Great Sculpture Books?...

[sculptorsam]

Does anybody have any recommendations for outstanding books about contemporary sculpture? About the sculpture-scene/community? I'm specifically looking for ones about large-scale work, but any suggestions are welcome since they'll probably help someone else as well. Thanks.

Sam

[ironman]

Hi Sam, This recommendation doesn't really fit what you're looking for, but my all time favorite book about sculpture is: DAVID SMITH BY DAVID SMITH, sculpture & writings. edited by Cleve Gray and published in the U.S. in 1988 by Thames & Hudson Inc., Lib. of Congress catalog card number 88-50247
I have that edition which is in paperback and took me forever to find as I think it's out of print.
I first encountered this book (in hardcover) in a local library and tried to find a copy in bookstores and also called the publisher but to no avail, it was out of print! This became the only time in my life that I wanted to steal a book from a library, but alas, I just couldn't do it. As luck would have it I found a copy in a used bookstore.
It is my bible, the things he has to say about sculpture are poignant, timeless and inspirational. When I'm down in the dumps about my work and things aren't going well, my outlay of cash much more than my income from sales (the usual state of affairs) and I start to question why I bother doing this shit, I just open this book and read some of his writings. That and giving myself a pep talk along with taking a day or two off from the studio ALWAYS does the trick. Have a nice day, Jeff

[sculptorsam]

Thanks for the reminder, Jeff. I had the same experience myself finding the book in the library but nowhere else. I think I photocopied a number of pages but between a couple movings and 5 years, I can't locate most of them. But luckily, in this modern age finding an out of print book has never been easier. I actually just accumulated a stack of new books from my sculpture tour that I can't wait to dig into when I get some spare time...

[TMR]

Great Sculpture Books,
Well, as appetites and tastebuds are all so different, here's a creative meal i enjoy, and you might also...
This book I adore..stimulating, intense and awe inspiring...

Chillida, Monumental Works (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/3829034008/wwwlink-software-21/026-4777330-4966815)

[obseq]

I have read, Modern Sculpture--A Concise History by Hebert Read several times.

A really great survey of nineteenth and twentieth century sculpture.

[fused]

David Smith by David Smith is a great book, you can read some of his writtings
on the David Smith Estate (http://www.davidsmithestate.org/) site. Definitely a favorite sight.

The book AN ART OF OUR OWN THE SPIRITUAL IN TWENTIETH CENTURY ART
by Roger Lipsey is a longtime favorite ArtBook and even though it is out of print,
it is still available at By The Way Books (http://www.bythewaybooks.com/cgi-bin/btw455/1340.html).

Here's a few other sources (http://www.hackerartbooks.com/s?k=art+books&m=t), but get the Hacker Art Books catalogue sent to you
and prepare to be amazed at what is still available. A few years ago I found
Robert Muller by Pierre Descargues (1971) in hardback and discounted there.