Customer Reviews

David Lynch: Paintings & Drawings

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Cinematic auteur David Lynch, creator of some of the most vividly disturbing films, and Hollywood's most provocative surrealist, is also a prolific painter. His work is definitely unique, and served as a personal inspiration for my own beginnings in painting.

"Paintings and Drawings," a rare Japanese catalog of Lynch works on exhibition in Tokyo in 1991, can only be described as disappointing by me. As an avid Lynch enthusiast and owner of two other books showcasing his artistic abilities (the also-rare "Images" and the more recent and comprehensive "The Air Is On Fire"), I was a bit let down by the small size of this book. Roughly the size of your average hardcover novel, the book features reproductions of paintings that are generally too small to truly appreciate them in their full glory. While some of the paintings stand out fairly well, others don't fare as well, especially since Lynch's paintings are fairly dark in terms of color scheme. As a result, several images are eyestrains. On the plus side, some of these paintings are given close-up's on following pages, so some of the detail that eludes you can be picked up.

The majority of the book is comprised of these paintings and some of Lynch's photographs, with the remainder rounded out by essays. The essays are in Japanese, which is unfortunate for me as the translation booklet which was printed along with the book was not included in the used copy I purchased. I imagine having that would enhance the book's worth for me somewhat, and I can only hope that anyone who runs down a copy of this book finds this booklet enclosed.

As a Lynchian, this book is worth owning, and for anyone who is truly into Lynch and his art, you will want to own this. However, for more bang for your buck, I would recommend "Images" and especially "The Air Is On Fire," as they are far more comprehensive and are printed in a size that does the artist's vision justice.