Willem De Kooning: Reflections in the Studio [Hardcover]

Edvard Lieber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2000

Contains chronologically arranged stories told by Willem and Elaine de Kooning, which enrich and correct the published biographies of both artists. They were among the most important artistic figures of their generation and an integral part of the New York art scene. Also contains 100 illustrations.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 138 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810945606
• ISBN-13: 978-0810945609
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,643,361 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #81 in Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Abstract Expressionism

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic, November 6, 2000

By 

An art critic (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Willem De Kooning: Reflections in the Studio (Hardcover)

Among the most original documents on any artist in history, this compressed volume is multidimensional in its richness and authenticity. In the form of stories culled from conversations the author had with Willem and Elaine de Kooning, the book emerges as a de Kooning autobiography and a compelling synthesis of one of the great periods in twentieth-century American art.

From the opening lines, the reader is irresistibly drawn into de Kooning's life as he hides in a ship and steals away from Holland to America, befriends numerous artists in New York such as Arshile Gorky, Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline, and John Cage, struggles to evolve his own style of painting, and ultimately contributes to the evolution of abstract expressionism as one of its major figures. In addition, vivid footnotes offer thumbnails on the Cedar Bar, WPA, New York cafeterias, the Club, Black Mountain College, de Kooning's family, floor plans of de Kooning's East Hampton studio, and numerous other subjects. Astonishingly, nearly all of the information is new - untainted by historical interpretation - with hundreds of facts corrected in the artist's own words and substantiated by the author's meticulous research. The result is an encounter with de Kooning himself.

While the book's title refers to the de Koonings reminiscing, it also alludes to the nearly one hundred photographs taken by the author in de Kooning's studio. Brilliantly composed, each of the images is a surprise, and the chemistry between Lieber and de Kooning is immediate, complex, and richly-hued. There are deeply-moving portraits, charming vignettes, discerning studio views, studies of the artist at work, and - remarkably - nearly two dozen of de Kooning's last paintings in a bold, new, complex style, previously hidden from the world.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ!, June 3, 2000

By 

Despina Manitaras (Massapequa, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Willem De Kooning: Reflections in the Studio (Hardcover)

Unlike most artist biographies which are written by curators, scholars or critics (who often force the reader to conform to their predisposed ideas) this book lets DeKooning speak for himself. DeKooning is not exploited or demeaned as in many kiss and tell books, instead what is revealed is an insightful portrait written by a close friend and confidant.

The text spans DeKooning's lifetime and is chock full of new information. Having read this book I now understand and know more about DeKooning, his art, his friends, and his milieu.

The photographs are equally enthralling. Portraits of the artist, photographs of him working, photographs of the studio, and photographs of the finished paintings all reveal an individual in his artistic prime. Most extraordinary are the ravishing color photographs of the late 1980's paintings-paintings that have been dismissed by many art historians and critics as the work of an "ailing artist". Anyone who sees these photographs (reproduced here for the first time) surely will be as moved by their beauty and intensity as I was.

On the whole, this exemplary achievement deserves a place in the library of all who appreciate art.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless and Enthralling!, May 7, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Willem De Kooning: Reflections in the Studio (Hardcover)

Gorgeous photographs and reproductions of de Kooning's last paintings make this by far the most compelling book on the artist and his period. Anyone who thinks de Kooning died with a whimper should consider this book: it eviscerates the idea that the artist's last works were weak and empty. Over fifteen paintings may be seen in a tumultuous new style executed after his last known paintings, attesting to de Kooning's artistic genius triumphing over speculation and theory.