What's With Modern Art? Book

Cultual Writing. Art Criticism. "In the process of gathering material for his marvelous comprehensive bibliography of Frank O'Hara's writings (Garland Publishing, 1980), Alexander Smith, Jr. (1948-1987) discovered "Teens Quiz a Critic"What's With Modern Art?" He also retyped practically all of the short reviews O'Hara wrote for Art News. Alex's typescripts formed the basis from which the present selection was made." (from " Acknowledgments") This delightful book includes a small but wide-ranging assortment of art reviewsBY Frank O'Hara, from paragraphs on Jane Freilicher, Paul Klee, and "Bob" Rauschenberg to comments on Fairfiled Porter, Joseph Cornell and Robert De Niro (the actor's father). "Robert De Niro is one of the most orginal and powerful younger painters showing today ..." (March 1955). The inclusion of O'Hara's response to the Teen Quiz make this a useful volume both for those interested in O'Hara and for those interested in interesting high school kids in art. "Q: Is art on its way out?, Isaac E. Young Jr. High School. / A: Of course art is not on its way out, any more than it is on its way in...." The book closes with an excellent contextualizing essay by Bill Berkson.Read More