David Park: A Retrospective

I realize not a lot of people know David Park’s work. That being said; you should. This is an excellent work of an amazing artist. Excellent reproduction quality also.

A belated monograph on a major artist who single handedly founded the Bay Area figurative school of art. The essays are all well written ( especially the one by Sara Wessen Chang) and the quality of reproduction are excellent. This book should be a good companion for the book that his daughter wrote a few years back. I do however wished that they had included a lot more of the artwork. In the last year of his life, when he knew his death was imminent, Park worked furiously and completed many paintings, albeit he painted fast and furious but true to his style. Sadly the book only has a few of those paintings - why not more? Why so stingy when you’re doing a monograph? And why include mostly paintings from the collection of a certain Gallery owner? It feels like something subversive is at work here, like promoting a gallery? Other than these gripes, the catalogue is well produced and should have been done ages ago.

David Parks and his ilk are known to art nerds in Cali, but maybe no so much outside. Very disappointed the Exhibition at SF MOMA was shut down because of Covid. But glad I could get this book. Also, look for Nathan Oliveira book too. He is highly underrated and a pillar of that Figurative Art crowd. And Paul Wonner. And of course, R. Deibenkorn.

Good quality book, with accurate reproductions. Just wish that more of the images had been full page. Still, if you are a fan, then definitely worth it.

As a working artist, I like to see as much art as possible. This book shows me the art, not just a lot of text with dinky images to supplement it.

Color photos are marvelous. Very readable about his career and his work. Nice to have opportunity to view all in one place when you can’t visit the Texas show.

Handsome reproductions, excellent text for one of my favorite painters.

For reference

bought this on a whim cos of the cover. It's well worth it - good pictures and an interesting read.

Print quality is awful. The artwork looks as though it has been photographed through a thick gray fog. Park uses such vibrant colors, yet none survive the journey to print.I had no choice but to send the book back.Avoid!

Excellente qualité du texte et des images