[Book Review] Reading "The Artist's Work"

A cover featuring a toned-down blend of green, pink, red, and brown, fitting for David Bowie. This is unfair. I'm already captivated by this book before even reading it. And what's with the author's brilliant writing in the preface? It begins, “It was May 2018. I was reading the book *The Legacy of My Father* by American novelist Philip Roth…” I was inexplicably moved by the author's words. There was a time when I frantically searched for good works and amazing artists. They were so different from the ordinary people around me. The lives of those who seemed exceptionally special from birth were generally not easy. In fact, I thought that enough books had already been published that covered artists who dominated an era in anthology form. Nevertheless, the reasons to choose this book are as follows. First, discerning artist selection. The book starts with David Bowie and includes Aretha Franklin (although it's written as 'Aresa Franklin' in the table of contents), Nijinsky, Leslie Cheung, Suzanne Valadon, Kurt Cobain, and other figures I once admired, as well as individuals like Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando, and George Romero, who are somewhat unfamiliar, and depicts their lives concisely but essentially. The scene where Gustav Mahler consults Freud for counseling was particularly interesting. Mahler marries Alma Maria Schindler (Alma Schindler), a popular woman 19 years younger than him, but ultimately, they separate. I only knew Lou Andreas-Salomé as a femme fatale (although it's written as 'Pam Fatal' in the book) who captivated Rilke and Nietzsche. Oh! To discover another one here. When I searched online, I found that she was a muse to artists, having also had affairs with the painter Kokoschka, Walter Gropius, and even a third marriage with Franz Werfel. What about the anecdote about Basquiat related to spleen? The fact that Leslie Cheung's favorite film was *Gone with the Wind* is something I wouldn't have known if it weren't for this book. In the Hokusai section, the words he supposedly left behind in his later years are so shocking that I think I'll be chewing on them for a long time to come (what he said is on page 69 of the book!). Secondly, the book's charm lies in its clever introduction to the works. I instantly loved Bill Evans' famous song. Georgia O'Keeffe's painting, *Red Canna*, also powerfully moved me. Even the illustrations (P.30) allegedly drawn to mock Gustav Mahler seemed strangely beautiful, making me wonder if the artist's intention was truly mockery. Finally, the most decisive factor was the author's affection for the artists. Thanks to the delicate sentences that demonstrate the author's appreciation and love for the artists, I felt as if I already liked the artists, even those I had never known before. So, now you need to read this book. Regardless of whether they're more or less famous, you'll get a taste of the lives of those who were true to their 'artist's work' through this book.

※ This review was written honestly after reading the book provided by Naver Culture Charge 200%.

http://www.yes24.com/Product/goods/103492981?art_bl=15184502