Product Description
In the early 1930s Henri van Abbe began to dream of building a center in Eindhoven where its people could be introduced to the mysteries of contemporary art--a place where they could enjoy art. In 1936 he realized this dream by donating to the city the Van Abbemuseum, which, at that time, still consisted primarily of artworks purchased and placed on loan by Henri van Abbe himself. Sixty years later, the Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum has grown into one of the most prominent museums for modern art in the world. Through the course of its history, the visionary acquisition policies of its often distinguished directors have given rise to an impressive collection that includes works by modern masters such as Picasso, Braque, Chagall, Kandinsky, El Lissitzky, and Mondrian, as well as by contemporary artists like Douglas Gordon, Pierre Huyghe, Mike Kelley, and Marijke van Warmerdam. This publication of this first reference work on the Van Abbemuseum's collection marks the opening of the museum's new building in January 2003. A lavishly illustrated book, it offers detailed descriptions of the collection, the history of the museum, and its collecting policies. Each chapter examines a theme, such as De Stijl, CoBrA, conceptualism, and minimal art, and considers works from the collection in their historical context. The catalog offers a representative overview of the Van Abbemuseum collection, but also serves as a general introduction to the art of the 20th century. Published in conjunction with Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven.

Edited by Jan Debbaut and Monique Verhulst.
Essays by Christiane Berndes, Frank Lubbers, Anna Hakkens, Henriette Heezen, René Pingen and Bert Steevensz.

Hardcover, 8.75 x 11 in., 192 pages, 140 color illustrations ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Title Says it All: Faith, Hope, and Accommodation
Beautiful propaganda.

A thrilling and disturbing collection of Socialist Realism (Stalin-era Soviet art.) In German and English.

Handsome book from Plitt Verlag 188 pp, cloth over hardback boards with a sewn binding in dustjacket. Includes Margarita Tupitsyn's essay "Exiting the Avant-Garde: Soviet Imagery Under Stalin." Over 100 color and b&w illustrations: photographs, posters, paintings. Short biographies of the artists and a 3 page bibliography.

Some of the artists with work in this book include Max Alpert, Dmitrij Debabow, Alexander Gerasimow, Wladimir Grüntal, Boris Ignatowitsch, Roman Karmen, El Lissitzky, Vera Orlowa, Alexander Rodtschenko, Sergej Senkin, Warwara Stepanowa, and Viktor Temin.
... Read more