Reviews for A Sense of Self: The Work of Affirmation

The average rating for A Sense of Self: The Work of Affirmation based on 2 reviews is 2.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-08-04 00:00:00 William Riker One of the artists discussed in this book is my (some degree) cousin, Lawrence Kupferman. Lawrence's father Sam was my grandmother's brother. I knew Sam pretty well and also knew Lawrence's mother and brother, but I don't recall ever meeting Lawrence or his wife, Ruth Cobb, also an artist. (Lawrence died in 1982, Ruth in 2008.) Boston, where I live, had an annual outdoor juried art show every summer from 1952 to 1964. Lawrence, Ruth and many other artists, primarily from the Boston area, would exhibit there. Even though I didn't actually know them, I enjoyed knowing of my family connection to Lawrence and Ruth, as well as liking much of the rest of the artwork displayed. Some time ago, I purchased a print by Lawrence, from a time in which he was not doing the abstractions for which he became known. None of this has much to do with this book, but it is the reason that I bought a copy, knowing nothing about it except that Lawrence was mentioned in it. The book contains much more, of course. Quoting from material on the inside flap of the book jacket: The book includes essays from five experts in the field, presenting and analyzing the work of sixty-seven artists... Along with a general introduction, the editors have provided sixty-seven color plates, thirty-six black and white illustrations, an extensive chronology of important events, an exhibition checklist, a bibliography, and a brief biographical profile of each artist whose work is included. The text is consistently good. Black and white reproductions of paintings are, as always, frustrating to look at, knowing that much - most - of the point is lost. However, the quality of the color plates seems quite good. I don't love all of them, of course, but many seem very fine to me. Even for those without a special interest in one of the artists included, readers should find this to be a well-designed and fascinating book.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-04-23 00:00:00 Richard Silva * Understanding Oppression: African American Rights (Then and Now) Beyond the Battlefield: Race, Memory, and the American Civil War by David W. Blight #civilwar