The American Art Tapes:

More about the book

In 1965, British artist and university lecturer John Jones relocated to the United States with his family for a year, interviewing around 100 artists. They settled in Greenwich Village and embarked on a three-month road trip to connect with artists across the country. Some, like Yoko Ono and Claes Oldenburg, became personal friends. Jones's daughter Nicolette, though young, retains vivid memories of their New York experience and trans-American journey. This book presents a selection of Jones's edited conversations with American artists from 1965-66, published for the first time. Nicolette provides a foreword that contextualizes the interviews, while an introduction derived from Jones's lectures delves into the contrasting ideas behind pop art. Through his personal interactions and deep understanding of the artists' work, Jones emerged as a leading expert on this art period in the UK. This narrative offers insights into a specific time and place—1960s America—making it essential for those interested in the interplay between American art and British tradition, as well as for anyone curious about the iconic figures and the creative climate of that era.