David Elliott (2) (1949–)

Alexander Rodchenko (1891-1956) was one of the leading figures in the Russian avant-garde. The eighty-two drawings assembled by the artist in the late 1930s or early 1940s, together with diary extracts, two introductory essays and previously unpublished illustrations present a pwerful record of Rodchenko's work. These 91 color and 35 mono illustrations and drawings give an insight into the evolution of his working method, from representational designs for theatre to his abstract compass drawings. They represent the artist's own narrative of the development of Constructivism and mark the end of an era of free expression.… (altro)

The Moderna Museet (Modern Museum) is Sweden’s principal museum of national and international modern art, situated in Stockholm. This book provides a brief history of the museum since its opening in 1958 along with some of the works it has to offer. Following a brief introduction in which David Elliott, the museum’s Director, sets out the policy and function of the museum, there is a chronological history illustrated with black and white photographs.

The rest of the book, from page 27 to 159, contains Highlights from the Collection. These include paintings, photographs and sculptures or three-dimensional pieces. Each work is illustrated in colour on one page with a brief description of the piece along with very brief biographical notes on the artist on the facing page; these are written by the museum’s curator Nina Öhman.

The list of international artists includes Francis Bacon, Joseph Beuys, Brancusi, Braque, Calder, Chagall, de Chirico, Dali, Duchamp, Ernst, Gris, Kandinsky, Klee, Léger, Magritte, Matisse, Miró , Mondrian, Oldenburg, Picasso, Pollock, Rauschenberg, Rosenquist, Schwitters, Segal and Warhol, along with many Swedish artists.

It is a well produced book, my only complaint is that some of the images are presented unnecessarily small on the page.… (altro)