MODERN ART EXPLORER

Illuminating descriptions of 30 artworks from the Centre Pompidou accompany strong reproductions.

The introduction delineates modern art (1860s to the late 1960s) from contemporary art—“everything after that”—but informs readers that the museum does not include any works before 1905 and that the book includes a few works from the late 20th and 21st centuries. A number of female artists are included as well as a commendable range of artists of color, several non-Western. Sections ranging from two to four pages feature a large reproduction, enhanced by Bloch’s amusing cartoons that pick out themes from the artworks and sometimes include caricatures of the artists. The unusual selection of artists working in different styles, media that vary from paint to bottle caps, and sassy commentary makes this volume stand out from others. With contemporary language, humorous titles, some stories about the artists’ love lives (comments about Pablo Picasso’s misogyny and relationships are especially pointed), and perspectives that encourage readers to consider these works on their own terms, the book becomes a lively tour conducted by a knowledgeable curator. In describing Slave Auction, 1982, by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Harman explains that the artist studied symbols and embedded them in his work. Noting some of those symbols, she asks: “Can you see how these signs and ideas might relate to slavery, and how black Americans might still experience danger today?”

Revealing, sometimes snarky, always lively.