The Sculptor's Eye: Looking at Contemporary American Art - Hardcover

Gr. 6-12. Every bit as informative and beautifully produced as The Painter's Eye (1991), this continues the authors' expedition into the realm of art. Emphasizing again that in art appreciation "there are no right or wrong answers, as long as you support your conclusions in the language of art," they use a strikingly varied assortment of work--from massive site sculptures fashioned from rocks and earth to creations made out of ceramic and fabric--to explore how such elements as point of view, texture, space, proportion, and form function singly and in unison in three-dimensional work. Questions skillfully woven into the text encourage readers to gauge their own response to a particular sculpture, and interviews and comments from artists, scattered throughout the book, add a sense of spontaneity as well as insight into the artistic process. The sculptures are presented in glorious, full color, but the artists are pictured in candid black-and-white shots. A list of sculptures is appended, as are thumbnail biographies of the artists, an excellent glossary, and a bibliography. Used by itself or in conjunction with Painter's Eye, this is a fine book that will interest teachers as well as students. Stephanie Zvirin

A sequel to the authors' artfully simple guide to appreciating American postwar painting ( The Painter's Eye ), this survey of American sculpture attempts more and accomplishes less. Thirty-five works by 25 stellar artists--including Isamu Noguchi, Louise Nevelson, Claes Oldenburg, Mark di Suvero and Martin Puryear--are examined in terms of subject matter, positive and negative space, material and color. Extensive interviews with artists cover techniques, influences and aesthetic philosophies. But too many concepts vie for coverage: Pop art, minimalism, superrealism and environmental art rush by unsavored, as do the artists' comments, which are alternately illuminating and obscure. Illustrated with fine color reproductions and black-and-white photographs of the artists at work, and including a list of U.S. sculpture gardens, glossary, biographical sketches, historical overview and bibliography, this attractive book is closer to an anthology than an introduction. It may appeal to mature readers who have both prior experience with contemporary art and the patience to sort through the crush of styles, techniques and opinions so faithfully compiled here. Ages 10-up.
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