Gordon Matta-Clark [Paperback]

Corinne Diserens (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2006

After studying architecture at Cornell University, Matta-Clark developed more interest in buildings about to be destroyed than in the ones about to be built, as most architects would. He first forced his way into abandoned apartment buildings in the Bronx , and using a chain saw, would act as an architecture pirate, cutting pieces of walls and floors, only to leave behind the remains of what once was architecture. From pieces of walls his work shifted, in 1974, to the scale of a whole suburban house. "Splitting", probably his most popular work, was made by cutting a vertical line through the entire width of the house, and transforming the cut into a yawn, after lowering the foundations on both sides of the house. Erasing the boundaries between architecture, sculpture, and even drawing (his cuts have often been refered to as drawings in space); his building-cuts can also be understood as a social critique of the standardized suburban architecture that flourished during the postwar decades. The book opens with Thomas Crow's survey text on the artist (24,000 words). Divided into 4 chapters plus an epilogue, this richly illustrated essay provides insight into the career of the artist, from his childhood spent between New York and Paris, to his premature death in 1978 at the age of 35. These essays span the multi-faceted practice of Gordon Matta-Clark, with a particular emphasis on his building-cuts, the group of works he is most renowned for and that compose the most important part of his career. This book also includes a "Documents" section, composed of original interviews, articles, and documents compiled by editor Corinne Diserens. Several interviews, some of them never published before, allow the reader to understand more fully, and through Matta-Clark's own voice, the more pragmatic, technical, and physical dimensions related to the creation of his building-cuts. Some articles and essays of reference, most of them published in the 1970s and today out of print, are also republished and offer a unique critical background and context to his work.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas Crow is Director of the Getty Research Institute at the Getty Center, Los Angeles, and Professor of Art History at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles Corinne Diserens is a freelance curator and artistic adviser for the Association Carta Blanca Editions in Marseille, France Judith Russi Kirshner is professor of Art History and the Dean of the College of Architecture and the Arts at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714845876
• ISBN-13: 978-0714845876
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #76 in Books > Arts & Photography > Other Media > Mixed Media

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book, September 7, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gordon Matta-Clark (Hardcover)

Everything from the cover (with it's cut spine) to the interior layout and photographs are exquisite and give a nice feel for matta-clark's work. It is a nice complement to Pamela Lee's 'Object to be Destroyed'.

The essays were insigtful, well written and provided a good overall personal and social context for his work.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best way to know Gordon Matta-Clark, January 29, 2009

By 

Jose Maria (Barcelona, Spain) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Gordon Matta-Clark (Paperback)

I just discovered the incredible Gordon Matta-Clark's arquitectural interventions a few months ago, and this book is the best way to enter into his particular way of understanding buildings and materials. It's full of documents, sketches, film's images and biographical information.

Of course you can find all the career (unfortunately Gordon Matta-Clark died very young) explained and detailed, with a very global ubication of his artwork, his view and his conclusions.

Great book for an exceptional artist.

5.0 out of 5 stars A revealing book, January 21, 2010

By 

Ghyka Celia (Luxembourg, Luxembourg) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Gordon Matta-Clark (Paperback)

Excellent book and critique about the work of a rather unknown and extramely interesting artist and architect. Also a very beautiful piece of work. Unfortunately the typing is rather small, that makes it unfortunately difficult to read. Beautiful images.