Saturday, July 30, 2011

Art Exodus

Vargas 20s-50s ISBN 3-89450-063-8
Nagel ISBN 0-912383-36-4
Essential History of Art ISBN 1-84084-952-5
New American Paintings Number 56 The Open Studios Press
The art of the X-Files ISBN 0-06-105113-6
European Photography 81 ISBN 0-8109-0855-7
The Photography Book ISBN 0714836346
Michelangelo ISBN 1405429844
Hopper ISBN 3-8228-05432
Renoir ISBN 3-8228-0568-8
Louvre ISBN 2.7118.0040.7
The Power of Feminist Art: The American Movement of the 1970s, History and Impact ISBN 0-8109-2659-8
The Watercolors of Winslow Homer ISBN 0-393-02047-9
The World of Leonardo 1452-1519 Time-Life Library of Art 1966
Postsecret ISBN 0-06-089919-0
The Art Institue of Chicago: Twentieth-Century Painting and Sculpture ISBN 0-86559-096-6
Van Gogh on Location ISBN 0-7858-0107-3
Masters of Art Card Catalog # 67-14758, 1967
The Holocaust Chronicle ISBN 0-7853-2963-3
Weight: 46.5 lbs
Method of Disposal: Offering them to Tracy and taking the ones she does not like do a donate your books drop in Edgewood.




This is a lot of very heavy books. 19 books weighing in at 46.5 lbs. I can almost imagine the disdain in Tracy’s eyes when she realizes, but I know she will want a couple of them and the rest can be donated. These books have been collected over the years and are special for many reasons, sometimes not obvious reasons.
The Holocaust Chronicle does not fit into the group of art books, but Tracy and I were at the Borders going out of business sale yesterday and when she glanced at it I informed her that I had it and would give it to her. I am not sure if she wants it or not, but I do know that she is deeply disturbed and moved by the Holocaust. That she has watched many movies and read many books about it.

Masters of Art is special because it is from 1967 and still has academic paperwork from the 70’s. One of the papers was apparently turned in late. The papers are handwritten, in cursive, by a C.K. Bell. The Watercolors of Winslow Homer has two long letters from my uncle and cousin to my grandfather. They are so nice and so loving, and yet I have somehow managed to end up with the book that no one wants back.

The book from the Art Institute of Chicago will be missed. I bought it the very first time I went to Chicago. I remember taking the taxi there, leaving the kids I was babysitting with their parents, and walking around, enthralled, for hours. I am not sure how I ever made myself leave. I bought this book hoping to carry a small piece of that feeling with me. For the record, after I left the museum I walked until I found a pizza place that served beer. It was the best pizza I have ever had. I could live in that day forever.

I always hate giving up my feminist books more than any of the others so I am sad to see the Feminist Art book go. I feel like I never got all I could from it, but I am still ready to release it.

On the cover of Van Gogh on Location, there is the famous Café Terrace painting, alongside of a photograph of the actual place. Intriguing, yes? Everyone has a Van Gogh book or two, but they are always beautiful and fun to look at.
The Louvre book came from the actual museum. It was printed in 1984 and is showing a lot of wear. It is a year older than I am. The Leonardo book was given to a Thomas at some point and was printed in 1966. Hopper, Renoir, and Michelangelo were handed over to me when someone else was disbanding their collection. Many of the art books came from my stepmother who graduated with an art major but does not like clutter.

Postsecret I bought full price my junior year of college. I was very intrigued and slightly let down by it. I know Tracy wants this one, and I am glad to hand it over, though also sad to see it go. I open it now to a Starbucks note that says, “I give decaf to customers who are rude to me!” and underneath it, “My sister and I explored each other sexually as children. As the older girl I feel guilty that I may have molested her.”

The giant book of photography is all in black and white. It is a Phaidon book so it is quite heavy and is packed full of pictures. The Essential History book is a bargain book. There are a lot of great paintings in it, but I think Tracy may already have it. I am fairly confident I have seen it on her shelves. The Nagel book is less than impressive. I kind of hate it, but we will see what she thinks. Vargas is full of beautiful women in all sorts of poses, in an array of undress. The text is written in French and in English. I added the X-files Art as a joke. I thought I had already rid myself of all my X-Files books, but I seem to find new ones every day. The art in this book is made by sculptors, painters, photographers, graphic artists, and others who were inspired by the television show. New American Paintings is an art journal. This one is from March of 2005. It was twenty dollars then and now it is free to a good home! The European Photography book is a full-color book of photographs from, you guessed it, 1981.
Goodbye books!

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