Paul Schimmel Books

Takashi Murakami is one of contemporary art’s most innovative and important figures. Drawing from street culture, high art, and traditional Japanese painting, Murakami takes the contemporary art trend of mixing high and low to an unprecedented level (critics call him the new Warhol), producing original paintings and sculptures as well as mass-produced consumer objects such as toys, books, and most famously, a line of handbags for Louis Vuitton. A committed supporter and spokesperson for Japanese artists and a powerful commentator on postwar culture and society, Murakami has organized influential exhibitions of Japanese art as well as a biannual art fair in Tokyo. Murakami has positioned himself as a new type of artist for the twenty-first century: a hybrid of creator, entrepreneur, and cultural ambassador.In conjunction with the first major retrospective of his work, Murakami traces Murakami’s global impact socially, culturally, and art historically. Essays focus on Murakami’s early works, which were based on a social critique of Japan’s rampant consumerism; the development of his characters; his work with anime, fantasy; otaku culture; and his engagement with global pop culture. Representing output from original works of art to mass-produced multiples, the catalogue also considers the implications of Murakami’s working methods within the tradition of the Western avant-garde.

The first collection features tight and lyrical poems that showcase strong linguistic craftsmanship. The author's ability to engage readers is evident, making this debut a captivating and impressive work.

The book delves into the biographical aspects of Sigmund Freud's life, highlighting how personal experiences and historical context influenced his development of psychoanalysis. It examines key events and relationships that shaped his theories, offering insights into the interplay between Freud's life and his groundbreaking work in psychology. Through this exploration, the text sheds light on the foundational elements of psychoanalysis and Freud's enduring impact on the field.

Exploring the intersections of psychoanalysis, literature, and philosophy, this collection of papers delves into significant themes, particularly Freud's reflections on mourning. Schimmel's analysis highlights Freud's personal experiences and his evolving thoughts on the nature of sorrow, contrasting mourning with melancholy. This examination not only illuminates Freud's insights but also addresses the complexities of emotional distress, making it a profound exploration of psychological states and their implications.

Hauser & Wirth's first presentation of the work of Philip Guston on view in New York from April to July 2016 is accompanied by a fully-illustrated catalogue featuring nearly 90 paintings and drawings from the artist's abstract expressionist period. The exhibition focuses specifically on the period beginning in the late 1950s and spanning nearly a decade until the artist's return to figuration in the late 1960s. This publication features an expanded chronology on the artist, which includes archival material, historic installation views, conversations with Guston and other selected texts (by the artist himself) from the exhibition's time period. The book concludes with a section of 50 of Guston's 'pure' drawings completed in the late 1960s.--Gallery web site.

"The catalogue accompanies the most comprehensive exhibition of postwar abstract sculpture by women artists. Revolution in the Making traces the ways in which women artists deftly transformed the language of sculpture. The volume seeks to identify the multiple strains of proto-feminist practices, characterized by abstraction and repetition, which rejected the singularity of the masterwork. Divided into four sections, the book will feature approximately thirty artists and nearly 100 works in total: the postwar era (the late 1950s) including such historically important predecessors as Ruth Asawa, Lee Bontecou, Louise Bourgeois, Claire Falkenstein, and Louise Nevelson; the 1960s and 1970s, highlighting a generation of post-minimalist artists who ignited a revolution in their use of process-oriented materials and methods; the 1980s and 1990s, the period that moved beyond singular, three-dimensional objects toward architectonic works characterized by repetition, structure, and design; and post-2000 works by artists who created installation-based environments, embracing domestic materials and craft as an embedded discourse." --Publisher's description

This exhibition catalog examines the figurative aspects of New York School painting at the height of abstract expressionism. It represents 13 artists who countered the prevailing abstract mode in favor of the figure. The volume also includes four informative essays that elucidate the illustrations, and provides a list of exhibits for each artist from 1950 to 1965. ISBN 0-8478-0942-0: $37.50 (For use only in the library)

Sigmund Freud's Discovery of Psychoanalysis explores the psychoanalytic dimensions of the biographical 'facts' of Freud's life.