects that incorporate a diverse range o=
f mixed-media techniques; Insights and inspirational artworks offering a va= riety of styles and ideas from well-known Wanderlust artist-teachers, inclu= ding Helen Colebrook, Finnabair, Amy Maricle, and Dyan Reaveley.

Critique: Profusely and effectively illustrated throughout in full color, "= Creative Wanderlust: Unlock Your Artistic Potential Through Mixed-Media Art=
Journaling Techniques" is an ideal DIY instructional guide to mixed media = artwork and the development of your personal style. Exceptionally 'user fri= endly' in organization and presentation, "Creative Wanderlust" is an ideal = instructional guide and 'how to' manual for personal use and as a textbook = for art school curriculums. Also available in a digital book format (Kindle=
, $11.99), "Creative Wanderlust" is a highly recommended pick for personal,=
professional, community, and art school library collections.

Editorial Note: Kasia Avery (www.everything-art.com) is the co-founder of E= verything Art, an online art education platform that offers classes in all = aspects of mixed-media art and features well-known guest artists. She start=
ed Wanderlust, an online yearlong course in mixed-media art journaling, in = 2016, which has attracted more than 25,000 students. Kasia has also designe=
d stencils for The Crafter's Workshop and stamps for The Scrapbook Diaries,=
and has worked with Prima Marketing Inc. as a design team member and educa= tor. Her work has been published in Somerset Life, Somerset Apprentice, and=
Art Journaling magazines.

Burning Man: Art on Fire, revised edition
Jennifer Raiser, author
Scott London, photographer
Sidney Erthal, photographer
Epic Ink
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
100 Cummings Center, Suite 265D, Beverly, MA 01915
www.quartoknows.com
9780760379837, $45.00, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Burning-Man-Fire-Revised-Updated/dp/0760379831

Synopsis: For one week a year, a remote desert lakebed in Nevada becomes Bl= ack Rock City, the home of Burning Man, where 80,000 participants create a = temporary community devoted to expression and play. There is no money, no r= unning water -- and no constraints. Artists bring enormous sculptures for p= articipants to climb. Outrageous Mutant Vehicles glide through an opulent m= irage. This is a dreamscape of permission. For seven days and nights, the a= rtistic movement of our time materializes -- and then disappears without a = trace.

Now in a newly updated and revised edition, "Burning Man: Art on Fire" feat= ures: Over 150 new photographs and descriptions of individual pieces of Bur= ning Man art from over two decades, including art from the 2022 Burning Man=
event; Over 32 new pages featuring incredible sculptures and Mutant Vehicl= es; A fully updated text, which considers Burning Man's evolving significan=
ce in the art world, and how Burning Man is the art movement of our time; A=
foreword from Burning Man CEO and Co-Founder Marian Goodell; A new epilogu=
e about the growing importance of Burning Man art beyond Black Rock City, i= ncluding museum exhibits, public art, and over 100 regional Burning Man eve= nts worldwide; A tribute to Burning Man Founder Larry Harvey, with highligh=
ts of his philosophical approach to art.

Critique. Published in a large format (7.99 x 10 x 1.85 inches, 3.9 pounds)=
, this new, hardcover edition of "Burning Man: Art on Fire" is brilliantly = visual and impressively informative homage to an annual ephemeral event is = unreservedly recommended to the attention of Burners, artists, creative thi= nkers, and anyone who has ever imagined a visit to Burning Man -- one of th=
e most extraordinary places on earth. While a valued pick for personal, pro= fessional, community, college, and university library Art/Sculpture/Pop Cul= ture history collections, it should be noted that this newly revised and up= dated edition of "Burning Man: Art on Fire" is also available in a digital = book format (Kindle, $42.75).

Editorial Note #1: Jennifer Raiser (https://bentlyfoundation.org/leadership= -team/jennifer-raiser) is a writer, nonprofit leader, and Burner. Burning M= an: Art on Fire (2014/2016/2023, Quarto/Epic Ink,) is a love letter to her = happiest place on earth, Black Rock City. Known on playa as CocoCabana, she=
volunteers with the Black Rock Rangers and Gate, Perimeter, and Exodus dep= artments; she has served as the Treasurer and Board Member of the nonprofit=
Burning Man Project since its founding.

Editorial Note #2: Scott London (https://www.scottlondon.com/photography/ab= out) has been documenting the art and culture of Burning Man for nearly two=
decades. His images from the event have appeared in many books, newspapers=
, and magazines, including Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Forbes=
, Architectural Digest, San Francisco Chronicle, and the New York Times. Th=
ey have also been exhibited at museums and shows across the United States a=
nd Europe.

Editorial Note #3: Sidney Erthal (https://www.facebook.com/SidneyErthalPhot= ography) is acclaimed for his photography, with a special emphasis on spont= aneous portraiture. His work has been featured in many international public= ations and an increasing number of exhibits. He has spent the last decade e= ngaging with and photographing the people and phenomenon of Burning Man.

The Spirit of the City
Janna Jones
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245 http://msupress.org
9781611864540, $49.99, HC, 240pp

https://msupress.org/9781611864540/the-spirit-of-the-city

Synopsis: Marshall Fredericks's Detroit sculptures capture the spirit of th=
e Motor City and its dramatic transformation from the 1950s to the present = day.

With the publication of "The Spirit of the City: Marshall Fredericks Sculpt= ures in Detroit ", Janna Jones analyzes eight of these enormous works of pu= blic art, situating them and their structures in metro Detroit's distinctiv=
e mid-century milieu and bringing much-needed critical attention to this sc= ulptor's oeuvre.

Sadly, some of these artworks have suffered along with the city as it shran=
k from its postwar zenith. Both the buildings and the sculptures erected fo=
r them deserve to be rescued from neglect, and then maintained and preserve=
d for the future.

Critique: Of particular and special interest to readers concerned with publ=
ic art and the appreciation of sculpture, "The Spirit of the City: Marshall=
Fredericks Sculptures in Detroit" is an extraordinary study that is enhanc=
ed with the inclusion of black/white images and illustrations. While also a= vailable for personal reading lists from Michigan State University Press in=
a paperback edition (9781611864557, $29.99) and in a digital book format (= Kindle, $28.45), "The Spirit of the City" will prove a welcome and enduring=
ly appreciated addition to community, college, and university library Ameri= can Public Art & Architecture History collections and supplemental curricul=
um studies lists.

Editorial Note: Janna Jones (https://www.networkisa.org/profile/janna-jones=
) is Professor of Creative Media and Film in the School of Communication at=
Northern Arizona University. She is also the author of the books The South= ern Movie Palace: Rise, Fall, and Resurrection and The Past Is a Moving Pic= ture: Preserving the Twentieth Century on Film. She has published dozens of=
journal articles and book chapters, which include articles in the Journal =
of Curatorial Studies, Liminalities, The Moving Image, and the Michigan His= torical Review.

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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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