Publisher: Milano : Skira
ISBN: 978-8884913807
Dimensions: 31 x 25 cm
Born in 1940, Clive Barker attained sculptural maturity in 1966. His work was exhibited at high-profile galleries in London and in Europe through to the 1970s, and has since been included in numerous surveys and international exhibitions of Pop Art. By replicating functional, mass-produced objects in gleaming metals, Barker has redefined Marcel Duchamp's concept of the 'ready-made'. His recreations of the ordinary awaken a sense of amazement at the beauty of the familiar, reinventing the surrounding world, giving his art a life-enhancing quality. Questioning the privileged status of art, yet revealing a passionate commitment to the history of art, Barker investigates the fundamentals of both traditional and modernist sculpture.
This lavishly illustrated book is the first comprehensive study published on Barker's sculpture. It opens with an essay by Marco Livingstone, providing a focused analysis of Barker's creative engagement, spanning over forty years. His in-depth discussion of key themes, punctuated by the factual details of the artist's evolution, witnesses a great insight into Barker's art and reveals the continuities and cross-references, present in the work.
An Jo Fermon then follows with an informative essay, exploring the use of the materials, method, techniques and production. Her catalogue raisonné illustrates and documents for the first time the work from 1958 until the year 2000, revealing stylistic consistency throughout its development, embracing Conceptualism, Surrealism and Pop Art. Her extensive biography unravels the motivations and inspirations behind the progression in Barkers life and art.
With over 500 illustrations, including stunning full-colour plates, this extensive critical study celebrates a life and art that has formed a particularly important part in the evolution of Pop Art sculpture.
Marco Livingstone and An Jo Fermon
