Encyclopedia of Jewish American Artists (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780313336379)

Encyclopedia of Jewish American Artists presents over 80 19th- and 20-century Jewish American artists, ranging from the critically neglected Theresa Bernstein, Ruth Gikow, and Jennings Tofel, to the well-known Eva Hesse, Roy Lichtenstein, and Larry Rivers. The subject matter of some of these artists may surprise readers. Adolph Gottlieb designed and supervised the fabrication of a 35-foot wide, four-story high stained glass facade for a synagogue; Louise Nevelson sculpted a Holocaust memorial; and Philip Pearlstein painted a version of Moses with the Tablets of the Law early in his career. Covering painters, sculptors, printmakers, and photographers, as well as artists who engage in newer forms of visual expression such as video, conceptual, and performance art, the book is in part intended to stimulate further scholarship on these artists. When appropriate, entries reveal the influence of the Jewish American encounter on the artists' work along with other factors such as gender and the immigrant experience. In many cases, the artists' own words are employed to flesh out perspectives on their art as well as on their Jewish identity. To that end, the volume contains excerpts from recent interviews conducted by the author with some of the artists, including Judy Chicago, Audrey Flack, Jack Levine, and Sol LeWitt. Illustrations accompanying each artist's entry, some in color, aid this invaluable look at Jewish American art.

Author: Samantha Baskind
ISBN-10: 0313336377
ISBN-13: 9780313336379
Publisher: Greenwood
Language: English
Published: 12/01/2006
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.99lbs
Size: 10.32h x 7.16w x 1.06d

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 03/15/2007 pg. 93
Booklist 06/01/2007 pg. 124
Reference and Research Bk News 05/01/2007 pg. 114