Clement Greenberg: A Critic's Collection

For four decades after he wrote his first article in 1939, Clement Greenberg was a highly influential art critic whose support was decisive in the acceptance of abstract expressionism. In the early '80s, when most critics and academics had come to believe that art was a point of departure for theoretical constructs, Greenberg aroused deep hostility by continuing to focus on the formal elements of painting and sculpture. His close relationships to artists also made him a controversial figure. Clement Greenberg: A Critic's Collection celebrates the acquisition of his collection by the Portland Art Museum. He never bought a painting, and the 150 works are gifts from artists who appreciated his ideas and encouragement, including Helen Frankenthaler, Kenneth Noland, Jules Olitski, and the Canadian landscapist Dorothy Knowles. Greenberg's personal collection emphasizes abstract expressionism, color-field painting, and what he called "post-painterly abstraction." It is a beautiful book, especially in the way the illustrations suggest tactile surfaces, and an honest presentation of the man who brought the art works together. --John Stevenson