Daniel Boone Regional Library
\n\u00a0|\u00a0 Columbia Daily Tribune<\/p>\n
Each month, the Columbia Public Library offers selections from its collection related to a current best-seller or hot topic. Library Associate Carren Summerfield\u00a0compiled this month\u2019s selections.<\/p>\n
After recently enjoying a novel about the international art arena, I wanted to know more. \u201cArtcurious: Stories of the Unexpected, Slightly Odd, and Strangely Wonderful in Art History\u201d (Penguin Books, 2020)<\/strong> by Jennifer Dasal hooked me, and, as you can see, I borrowed part of the title for this article. Before reading this, my view of the larger art world was filtered by million-dollar auctions, exclusive galleries and wealthy patrons. It felt distant, mysterious and a little daunting. I began to ask colleagues about their feelings about art, art museums and the art world. People said they felt \u201clike it is beyond me to comprehend,\u201d \u201cmuseums are intimidating\u201d and they\u2019re \u201cmeant for wealthy art connoisseurs.\u201d<\/p>\n If this sounds familiar, \u201cArtcurious\u201d changed that perception for me and maybe it can for you, too. Dasal dives into a world of dazzling creativity, boldness and centuries of cultural significance, while also emphasizing the grit and passion it takes to create art. By taking us into the strange, unexpected and often humorous corners of art history, the author shows that art is for anyone who is interested.<\/p>\n \u201cSeven Days in the Art World\u201d (W.W. Norton, 2009)<\/strong> by Sarah Thornton takes you behind the scenes of contemporary art including an auction at Christie\u2019s, the Venice Biennale and an art school critique. Through interviews and onsite reporting, Thornton reveals the people, power plays and strange traditions that make the art world so unique. Smart, entertaining and full of details, it\u2019s a great read whether you are a \u201cnewbie\u201d or already immersed in the modern art world.<\/p>\n Feeling like you want a broader foundation of art? \u201cA New Way of Seeing: The History of Art in 57 Works\u201d (Thames and Hudson, 2019)<\/strong> is full of beautiful pictures with amazing facts about each of the selected pieces of art. Beginning with a carved mammoth tusk and ranging to a sculpture by Louise Bourgeois, author Kelly Grovier offers a concise and chronological history that goes beyond the facts. Using rich and visual language, her ideas pose a different way of looking at the history of art.<\/p>\n Museums are full of beauty, but can also be disorienting with huge rooms full of countless pieces and types of art. If you have ever walked into a gallery and felt unsure about where to begin or how to make your visit personally meaningful, this next book is for you. \u201cThe Joy of Art: How to Look At, Appreciate, and Talk About Art\u201d (Allworth, 2020)<\/strong> by Carolyn Schlam provides guidance on how to observe. Use this as a thoughtful, accessible entry into the world of art.<\/p>\n \u201cGet the Picture\u201d (Viking, 2024)<\/strong> is a perceptive and humorous roadmap through the world of contemporary art. While I still can\u2019t grasp why a banana duct-taped to a wall was worth $6 million, there is much to learn from Bianca Bosker\u2019s wit, insight and talent for translating the bizarre into the brilliantly readable. She travels through studios, galleries and the strange rituals of the art world to offer a fun and entertaining crash course in the provocative, puzzling and delightfully weird side of modern art.<\/p>\n Still not feeling like you are ready for the museum experience? Our library offers countless books that bring the museum experience to you. Books on museums, artists and all types of art can make you feel like you are walking the rooms for yourself. You could start with \u201cThe Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: A History\u201d (University of Missouri Press, 2020)<\/strong> by Kristie C. Wolferman. It\u2019s a compelling narrative of this Kansas City museum\u2019s creation in 1933, highlighting people, events and ambitions. With 100 photographs, this book captures both the artwork and the architectural character of the museum.<\/p>\n If you\u2019d love to go to Paris, but can\u2019t make the trip right now, try \u201cAdventures in the Louvre: How to Fall in Love With the World\u2019s Greatest Museum\u201d (W. W. Norton & Company, 2025)<\/strong>, which was the focus of a recent library book discussion. Elaine Sciolino takes us on a lively, personal journey through the Louvre, highlighting the art and delving into the hidden corners, the behind-the scene stories and the people who keep the museum alive.<\/p>\n Even if we don\u2019t have a book on a particular museum, we have many that explore art from many parts of the world. For instance, I\u2019ve developed a fascination with ancient Egyptian art, and have poured over our collection of books filled with images, histories and detailed descriptions.<\/p>\n And don\u2019t forget about Columbia\u2019s museums and art galleries! The University of Missouri Museum of Art and Archeology, the State Historical Society and the Boone County Culture Center are all local museums with stories and collections worth discovering.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Daniel Boone Regional Library \u00a0|\u00a0 Columbia Daily Tribune Each month, the Columbia Public Library offers selections from its…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":118318,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[266],"tags":[840,829,595,10318,365,359,3128,3137,3135,31692,3126,366,18,117,9127,19,17,3108,72334,2602,526,5718,24007,4504,5,3127,713,856,842,716,2050,64045],"class_list":{"0":"post-118317","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-books","8":"tag-affiliate","9":"tag-and","10":"tag-art","11":"tag-art-museums-u0026-galleries","12":"tag-arts","13":"tag-books","14":"tag-books-and-literature","15":"tag-books-comics-and-other-literature","16":"tag-books-u0026-literature","17":"tag-columbia","18":"tag-comics","19":"tag-design","20":"tag-eire","21":"tag-entertainment","22":"tag-galleries","23":"tag-ie","24":"tag-ireland","25":"tag-libraries","26":"tag-libraries-u0026-museums","27":"tag-literature","28":"tag-local","29":"tag-local-affiliate-arts-u0026-entertainment","30":"tag-mo","31":"tag-museums","32":"tag-news","33":"tag-other","34":"tag-overall","35":"tag-overall-positive","36":"tag-positive","37":"tag-u0026","38":"tag-visual","39":"tag-visual-art-u0026-design"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118317","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118317"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118317\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118317"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118317"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118317"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}