Books
BOOKS. An Introduction
Friday, March 22nd, 2019 Art Essays, Books,To keep writing criticism and commentary one has to keep reading. This occasional column is intended to list the books I receive that I may or may not be able to deal with at greater length. The aim is to acknowledge books and authors rather than let them slip past invisibly. This has been on […]
Benediction
Friday, March 22nd, 2019 Art Essays, Books,BOOKS READ: Benediction By Kent Haruf Alfred A. Knopf, New York Hardback, 2013, 258 pp. Bill Henson put me onto Kent Haruf (1943-2014) a couple of years ago and I’ve been steadily working my way through his books. Benediction is the third part of a trilogy, following Plainsong (1999) and Eventide (2004). All Haruf’s […]
The I Ching
Wednesday, March 20th, 2019 Art Essays, Books,BOOKS READ: The I Ching, or Book of Changes Translated into German by Richard Wilhelm, and from the German by Cary Baynes Princeton U.P., New Jersey Hardback, 1997 (orig. 1950), 740 pp It’s not every day you finish reading the I Ching. It’s probably a peculiar thing to read it from cover to […]
Janet Laurence: After Nature
Tuesday, March 19th, 2019 Art Essays, Books,BOOKS RECEIVED: Janet Laurence: After Nature Rachel Kent ed. Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney Hardback, 2019, 264 pp I’ve got my reservations about Janet Laurence’s exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, but there’s no disputing the quality of the catalogue. The designer, Claire Orrell, should win some sort of award for a book […]
How to Win an Election
Friday, March 15th, 2019 Art Essays, Books,BOOKS READ: How to Win an Election: An Ancient Guide for Modern Politicians By Quintus Tullius Cicero Princeton U.P. Hardback, 2012, 99 pp. With state elections looming in New South Wales, and Federal elections only two months away, this little book is the ideal gift for the aspiring politician who hasn’t quite mastered […]
The Wandering Earth
Friday, March 15th, 2019 Art Essays, Books,BOOKS READ: The Wandering Earth by Cixin Liu Head of Zeus Hardback, 2017 (orig. 2013), 447 pp Cixin Liu has built a huge reputation as a science fiction writer in a relatively short time. As this is a genre in which I’ve only ever found a few really excellent authors – namely Philip K. […]
29 Artists
Friday, March 15th, 2019 Art Essays, Books,BOOKS RECEIVED: 29 Artists by Christopher Walsh Privately published. www.chriswalshphotography 124 pp. Large format paperback, AUD$55.00 Chris Walsh handed me a copy of this book after a talk on Chinese art at Delmar Gallery. It’s a series of large photos taken in the studios of 29 Chinese contemporary artists. There are a few […]