Jonathan Lerman: The Drawings of a Boy with Autism [Hardcover]

Lyle Rexer (Author), Jonathan Lerman (Author), Caren Lerman (Afterword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2002

The remarkable story of Jonathan Lerman, a young artist with autism, seized the attention of the art world in 2002 Outsider Art Fair. Coverage by The New York Times, the Today Show, 48 Hours, and other international media has brought him into millions of homes across the country. This selection of fifty drawings, with a text by critic Lyle Rexer, presents the full range and astonishing growth of Jonathan's extraordinary talent. Diagnosed with autism and at first scarcely able to communicate, Jonathan began drawing at age ten. By age twelve, his drawings were exhibited at K. S. Art in New York. Working with the assurance of a Matisse, the speed of a Picasso and the humour of a born cartoonist, Jonathan has created an unforgettable body of work. His drawings include portraits of actual figures as well as figures from his own imagination, all rendered with great acuity. These drawings overturn the stereotype of the so-called savant artist as an unchanging talent sprung to life fully formed. Instead, they detail the restless experimentation and rapid growth of an artistic sensibility. Jonathan Lerman: The Drawings of a Boy with Autism is a book not just for art lovers but for everyone who values the rich diversity of the creative imagination. In addition to an illuminating essay on Jonathan's work, the book also contains an afterword by Caren Lerman, Jonathan's mother, describing the sudden appearance of his talent and the challenges and satisfactions of raising a gifted child with autism.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Art critic Lyle Rexer is the author of Photography's Antiquarian Avant-Garde: The New Wave in Old Processes, as well as other book on art. He writes for many publications, including Art in America, The New York Times and Art on Paper.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: George Braziller; 1 edition (December 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807615137
• ISBN-13: 978-0807615133
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #674,717 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars His drawings are his words!, January 9, 2003

By 

Sally Colletti, President of BT-Autism Societ... (Binghamton NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jonathan Lerman: The Drawings of a Boy with Autism (Hardcover)

This is a well done book! It gives an insight into what Jonathan is thinking or feeling at times, where words would leave anyone's midsts. Jonathan is a member of our community here in upstate New York and we are more than proud of him - he is the spokesperson for all the other children who are as affected by autism as he is. Jon's mom, Caren, is often the one parents turn to when they don't know who else to call. She and Jonathan are the pioneers in this area when it comes to dealing with the issues of autism. When Jonathan first started drawing, it was literally an view for the first time in what he was feeling, and I am proud to say that I was invited into his world through his drawings. Thank you Jonathan!