Curve: The Female Nude Now

I love reviews that damn a book because it was not what they expected it to be when it was purchased based on the title. That may work fine when you are purchasing the writings of a particular author and are disapointed with the book compared to his past writing. Compared to his past writing. Compared to... you get the point. If you are going to write a review about an art book, review the book, spare us your disapointed expectations. Like it or not, modern art is here to stay. Much of it is not to my likeing, but if you intend to be involved in the market, you better understand it. This book provides an outstanding overview of what is considered good figurative art in todays world. Some of it is outstanding, and some of it will pass like the wind. All of it needs to be looked at and questioned, "Why is this art?" If your interest is to participate in this market, get this book. If your looking for pretty books to teach you how to draw, move on.

The editors have done a remarkable job of collectin many of the ways that current artists present the female figure. The first few pages of introduction set the mood. Each two-page spread presents two of the images shown later in the book. They're split down the middle, placed opposite each other along the crease between pages, and formed into a startling new whole. The mismatched parts make it very clear that there is no one "female figure", that it's a range filled with wonderful variety. Some of these images, like Aida's, remind me that there are views I am very glad not to share. Others, like Parrish and Edmeir, can be read as simple celebrations of the literal form, though Edmeir complicates his statuary by choice of model. Patricia Cronin, among others, brings female sexuality to the front. Still others, including Mueck and Mann, examine biological facts of the female sex that have nothing to do with eroticism. Many artists, including Cindy Sherman, read the figure as a politicized battlefield. It's not necessary to share or even like every view shown here, but I find it very useful to see how many kinds of view there are. Don't expect a standardized view of a standardized figure in this book. Do expect variety, complexity, and presentations where simple beauty is only a means to an end or is missing completely. This is not for everyone, but the receptive mind will be well rewarded. //wiredweird

I ordered this book and absolutely love it! It has really great artwork with a wide range of artists represented. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in figurative art, especially of women.