Overlay: Contemporary Art and the Art of Prehistory [Paperback]

Lucy R. Lippard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1995

Overlay is Lucy Lippard's classic book on contemporary art and its connection to prehistoric sites and symbols. Viewed by critics, artists, art historians, and students as the essential text on how prehistoric images have been "overlayed" onto contemporary art by today's artists, Overlay is for anyone interested in the possibility of reintegrating art into the fabric of society as a whole, as in prehistoric times.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Lippard skillfully shows the 'primal urge' is a core issue in 'post-modernist' art. . . it is invaluable as an insider's synthesis capturing the consciousness of vanguard art in the recent past. -- Village Voice

Lucy Lippard has skillfully blended sun, moon, myth, and ritual in a search for the meaning and social function of art. -- Gerald Hawkins, author of Stonehenge Decoded and Mindsteps to the Cosmos

The book's strength lies in the depth of the author's commitment--her dual loyalty to tradition and modernity and her effort to restore the broken connection between the two. -- New York Times Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: New Press, The (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565842383
• ISBN-13: 978-1565842380
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #185,808 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Visually gripping and revealing, an inspirartion to artists, April 30, 2001

By 

Miss Louise Gardner (Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Overlay: Contemporary Art and the Art of Prehistory (Paperback)

Working with many artists, this is one of the most thumbed books in the sculpture workshop library and I am finally buying a copy as that one keeps going missing. The pictures and diagrams are visually exciting and informative - they must be or the artists wouldnt be interested enough to want to covert the book! The text is informative and helpful when looking for inspiration and you continuously get the feeling "why hadn't I noticed that before" when flipping through the book. Its very readable and not too convoluted, it gives you a taster to want to go on to find out more about ancient art forms. It gives you the freedom to create art, as you no longer feel the need for any art to be original, once you've read this book you'll realise that no art is ever truely original, be it ancient or contemporary, and yet it can all be exciting.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book, December 26, 2008

By 

Beverly A. Sipos - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Overlay: Contemporary Art and the Art of Prehistory (Paperback)

I didn't just read this book. I wore it out. Everyone I loaned it to ended up buying a copy. I think it's about time to buy a new copy for myself. Every artist, no matter which media, should own this book. You will find yourself looking at it time after time.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Outdated, February 24, 2004

By 

Uyvsdi "Uyvsdi" (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Overlay: Contemporary Art and the Art of Prehistory (Paperback)

I love Lucy Lippard's writings, but this book is hopelessly outdated, detailed primarily the work of Anglo artists playing at Neo-Paganism.