Sensual Mechanical: The Art of Craig Kauffman

In recent years there has been a considerable swell of interest in the Los Angeles artists of the 1960s, especially those associated with the legendary Ferus Gallery. A number of these artists worked with translucent and transparent materials such as glass, plastic and resin. Craig Kauffman (1932–2010) is an undisputed pioneer in this generation, and Sensual Mechanical is the definitive book on his work. Kauffman’s paintings of the late 50s and his lozenge-like, vacuum-formed, acrylic wall reliefs of the early 60s were among the very first works to articulate what quickly came to be known as the “Los Angeles sensibility.” Hunter Drohojowska-Philp’s “gorgeously illustrated and highly informative monograph” (Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times) traces the development of his exquisitely luminous paintings and wall reliefs, which combine an unabashed eroticism with a keen instinct for architectural execution. With 179 reproductions in color, this beautifully designed publication combines critical analysis of Kauffman’s art with a detailed biographical component, and is the first comprehensive overview of this important artist’s work.