Philip Guston: The Studio (Afterall Books / One Work)

Philip Guston's The Studio (1969) depicts a member of the Ku Klux Klan painting a self-portrait. Darkly comic, crude and complex, The Studio is a key work in Guston's shift from abstract expressionism to his late figurative style. In this generously illustrated book, Craig Burnett examines Guston's engagement with the history and limitations of painting during the last decade of his life. Burnett reflects that The Studio signals not only a broader historical moving away from the medium-centric claims of modernist abstraction but also a personal shift to subject matter that was discursive, playful and carnivalesque. He argues that The Studio's existential 'play of self' and 'Kierkegaardian despair' is counter-balanced by the lure of compositional coherence to be found within paintings by artists such as Piero della Francesca, among others. Finally Burnett focuses on 'a passage of supreme poetry', the column of smoke central to The Studio, its importanceas a compositional device and its presence as a ghost of abstraction." Read more... Abstract: Craig Burnett examines Philip Guston's 'The Studio' in detail, describing the historical and personal motivations for the artist's return to figuration and the (mostly negative) critical reaction to the work from Hilton Kramer and others. Read more... An illustrated examination of Philip Guston's comic and complex painting The Studio. Throughout his career, Philip Guston's work metamorphosed from figural to abstract and back to figural. In the 1950s, Guston (19131980) produced a body of shimmering abstract paintings that made himalong with Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Franz Klinean influential abstract expressionist of the gestural tendency. In the late 1960s, with works like T he Studio came his most radical shift. Drawing from the imagery of his early murals and from elements in his later drawings, ignoring the prevailing coolness of Minimalism and antiform abstraction, Guston invented for these late works a cast of cartoon-like characters to articulate a vision that was at once comic, crude, and complex. In The Studio , Guston offers a darkly comic portrait of the artist as a hooded Ku Klux Klansman, painting a self-portrait. In this concise and generously illustrated book, Craig Burnett examines The Studio in detail. He describes the historical and personal motivations for Guston's return to figuration and the (mostly negative) critical reaction to the work from Hilton Kramer and others. He looks closely at the structure of The Studio , and at the influence of Piero della Francesca, Manet, and Krazy Kat, among others; and he considers the importance of the column of smoke in the paintingas a compositional device and as a ghost of abstraction and metaphysics. The Studio signals not only Guston's own artistic evolution but a broader shift, from the medium-centric and teleological claim of modernism to the discursive, carnivalesque, and mucky world of postmodernism. Throughout His Career, Philip Guston's Work Metamorphosed From Figural To Abstract And Back To Figural. In The 1950s, Guston (1913--1980) Produced A Body Of Shimmering Abstract Paintings That Made Him -- Along With Willem De Kooning, Jackson Pollock, And Franz Kline -- An Influential Abstract Expressionist Of The Gestural Tendency. In The Late 1960s, With Works Like T He Studio Came His Most Radical Shift. Drawing From The Imagery Of His Early Murals And From Elements In His Later Drawings, Ignoring The Prevailing Coolness Of Minimalism And Antiform Abstraction, Guston Invented For These Late Works A Cast Of Cartoon-like Characters To Articulate A Vision That Was At Once Comic, Crude, And Complex. In The Studio, Guston Offers A Darkly Comic Portrait Of The Artist As A Hooded Ku Klux Klansman, Painting A Self-portrait. In This Concise And Generously Illustrated Book, Craig Burnett Examines The Studio In Detail. He Describes The Historical And Personal Motivations For Guston's Return To Figuration And The (mostly Negative) Critical Reaction To The Work From Hilton Kramer And Others. He Looks Closely At The Structure Of The Studio, And At The Influence Of Piero Della Francesca, Manet, And Krazy Kat, Among Others; And He Considers The Importance Of The Column Of Smoke In The Painting -- As A Compositional Device And As A Ghost Of Abstraction And Metaphysics. The Studio Signals Not Only Guston's Own Artistic Evolution But A Broader Shift, From The Medium-centric And Teleological Claim Of Modernism To The Discursive, Carnivalesque, And Mucky World Of Postmodernism. Philip Guston's The Studio (1969) Depicts A Member Of The Ku Klux Klan Painting A Self-portrait. Darkly Comic, Crude And Complex, The Studio Is A Key Work In Guston's Shift From Abstract Expressionism To His Late Figurative Style. In This Generously Illustrated Book, Craig Burnett Examines Guston's Engagement With The History And Limitations Of Painting During The Last Decade Of His Life. Burnett Reflects That The Studio Signals Not Only A Broader Historical Moving Away From The Medium-centric Claims Of Modernist Abstraction But Also A Personal Shift To Subject Matter That Was Discursive, Playful And Carnivalesque. He Argues That The Studio's Existential 'play Of Self' And 'kierkegaardian Despair' Is Counter-balanced By The Lure Of Compositional Coherence To Be Found Within Paintings By Artists Such As Piero Della Francesca, Among Others. Finally Burnett Focuses On 'a Passage Of Supreme Poetry', The Column Of Smoke Central To The Studio, Its Importanceas A Compositional Device And Its Presence As A Ghost Of Abstraction. Craig Burnett. Includes Bibliographical References. "Philip Guston's The Studio (1969) depicts a member of the Ku Klux Klan painting a self-portrait. Darkly comic, crude and complex, The Studio is a key work in Guston's shift from abstract expressionism to his late figurative style. In this generously illustrated book, Craig Burnett examines Guston's engagement with the history and limitations of painting during the last decade of his life. Burnett reflects that The Studio signals not only a broader historical moving away from the medium-centric claims of modernist abstraction but also a personal shift to subject matter that was discursive, playful and carnivalesque. He argues that The Studio's existential 'play of self' and 'Kierkegaardian despair' is counter-balanced by the lure of compositional coherence to be found within paintings by artists such as Piero della Francesca, among others. Finally Burnett focuses on 'a passage of supreme poetry', the column of smoke central to The Studio, its importanceas a compositional device and its presence as a ghost of abstraction"--Jacket Contents 5 Chapter 1 6 Chapter 2 20 Chapter 3 33 Plates Section 45 Endnotes 85