Richard Artschwager

A definitive, 464-page overview on the art of American iconoclast Richard Artschwager, who pursued a singular course between pop, minimalism, conceptualism and designEdited by legendary curator Germano Celant, this is the largest exhibition catalog and the most exhaustive book yet published on the American artist Richard Artschwager (1923-2013). Featuring a detailed illustrated chronology that runs throughout the book, and showcasing his work in all mediums from drawing and painting to sculpture, it emphasizes how Artschwager's artwork occupied a fruitful and unique mid-ground between pop, conceptualism and minimalism. His best-known works offer a flat, pop-style representation of utilitarian entities such as tables and chairs, finding in furniture "a human quality," and deploying industrial materials such as Formica, Celotex, acrylic paint and aluminum. These qualities are countered with an attention to pure geometric form and painterly illusionism, resulting in handcrafted paintings, drawings and sculptures celebrating materiality and shape. The plates are accompanied by texts from the artist and excerpts from an interview by Paul Cummings.