Claes Olderburg and Coosje van Bruggen: Kansas City’s Shuttlecocks By: Edward J. Olszewski Claes Olderburg and Coosje van Bruggen: Kansas City’s Shuttlecocks is a study of the commission and vicissitudes of a project by the world-renowned sculptors Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen for a major art museum and a public setting. The controversy that the commission initiated presented a challenge to explain a misunderstood work of art in an attempt to confirm the rightness of its acceptance. It is important for the reader to appreciate how artists resolve conflicts, how modern art functions, and to understand something of the cognitive issues undertaken by collaborative artists in the creative process.

In 1985, the Sohio oil company commissioned Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen to design and construct a large outdoor sculpture for its new corporate headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. The result was Free Stamp, a bold and distinctive installation that captured both a Pop Art sensibility and a connection to the city’s industrial past. Sohio executives approved the design, and work was already underway, when British Petroleum acquired the company. The new owners quickly decided that the sculpture was “inappropriate” for their building and attempted to rid themselves of Free Stamp by donating it to the city of Cleveland—a gift that the city initially had no desire to accept. After much debate and public protest, the sculpture found a home in Willard Park, where it stands today. This is the first study of any sculpture by Oldenburg and van Bruggen to examine the genesis of their art from conception to installation. Edward J. Olszewski has put together a fascinating narrative based on interviews with the artists, archival material from city records, and in-house corporate memoranda, as well as letters to the editor and political cartoons. He traces the development of the sculpture from the artists’ first sketches and models to the installation of the completed work in its urban environment.

When Kansas City’s Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art opened to the public in 1933, it was viewed as a miracle, an oasis of culture in a Midwestern town whose image was still largely one of cowboys and steaks. In an engaging style, Kristie Wolferman tells the history of the Nelson-Atkins from its founding to the present day, a fascinating combination of people, events, and circumstances that culminated in an art museum that now holds its own among the finest in the world. Wolferman begins by relaying how the trustees of the estates of the reclusive widow Mary Atkins and the family of Kansas City Star newspaper editor William Rockhill Nelson joined forces to establish a museum from scratch, then goes on to consider all of the highly talented people who directed and staffed the Nelson-Atkins along the way, their efforts resulting in many bold innovations, among them new collections, grounds, and educational programs and offerings. With 100 color and black and white photographs, this book will be treasured by all who love and admire this remarkable institution, one that attracts half a million visitors—from across the city, state, nation, and world—each year. This is a co-publication of the University of Missouri Press and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

A revised and updated edition of the best-selling resource for art teachers This time-tested book is written for teachers who need accurate and updated information about the world of art, artists, and art movements, including the arts of Africa, Asia, Native America and other diverse cultures. The book is filled with tools, resources, and ideas for creating art in multiple media. Written by an experienced artist and art instructor, the book is filled with vital facts, data, readings, and other references, Each of the book's lists has been updated and the includes some 100 new lists Contains new information on contemporary artists, artwork, art movements, museum holdings, art websites, and more Offers ideas for dynamic art projects and lessons Diverse in its content, the book covers topics such as architecture, drawing, painting, graphic arts, photography, digital arts, and much more.

Ideas About Art is an intelligent, accessible introductory text for students interested in learning how to think about aesthetics. It uses stories drawn from the experiences of individuals involved in the arts as a means of exposing readers to the philosophies, theories, and arguments that shape and drive visual art. An accessible, story-driven introduction to aesthetic theory and philosophy Prompts readers to develop independent ideas about aesthetics; this is a guide on how to think, not what to think Includes discussions of non-western, contemporary, and discipline-specific theories Examines a range of art-based dilemmas across a wide variety of disciplines - from art and design and law to visual and museum studies

A tour of America's most notable museums is also a history of the nation's art that highlights each location's top works while discussing the backgrounds of each building and featured piece of art.

This magnificent volume documents the printmaking career of leading pop artist, influential creator of public monuments, and bravura draftsman Claes Oldenburg. Includes an important essay on Oldenburg's career and a catalogue of his entire printed oeuvre, from limited editions to ephemera. A must for scholars and collectors. 55 b&w illustrations, 52 duotones, 381 colorplates (including 2 gatefolds.

Explore the beautiful USA. From the Empire State Building to the Golden Gate bridge, this DK travel guide has you covered and will take you to the best places in the United States. From top restaurants, bars, and clubs to standout scenic sites and walks, our insider tips are sure to make your trip outstanding. Whether you're looking for unique and interesting shops and markets, or seeking the best venues for music and nightlife, we have entertainment and hotel recommendations for every budget covered in our Eyewitness Travel Guide. Discover DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: USA. + Detailed itineraries and "don't-miss" destination highlights at a glance. + Illustrated cutaway 3-D drawings of important sights. + Floor plans and guided visitor information for major museums. + Guided walking tours, local drink and dining specialties to try, things to do, and places to eat, drink, and shop by area. + Area maps marked with sights. + Detailed city maps include street finder indexes for easy navigation. + Insights into history and culture to help you understand the stories behind the sights. + Hotel and restaurant listings highlight DK Choice special recommendations. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: USA truly shows you the US like no one else can.

Bill Griffith's Zippy the Pinhead is a pop culture icon. The surrealist-leaning character is one of the most recognizable figures on the newspaper pages, seen by tens of millions of people a day. Syndicated by King Features since 1986, Zippy is read in hundreds of daily newspapers across the country, while the Pinhead's trademark non-sequitur, "Are we having fun yet?," has become so often repeated it's inBartlett's Familiar Quotations. His likeness has been grafittied on the Berlin Wall and aped for Saturday Night Live's classic "Conehead" sketches. This new Zippy collection features approximately a year's worth of strips, from November 2003 through November 2004, including full-color Sundays. Follow Zippy as he weaves in and out of "Bushmiller Country" (the land formerly inhabited by Ernie Bushmiller's classic Nancy comic strip) and as if things weren't strange enough he suddenly begins spouting Japanese, French, Russian, Farsi, Hungarian, Greek, Finnish and Latin! Zippy meets aliens, revisits Levittown (his birthplace) with Griffy, confronts the evil "Ziggy" and frolics with advertising icons like Reddy Kilowatt, Mr. Bubble, Colonel Sanders and the long-forgotten Unifax Astroboy. Oh, yeah, and he takes a long, hot bath (without Mr. Bubble).