From the early twentieth century to nowadays the history of art has been marked by fatal attractions, love stories and mutual influences between artists. These facts haven't yet been fully covered and are still of fundamental importance for an in-depth understanding of contemporary art. Failing turbulent years with Leonora Carrington, Max Ernst would have never painted some of his most beautiful pictures, Frida's self-portraits wouldn't exist if it were not for Diego Rivera, if Jasper Johns would have never met Bob Rauschenberg American art might have taken another course.
From the early twentieth century to nowadays the history of art has been marked by fatal attractions, love stories and mutual influences between artists. These facts haven’t yet been fully covered and are still of fundamental importance for an in-depth understanding of contemporary art.
Failing turbulent years with Leonora Carrington, Max Ernst would have never painted some of his most beautiful pictures, Frida’s self-portraits wouldn’t exist if it were not for Diego Rivera, if Jasper Johns would have never met Bob Rauschenberg American art might have taken another course.
The volume chronologically retraces the course of modern art through the couples that have made its history: muses, lovers, wives or assistants. Ateliers are often populated by a partner with whom the artist shares a project, a language, a vision of the world or just a vanishing moment. Each chapter tells the story of a couple from their encounter till break-up, following the development of their works whilst paying particular attention to mutual influences and, of course, to their common successes.
Story after story, the reader will understand from a different point of view how art developed in those years and, most of all, to which extent art pieces had been the result of miscellaneous talents and ideas. He will also be able to follow the development of those relationships that cannot escape the historical context and social changes of the time and that not always were in line with conventions.
A communicative and clear writing of the stories will captivate the reader; in addition, anecdotes and careful descriptions provide an insight of the different ménage, but mainly of the climate the stories recreate.
Most of the memoirs are based on live interviews and meetings.