Wolf Kahn (–2020)

Under 164 different headings Wolf Kahn talks about his travels, his work, and the people and places he encounters, or whatever else he recalls. He is as likely to talk about surviving a hurricane in a beach hut on an isolated beach as discussing capturing the changing light of a sunrise or sunset. Whether it be an a anecdote or something related to his work it is always told with a down to earth very readable no nonsense approach, and invariably takes no more than a page or two at the most. The text is accompanied by 103 illustrations of the artist's work, 100 of them in full colour; most of them full page size, and always related to the text. The only addition besides is a brief introduction by John Updike and an index.

Kahn might not always discuss the work illustrated in any detail, yet it nonetheless speaks for itself: its economy and simplicity, its vibrancy and feeling of light. While the text accompanies the illustrations the setting is light and spacious so that in no way competes with the pictures.

It all adds up to a very appealing and informative book, one that can just as easily be read at length as picked up for just a couple of minutes at a time. It above all gives us an insight to the artist, and one which perhaps makes us envious of the relative freedom and opportunity his work affords him.… (altro)