Alex Colville - by Tom Smart (Hardcover)

About the Book

Alex Colville was a Canadian war artist during World War II -- and one of three painters admitted to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp as it was being liberated. To express the unimaginable chaos, Colville sought order, which he found in an artistic style defined as "magic realism." In the shadow of September 11, and in the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Colville's art resonates with a renewed urgency and potency. His work contains complexly coded images that help bring order, coherence, and closure to the disorder and chaos of trauma. Beginning with Embarkation (1994), "Alex Colville: Return" showcases his paintings and prints from the last 10 years. More than a stunning collection of work by one of Canada's premier artists, the book suggests that the creative process is a personal mode of witnessing and a powerful tool for healing.

Book Synopsis

Alex Colville was a Canadian war artist during World War II - and one of three painters admitted to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp as it was being liberated. To express the unimaginable chaos, Colville sought order, which he found in an artistic style defined as magic realism. In the shadow of September 11, and in the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Colville's art resonates with a renewed urgency and potency. His work contains complexly coded images that help bring order, coherence, and closure to the disorder and chaos of trauma. Beginning with Embarkation (1994), Alex Colville: Return showcases his paintings and prints from the last 10 years. More than a stunning collection of work by one of Canada's premier artists, the book suggests that the creative process is a personal mode of witnessing and a powerful tool for healing.

Review Quotes

Praise for The Art of Mary Pratt. "One of the most fascinating and revealing books ever written about this ... painter."

About the Author

Tom Smart is Director of Museum Programs at the Frick Art & Historical Center in Pittsburgh where he organizes and presents exhibitions drawn from the collections of European museums. He has coordinated numerous shows, including "Art in the Age of Van Gogh" for the Winnipeg Art Gallery and several exhibitions of historical and contemporary art for the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton. He is also the author of the award-winning titles The Art of Mary Pratt: The Substance of Light, The Art of Fred Ross: A Timeless Humanism and The World of John Hooper.