Piet Mondrian in the USA: The Artist's Life and Work (Temporis)

Rating:
Summary: review of "Piet Mondrian in the USA"
Review: The title "Piet Mondrian in the USA" is rather misleading, as the main interest of this book lies in its descriptions of the work of Mondrian's immediate followers in New York, events contemporary with Mondrian's life there, and the careers of the major American artists who continued making abstract art in the wake of Mondrian's influence. All of this is peripheral to Mondrian himself, and the magnitude of his importance is often lost as a result.

What actually does pertain to Mondrian is related in the form of personal anecdotes and reminiscences by his circle of admirers, such as Harry Holtzman and Charmion von Wiegand. At least half the text is devoted to these followers, and how they applied Neo-Plastic ideas to their own work.

Rembert's writing style is often obtuse and vague, and her scant commentaries on Mondrian's paintings are insubstantive and incomplete. The reproductions of works by Mondrian and other artists range in quality from good to poor, those in the latter category being mostly blurred, badly-lit photographs taken by the author. In addition, the editors seem to be largely unfamiliar with the orientation of abstract paintings, as Mondrian's final work, "Victory Boogie Woogie," is reproduced sideways. Some of the images of Mondrian's paintings are inextricably cropped, while others are placed against a black background and cropped so that the background reads as part of the work. Unfortunately, these mistakes are pervasive-Rembert identifies a Jackson Pollock painting as "Cathedral" from 1947, when in fact it is "#31" from 1950. The image is also reproduced backwards.

In short, this book suffers greatly due to the effects of sloppy editing, bad photography, and weak commentary.

Rating:
Summary: review of "Piet Mondrian in the USA"
Review: The title "Piet Mondrian in the USA" is rather misleading, as the main interest of this book lies in its descriptions of the work of Mondrian's immediate followers in New York, events contemporary with Mondrian's life there, and the careers of the major American artists who continued making abstract art in the wake of Mondrian's influence. All of this is peripheral to Mondrian himself, and the magnitude of his importance is often lost as a result.

What actually does pertain to Mondrian is related in the form of personal anecdotes and reminiscences by his circle of admirers, such as Harry Holtzman and Charmion von Wiegand. At least half the text is devoted to these followers, and how they applied Neo-Plastic ideas to their own work.

Rembert's writing style is often obtuse and vague, and her scant commentaries on Mondrian's paintings are insubstantive and incomplete. The reproductions of works by Mondrian and other artists range in quality from good to poor, those in the latter category being mostly blurred, badly-lit photographs taken by the author. In addition, the editors seem to be largely unfamiliar with the orientation of abstract paintings, as Mondrian's final work, "Victory Boogie Woogie," is reproduced sideways. Some of the images of Mondrian's paintings are inextricably cropped, while others are placed against a black background and cropped so that the background reads as part of the work. Unfortunately, these mistakes are pervasive-Rembert identifies a Jackson Pollock painting as "Cathedral" from 1947, when in fact it is "#31" from 1950. The image is also reproduced backwards.

In short, this book suffers greatly due to the effects of sloppy editing, bad photography, and weak commentary.

Rating:
Summary: Modrian in the USA
Review: This book is an invaluable addition to the literature of the field, dealing with a period of the artist's life previously little studied. There are many fine illustrations. This is a must for scholars and others interested in modern art.