The former director of the famed New York museum recounts his activities at the art world's pinnacle, from wooing important patrons to battling for acquisitions.
The former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art examines the world of art forgery, from ancient times to the present, sharing anecdotes about some of the costliest, most embarrassing forgeries ever, as well as the motives of the fakers.
The Toughest Show on Earth is the ultimate behind-the-scenes chronicle of the divas and the dramas of New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, by the remarkable man who rose from apprentice carpenter to general manager. Joseph Volpe gives us an anecdote-filled tour of more than four decades at the Met, an institution full of vast egos and complicated politics. With stunning candor, he writes about the general managers he worked under, his embattled rise to the top, the maneuverings of the blue-chip board, and his masterful approach to making a family of such artist-stars as Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Teresa Stratas, and Renee Fleming, and such visionary directors as Franco Zeffirelli, Robert Wilson, and Julie Taymor. Intimate and frank, The Toughest Show on Earth is not only essential for music lovers, but for anyone who wants to understand the inner workings of the culture business.
The renowned curator gives a personal tour of his journey from archeology to the Met, the Jewish Museum, and helping found the Israel Museum. In The Exhibitionist, museum director Karl Katz discusses his tireless, impassioned work spanning six decades and numerous countries. As a young man, Karl traveled to the newly-formed state of Israel to pursue archaeology, only to be thrust into the role of directing the Bezalel National Art Museum in Jerusalem. From that early trial by fire to his many leadership roles at the Museum of Tolerance, the International Center of Photography, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and elsewhere, Katz found innovative ways to make museums inviting, educational, living, and vibrant. A book for lovers of history and art criticism, as well as collectors, curators, administrators, and students, The Exhibitionist is filled with a wide range of discussions both cultural and personal. Katz discusses the exhibits, the discoveries, and the incredible people he worked with along the way, from his mentor Teddy Kollek, the mayor of Jerusalem and founder of the Israel Museum, to Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis and Broadway showman Billy Rose.
Both a biography and a critical study, this book presents the work of Dan Namingha, who is among the best known Native American artists. Pictured here are his dazzling paintings and sensuous bronze sculptures inspired by the cultural symbols and landscape of the desert Southwest. 120 illustrations, 80 in full color.
A fascinating exploration of an ancient system of beliefs and its links to the evolution of dance. From Southern Greece to northern Russia, people living in agrarian communities have long believed in “dancing goddesses,” mystical female spirits who spend their nights and days dancing in the fields and forests. In The Dancing Goddesses, archaeologist, linguist, and lifelong folkdancer Elizabeth Wayland Barber follows the trail of these spirit maidens—long associated with fertility, marriage customs, and domestic pursuits—from their early appearance in traditional folktales and harvest rituals to their more recent incarnations in fairytales and present-day dance. Illustrated with photographs, maps, and line drawings, the result is a brilliantly original work that stands at the intersection of archaeology and folk traditions—at once a rich portrait of our rich agrarian ancestry and an enchanting reminder of the human need to dance.
An absorbing exploration of the mysterious, perfectly preserved Caucasian mummies of western China--an informative unveiling of an ancient and exotic world. 16 pp. of color photos. 50 drawings. Author lectures.
A former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York chooses the 111 works of art--culled from the entire history of Western civilization--that have influenced him most, reproduced in full-color and complemented by his interpretations. Tour.