This book by Jonathan Ryser (Artazine, 1983) and Richard Benson (Art Images, 2018) is a rich blend of photographs and commentary. Historical and realist images, many taken from the vantage point of the luxury loft space, vividly capture a midcentury modern aesthetic.
The premise behind the book is clear: the artists in New York City at the time and the affluent few who invested in this art as a form of expression were the first to embrace high fashion and style in the United States. This was a time of anti-establishment art criticism and a backlash against the hallowed hierarchy of the leading avant-garde art critics and artists at the end of the 19th century.
Decades after a wave of folk art returned, New York artists embraced renaissance, reflecting on how fresh and vibrant this style of art was and how it is still alive and well today. The design and function of the modern apartment interior itself lends itself to this type of print. The use of cement and plaster on the walls and glass windows allow the viewer to see through the art and appreciate how design and function occur in one living space.
Ryser and Benson’s collages and field prints complement each other, highlighting and explaining the art and its underlying thought patterns. For example, one print shows a pocket of color swatches of the traditional rainbow and another displays the designs of the ideal living room furniture, appealing to each space’s owner’s desire to express themselves through decor and design. In the book, these ideas are presented in encouraging and useful formats that make them easily shareable.
In addition to photographs, Ryser and Benson show how the midcentury classic design played a role in the 1990s art world with these artists while also noting the resurgence of the older style artists. This is a timely and important book for those looking for historical and visual information about today’s art scene and design trends.