Customer Reviews

Mind Fields: The Art of Jacek Yerka, the Fiction of Harlan Ellison

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If ever two artists created works that were meant for each other, Yerka & Ellison fit the bill. The art of Jacek Yerka is so wild and imaginative (with just the proper amount of Daliesque and Boschian elements) that it could have sprung full blown from the imagination of Harlan Ellison. Yerka's art seems even better suited to Ellison's prose than that of Jill Bauman, Jack Snyder (who illustrate the Whitel Wolf omnibus covers)-- maybe even better suited than that of the Dillons. Sensing this, Ellison took the time to sit down and cobble up 33 short-shorts for this artistic collaboration. All of which were virtually hot off the press when the book was published in '93 & '94 (in trade paper). But, perhaps because it was an art book, most fiction book reviewers failed to notice it. Which is a shame, because MINDFIELDS is one of Ellison's best books. The tales are so short they can't be vivisected without draining the life from them; but each one evokes just the right sentiments, just the right images to compliment the drawing that inspired them. Stories like the heart-wrenching "Susan," the satirical "Europe," the hard-boiled "Base" or "Attack at Dawn," the surrealistic "Ellison Wonderland" and the poetic "Darkness Falls on the River." Like DEATHBIRD STORIES, THE ESSENTIAL ELLISON, ANGRY CANDY or SLIPPAGE, this is one of Ellison's finest collections. The inclusion of artwork by the brilliant Mr. Yerka makes it that much more of a valuable addition to anyone's home library.

The day I stumbled on this book, I was merely looking for a fantasy art collection with pretty pictures. As I plunged into the book, realizing what it was really about, I couldn't and, to date, haven't put it down. That was five years ago. Never has a collection such as this forced me to continually look into and out of each picture in order to find something new. Both Ellison's and Yerka's imagination form a synergy unrivaled in this genre. While I have since collected another collection of Yerka's art, I have snatched everyhthing I can find from Ellison. While I am often drawn into each of his stories with a similar intensity, ("The Beast that Shouted. . . " is my current favorite) none of his work affects me as much as "To Each His Own", "Foraging in the Fields", "Amok Harvest", "Darkness Falls. . ." and most others in this collection. For a quick jaunt into the minds of these two artists, I thoroughly recommend this book. For those new to Ellison, his author notes at the end of the book give a brief view of some of his opinions of the Real World.

I admire Yerka's paintings, but I agree with some of the reviewers here that those stories by Ellison may distort or ruin what Yerka wanted to say. Those stories just don't go well with the paintings.

Ellison completely misses that warm Eastern-European feel that one can get from Yerka's paintings. That actually why some people from the western world may find it hard to get a feel of what Yerka tried to show. Just visit Yerka's official page on the internet!

As a comment to an earlier review by some reader (from December 16, 1997) I have to say that the car transformed to a lizard on the cover of the book is not Volkswagen beetle. The make of the car is "Pobeda", it was made in the 50s in USSR and Poland. Only people with high status in society could afford to have such a car then.

Yerka and Ellison make an unstoppable team of creativity in this book. The only suggestion I'll make is look through and enjoy Yerka's paintings before reading Ellison's fiction.

Harlan Ellison tackles a variety of projects. This time, he has discovered a series of surrational paintings by Jacek Yerka. This is a true collaboration, because the paintings themselves are stunning. Witness the oddly nostalgic image on the front cover of Volkswagen beetle half transformed into a lizard. Jacek's other images include several focusing on unusual houses, Escher-esque mixed perspective, and secret gardens. Jacek Yerka uses a crisp, clear style with superb definition. Far from suggesting inchoate images to his viewers, he descibes in exquisite detail his visions. Determining why his images simultaneously make intuitive sense, yet are not of this world, is a delightful challenge. With just a hint of humor, Ellison's short sketches are designed to convey the emotions he felt as he gazed at the paintings. Though he generally regards his work as self explanatory, he has included some of his legendary author's notes explaining a few of his more compact stories. The rest give firefly snapshots of his life as he worked on the project. Ellison's natural length is longer than the paragraph-to-page length he has chosen here, but this remains a collection that supports both a light jaunt through its entries, or serious consideration of metaphor of a cupboard for the isolation of the WWII Jewish condition. Enjoy. --Carl Woollen

Yerka's paintings capture many things. In the most literal sense, one (e.g. Afternoon with the Grimm brothers) might include a cat, antique block planes, what looks like an old tube TV, a workbench-turning-piano, and possibly the monster under the bed. The detail goes on, and many of his paintings present the same collections of oddities, neatly arrayed like words on a page. Others (including Please Don't Slam the Door, Foraging in the Field, and Eruption) suggest an uneasy truce between the things of man and the forces of nature. Yet others (Susan, for example) imply intimacy between people, and with the world.

In too many cases, though, I see the catalog of Yerka's personal icons arrayed across the page, and feel as if the picture's meaning is not meant for me. Perhaps his personal language is too personal. For whatever reason, the imagery says very little to me.

Harlan Ellison, on the other hand, says far too much. Most of this book alternates pages, Ellison's writing on the left and Yerka's painting on the right, plus commentary by Ellison at the end of the book. Long ago, Ellison's favortie topic became Ellison, and I was no longer able to enjoy his writing. I would have liked the book better with Ellison's part missing.

Yerka's work is competent; some people may find it legible. Ellison has a following, and those readers are sure to find something here to like. Unfortunately, I am not in either group.

//wiredweird

This is the most incredibly entertaining book I have ever read. You will pick it up years later, and see new details. The strange, surreal landscapes depicted will entertain you and open your eyes to new sensations. Ellison's commentary is often effective in showing you a new perspective, but don't buy the book for the literature: buy it for the art. The detail Yerka uses with his art will create an indellible mark upon your conciousness. Highly, highly recoommended!

Miniature landscapes on drab tabletops. A haunting epilogue to Icarus' fall. And a shelter so well hidden, even the creators can't find it. Literary and artistic surrealism are augmented by Ellison's lyrical flair, and Jacek Yerka's paintings can only be described as....Visceral. Check this book out. Ellison fans can't afford to miss this, it ranges from sullen to acidly sarcastic, and it's all incredible.

My son's art teacher shared this book with him and he had to have it immediately. We were lucky to snag a used copy at a great price.

The artwork on Jacek Yerka is really creative, full of illusions and imagination. It's right up my son's alley and he loves looking through for all the oddities.

Harlan Ellison's stories are all one page and accompany each illustration. The stories are just as quirky and imaginative as the pictures.

A great book for the creative minded.

I open this book every now & then, and enjoy it all over again. It's odd, it's beautiful, it's evocative. I got Mr. Ellison's autograph and would love to have Mr. Yerka's also.