All the Art Thats Fit to Print reveals the true story of the worlds first Op-Ed page; a public platform that mdash;in 1970 mdash;prefigured the Internet blogosphere. Not only did the New York Timess nonstaff bylines shatter tradition; but the pictures were revolutionary. Unlike anything ever seen in a newspaper; Op-Ed art became a globally influential idiom that reached beyond narrative for metaphor and changed illustrations very purpose and potential.Art director Jerelle Kraus; whose thirteen-year Op-Ed tenure far exceeds that of any other art director or editor; unveils a riveting account of working at the Times. Her insider anecdotes include the reasons why artist Saul Steinberg hated the Times; why editor Howell Raines stopped the presses to kill a feature by Doonesburys Garry Trudeau; and why reporter Syd Schanburg mdash;whose story was told in the movie The Killing Fields mdash;stated that he would travel anywhere to see Kissinger hanged; as well as Krauss tale of surviving two and a half hours alone with the dethroned peerless outlaw; Richard Nixon. All the Art features a satiric portrayal of John McCain; a classic cartoon of Barack Obama by Jules Feiffer; and a drawing of Hillary Clinton and Obama by Barry Blitt. But when Frank Rich wrote a column discussing Hillary Clinton exclusively; the Times refused to allow Blitt to portray her. Nearly any notion is palatable in prose; yet editors perceive pictures as a far greater threat. Confucius underestimated the number of words an image is worth; the thousand-fold power of a picture is also its curse.Op-Eds subject is the world; and its illustrations are created by the worlds finest graphic artists. The 142 artists whose work appears in this book hail from thirty nations and five continents; and their 324 pictures-gleaned from a total of 30;000-reflect artists common drive to communicate their creative visions and to stir our vibrant cultural-political pot.
#1165545 in eBooks 2014-03-05 2014-03-05File Name: B00JANZ7PG
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Accessible and intellectually engagingBy Eugene V. ResnickShapiro has written an accessible and intellectually engaging account of John Vassoss life and career. The work is fascinating in its depiction of a creative; progressive; artistic spirit who navigated his way through corporate America to become the chief in-house designer for RCA. Vassos was able to combine a modernist aesthetic with a deeply-felt humanity; resulting in products that were both stylistically of-the-moment as well as eminently functional (Think Apple in the middle decades of the 20th century). Shapiro captures Vassoss growth; his influences and his impact. This book will especially be of interest to those interested in design; art; and style; cultural history; economic history; and the development and impact of 20th century modernism.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. You cant escape John Vassos importance.By Regina MinnissOne of the best obscure books about a man we all know. Without Danielle Shapiros book we wouldnt have known that we knew John Vassos. This is the only book about him. Certainly a man of his time; but not of ours; even though his designs are still with us. You cant escape his importance.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Vassos as a window into 1930s modernismBy J. CooperI came at this with some trepidation; because I generally dont like biographies. Theyre too detailed; and I get bored. But Im interested in 1930s design; and Shapiro (the author) is a design historian; so I took a chance. Whelp; this is just what a biography should be: a window into history. Shapiro is the guide; Vassos is the path; and were shown a fabulous tour.on modernization in the 1930s"...streamlined objects reflected the utopian social values of the era; particularly a desire to speed effortlessly into the future and away form the Great Depression."on changing gender norms"Following the 1920s; the novel concept of the living room suggested an increasingly unisex home [...] modern design provided a solution to the domesticity-as-feminine problem."on the acculturation of mass media into the American home"There was some confusion about what would actually be on television in the 1930s. One RCA publicity brochure for the TRK-12 showed an elegantly dressed woman gently fondling the dial. On the last page of the brochure; the same woman appeared on a television screen. [...] It is clear that marketing people were unsure..."
