Monica Bohm-Duchen

Bohm-Duchen has a specific purpose with this survey, and that is to make the argument that the official war art produced by the major players in World War II needs to be brought out of storage and studied seriously as art, and not treated as some sort of documentary material. Covering all the major powers, with some chapters dealing with either the Holocaust, or the atomic bombings, Bohm-Duchen appreciates that to contemplate the art runs the risk of aestheticizing violence and horror, but, on the whole, she believes that light is the best disinfectant. She still concludes her text with a quote from Elie Wiesel: "How is one to speak of it, how is one not to speak of it?"… (plus d'informations)

I love Usborne books. They are full of illustrations, sidebars, fun facts, and lots to keep you interested while they entertain you.

This one tackles the challenges of understanding modern art, when so many are apt to approach it by arguing, “It isn’t lifelike;” “Anyone can do it;” and “I can’t understand it.” The authors set out to show how these objections can be overcome with an understanding of works of modern art and why they are believed to have merit.

The authors accomplish this by reviewing particular works (and particular artists (including Jackson Pollock, Henry Moore, Andy Warhol, Georges Braque, Georgia O’Keeffe), and movements characteristic of this period (such as Abstract Expressionism, Cubism, Dada, Suprematism, and Futurism). It is organized by subjects, including still life, nature, people, city life, movement, politics, and emotions.

It is a short book, but provides enough background to tempt readers to explore further.… (plus d'informations)