Customer Reviews

Robert Motherwell : What Art Holds

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Not only were the photos cropped, and in some instances upside down! The book has
fallen apart. I have pages that fell out, and are now just placed. What a shame!
The written content is there and so I go back to it now and then.
Shame on the publishers for such a disrespectful treatment to such an
important artist. Look elsewehere.

I feel so bad for the author, but not bad enough to keep this book. It's being returned. Although the written content is excellent, 10 of the meager 18 photos of Motherwell's work are problematic -- nine have been inadvertently cropped during the printing, and one is both cropped and printed upside down. These books should have been withdrawn and reprinted, but instead, Columbia University Press tucked a little sheet into the dust jacket explaining their regret. It's hard to believe they proceeded with the distribution of this book, and retail it for $46. This is unconscionable in any book, but especially an art book on a noted figure like Motherwell. Please note that Amazon says the other reviewer's comments are based on a different edition.

I am a professional artist for 30 years, I am just getting to the time in my career where I want to pull the aBstracts out of my sketch Books and work them into what used to Be my representational
large art ,and Be more comfortaBle. So not only am I looking for other aBsract forms and shapes, But for me, the mayBe 15-20 paintings in color( I didn't need to see his Black and White paintings in color)When I saw the colored front page, I was excited to see what Motherwell had done with color. There must have Been 90 photo opportunites to show the command of, or his lack of command, when it came to color. I mean could you imagine 1/10 of any aBstract -expressionist Being in color , leaving us to image 9/10 in Black and White of DeKooning, or Pollock,or Davis,or Hans Hoffman,on and on. I will see if I can send this Back. I feel tricked, and that I paid top dollar, for an editor ( and I don't know how they thought they could get away with it)But...to you , the Editors of this Book, STOP printing Now, and spend much , much more on color and you will douBle your sales. If I would have seen this Book in full in a Book store , I would have memorized the short shaft of color paintings and gone on to look for one on Motherwell that had much more color. You see, when ABstract Expressionists are shown, they 9 out of 10 will use the Black and White paintings of Motherwell....so most of us, I would think have a need to see his work in color.....Yes, I am disappointed...Can I send this Back?