I Paint What I Want to See (light wear) – Philip Guston
I Paint What I Want to See by Philip Guston / ISBN 9780241525715 / small 272-page paperback from Penguin Classics (in the same format as Munari’s Design As Art) / very light wear to covers from inbound shipping
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‘Thank God for yellow ochre, cadmium red medium, and permanent green light’
How does a painter see the world? Philip Guston, one of the most significant artists of the twentieth century, spoke about art with unparalleled candor and commitment. Touching on work from across his career as well as that of his fellow artists and Renaissance heroes, this selection of his writings, talks, and interviews draws together some of his most incisive reflections on iconography and abstraction, metaphysics and mysticism, and, above all, the nature of painting and drawing.
“Philip Guston’s work gathers strength with the passing of time. During his lifetime he seemed an outsider, but now the world of painting seems to have regrouped around him. This book captures the breadth and depth of his thinking, and also captures the feeling of an intensely lively era when artists like Cage, Feldman and Guston felt that making art was a branch of philosophy. I think everybody interested in the evolution of culture should read this thought-provoking and timely book”–Brian Eno
“Vital in grasping Guston’s contribution to post-war American art and his abiding significance to contemporary painters”–Ben Luke, The Art Newspaper
“An appealing little book … A pocketsized portfolio of Philip Guston’s writings, talks and interviews … It includes a joyous appreciation of the Renaissance master Piero della Francesca … advice to art students … [and] insights into what makes a great artist tick”–Stephen Smith, The Times
“This expertly curated selection of Guston’s writings, talks and interviews draws together the artist’s most incisive reflections on iconography and abstraction, metaphysics and mysticism, and the nature of painting and drawing… If you’ve never heard of him, this is a great introduction; if you have, this book will deepen your knowledge and understanding”–Creative Boom
