Essays on the Blurring of Art and Life: Expanded Edition [Paperback]

Allan Kaprow (Author), Jeff Kelley (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0520240790 | ISBN-13: 978-0520240797 | Publication Date: December 15, 2003 | Edition: 2

Allan Kaprow's "happenings" and "environments" were the precursors to contemporary performance art, and his essays are some of the most thoughtful, provocative, and influential of his generation. His sustained inquiry into the paradoxical relationship of art to life and into the nature of meaning itself is brought into focus in this newly expanded collection of his most significant writings. A new preface and two new additional essays published in the 1990s bring this valuable collection up to date.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"These writings. . . radiate the quiet wonder of life."--John C. Welchman, Artforum -- Review

From the Inside Flap

"Allan Kaprow's essays sound fresh and new. . .. Artists of the world, read this--you have nothing to lose but your equilibrium."--Lucy R. Lippard, author of Mixed Blessings: New Art in a Multicultural America

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Product Details

• Paperback: 297 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 2 edition (December 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520240790
• ISBN-13: 978-0520240797
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,937 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have, September 2, 2011

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TH "Tabs" (Alabama) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Essays on the Blurring of Art and Life: Expanded Edition (Paperback)

This book is a must have for any undergraduate or graduate art student or for anyone who is interested in gaining a better understanding of contemporary art practices.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a great book...for those to whom it applies!, May 12, 2011

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Colin (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Essays on the Blurring of Art and Life: Expanded Edition (Paperback)

Kaprow is a very smart, thoughtful and thought-provoking writer; however, to access him clearly, you, as an artist, will probably need at least some experience in the realm of performance art. I was already creating "Happenings" and trying to blur art and life, and didn't even realize it, so when I read Kaprow, it was like having a conversation with the art gods. Even if you don't get much advice or dialogue from Kaprow, the art historical value of these essays is worth the read alone.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Oddly Fascinating, December 2, 2010

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lallenia - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essays on the Blurring of Art and Life: Expanded Edition (Paperback)

As I started this book, I was really excited to read it. I thought it was going to apply really well to my art making. It didn't turn out to do that. But it definitely made me think of the everyday things I do that I maybe don't pay attention to. I feel like a lot of the essays talk about how much we don't realize and how art could be different if we did. Blurring art and life may seem easy, but as I've put it into practice it really hasn't been all that simple. Now I'm trying to take the time to watch and document life as it passes me by. All in all, I thought it was a great book. It had to be if it affected me like this.