Essential Reading for Art Lovers
Words by Carys Granger
1. Children’s Book of Art by Deborah Lock
At first, the title of this book may seem inappropriate for the reading level of this blog’s audience. However, as a book that I grew up with and still go to (even in the last year of my Art History degree), it gives a fascinating oversight into the timeline and practices of art. It includes artist portfolios for some of the most integral artists in the art canon, which is a good starting point for exploring these artists' works. Its simplistic nature allows the reader to gain insight into an international spectrum of art, and having a focus beyond western art grants an enhanced perspective of art through time. I would recommend this book to those who are not as versed with art as they would like to be, as it is an adept introduction to the artistic world.
2. The Art Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained
This book follows well from the previous recommendation as it provides a more in-depth exploration of art in chronology. It presents innate themes and movements seen in the art canon alongside artist portfolios, which is more challenging to digest. In order to contemplate art critically and aesthetically, this book permits a detailed expedition of the art presented. When writing essays or viewing art that I am not familiar with, this book allows me to contextualise the art in focus, permeating a complex facet of art into a grounded understanding of the material. Recommended for art lovers of any level, it may be intimidating at first but can become a great source of knowledge and inspiration for anyone that has a fascination with art.
3. On Photography by Susan Sontag
Recommended to lovers of photography. In this book, (which is split into six crucial essays) Sontag examines the multi-faceted sphere of photography, critiquing the integrity and aesthetic dispositions found in photographs. She has an intrinsic comprehension of the effects photographs can have on the viewer, and how they construct and manipulate our lives. This book is resounding in this current age of social media and technology, whereby we consume thousands of images on a daily basis, which shape our personality and self-identification. However, this is not to sound impending. Regarding photography of the art world, such images present intriguing pictorial spaces. Delineating significant images from history or artistic movements, photography is a means of capturing integral sincerity of being. Sontag explores these ideas in her book, which is a must-have on any art lover's shelf.
4. The Lonely City by Olivia Laing
Olivia Laing is a great author to have on your bookshelf if you love art, as her writing is encapsulating and well-informed. The Lonely City draws accounts of her own experiences with loneliness, and that of artists such as David Wojnarowicz and Andy Warhol. A personal favourite of mine, it epitomises how despite the impertinent bustle of city life you can find yourself becoming overwhelmingly lonely. Exploring artists based in New York alongside her own time living there, she dissects the meaning of being alone and how this has affected her experience, and influenced the selected artists’ art. A fascinating insight into the lives of the artists is presented with an expression of personal attachment and insight. Recommended for those into memoir-style writing and detailed narratives of loneliness.
5. Strangeland by Tracey Emin
Tracey Emin is an acclaimed British artist and works with a plethora of mediums. In her autobiography she recounts her life story; experiences from childhood to adulthood, how they shaped her as an individual and artist. Her memoir features memories and confessions of her life in extreme intimacy, and the candour and openness she reveals in this book allows the reader close access to her mind and space. A book recommended for lovers of Emin’s art or those desiring to know more about her.
6. The Secret Lives of Colour by Kassia St Clair
An essential book to contextualize and investigate colour. As an art lover, this book is a great asset when decoding artworks and the modality of colour within them. For example, comprehension of Picasso’s blue period and Van Gogh’s yellow sunflowers gives these colours integrity. The Secret Lives of Colour allows the reader to study how colour forms and embodies the human experience, culture and education throughout history. Split into 75 essays, each focusing on different colours, these observations and theoretical perspectives create a thorough account of how colour is used in life and art. Recommended for anyone looking for a greater knowledge of the pertinence of colour.
