By Eric Robertson

“Robertson interprets Arp by deploying the language and method of theorists inspired by Saussurian structuralism—Foucault, Derrida, Eco and Barthes. . . .This approach can assist in understanding the complexity of Arp’s formal innovations. . . .There are a host of genuine insights.”—Corinna Lotz, Apollo Magazine

“The book contains copious notes and is illustrated with 62 color and black-and-white photos. Clearly written. . .it is suitable for art and academic libraries.”—Library Journal

"This elegant and scrupulously presented monograph represents a milestone in Arp scholarship, being the first major study of each branch of a highly diverse output. . .The book is a delight, for Arp's multiple skills and inventiveness are fully matched by the author's versatility as a commentator."—Roger Cardinal, French Studies

Hans, or Jean, Arp (1886–1966) is internationally renowned as one of the foremost sculptors and visual artists of the twentieth century. A founder member of the Dada group, he was also associated with Surrealism and with Concrete Art and Minimalism. Such acclaim has overshadowed the fact that he considered himself above all a poet. This book, the first major English-language study of Arp in nearly half a century, is also the first to reveal that Arp’s practices as poet, painter, and sculptor are not only complementary but mutually dependent facets of a coherent aesthetic strategy.

Eric Robertson discusses Arp’s lifelong practice of moving freely between his different expressive forms and his two languages (French and German), and his tendency to alter his earlier works. Examining major works in the light of recent critical and theoretical perspectives, the book addresses key questions relating to Arp’s practices and reappraises his relationship to the avant-garde as well as his standing in art-historical and literary contexts.

Please note that Rare/Out-of-Print titles are very limited in stock.

Hardcover
256 pages
Yale University Press, 2006
7.8 x 0.9 x 10.3 inches
ISBN 9780300106909
Artist Monographs, Dada, Surrealism