Gwen John

About this book

"Live, or performance, art is one of the most controversial and hotly discussed areas of art practice to emerge in the second half of the twentieth century. The history of live art is one of challenge to audiences, art traditions and cultural values. With elements of performance now part of the practice of many of today's best-known artists, and boundaries between visual art, theatre and live art more and more blurred, this collection is long overdue." "Leading artists and thinkers assess the relevance of live art now, its impact within the visual arts and the broader cultural sphere. Hugo Glendinning's colour photographs of performance events are combined with numerous essays examining the political, philosophical and cultural resonances of the work of a diverse range of international live artists, both historical and contemporary. Live is an indispensable resource for all those with an interest in some of the most vibrant and contested issues in art today."--Jacket. "The artist Gwen John (1876-1939), known for her intense figure studies, portraits and interiors, was one of the most enigmatic and intriguing figures in the history of twentieth century art. This first publication of an extensive selection of unabridged letters, alongside extracts from her notebooks, sheds new light on her life, her career and her artistic development." "After training at the Slade and at Whistler's Academy in Paris, John settled in Paris in 1905, where she modelled for Rodin, subsequently becoming his lover. In 1915 she converted to Catholicism, withdrawing to the suburban village of Meudon…

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