Chuck Close: Life and Work 1988-1995

Close moves beyond the typical artist monograph by engaging the painter in a discussion about his profound personal "catastrophe." In 1988 painter Chuck Close had achieved a rare success: he was just 50 years old and his monumental portraits had already been the subject of a major museum retrospective, 60 solo shows, and hundreds of other group shows. His portrait subjects were often other painters such as Francesco Clemente and Lucas Samaras, and his work was shown in the prestigious Pace Gallery in New York City. Then catastrophe struck: Close suffered a collapsed spinal artery, which ultimately left him paralyzed and permanently wheelchair-bound. For weeks, many in the art world thought he might be dead. Certainly, the obituary of his painting career was quickly written. But a scant two years later, the indomitable Close reemerged, his canvasses as large as ever, the heretofore objective distance between him and his subjects foreshortened to make room for a new depth of emotion in the work.

Playwright John Guare (Six Degrees of Separation) interviews Close about the effect the catastrophe, as he calls it, has had on his life and work. Interspersed throughout are beautifully reproduced, full-page images of Close's portraits. Many of these images are placed alongside the photographs from which the painter works and the maquettes that are the next step of the process. Included, too, are close-ups of the grids of color that make up the paintings. Seen at this level of detail, they create their own impressionist imagery. The conversation between playwright and painter culminates in the writer's sitting for the artist in front of his massive Polaroid camera--the first stage in Close's portrait process. Close offers readers the opportunity to examine the painter's work and read about his emotional and artistic shifts and the meaning behind them, making this book a worthy addition to any art lover's library. --Jordana Moskowitz