Found this on another message board and thought this book sounded interesting. A google search hasn’t helped. Any Dopers know of this book:
Here’s a description of the book this guy’s looking for:
A large-format, colour illustrated art book (coffee table book)
Two authors, one or both may be listed as such. The authors are Soviets who immigrated to the US in the early 1990s. So, they have Russian names.
The subject of the book is fine arts, specifically painting. Popular painting is the theme: what do people want in a painting? The book showcases paintings by the two artists, who collaborated and deliberately assembled in novel ways all the elements that are popular with the art-buying public. For example, Famous People and Beach Scenes = George Washington strolling on the beach. The paintings are tongue in cheek.
The book was publicized on television in the mid-1990s.
I do not know the title or the authors’ names.
Please, if someone knows anything about this elusive book, contact me at the following address: covermemo@aol.com
One of the things I tried in google was “soviet + painters.”
These jokes came up about 15 times:
" There will be a Moscow Exhibition of Arts by 15,000 Soviet Republic painters and sculptors. These are executed over the past two years".
– From the Soviet Weekly.
“You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists and writers are buried daily except Thursday”.
– In the Lobby of a Moscow Hotel Across from a Russian Orthodox Monastary ".
Go back to Google and try these words in different combinations:
Russian
artist(s)
painter(s)
painting(s)
PBS
modern
20th century
art
book
If they were post-Berlin Wall painters, they possibly aren’t characterized as “Soviet” anymore, just Russian. If they were publicized on TV during the 90’s, it was almost certainly on PBS.
Remember, Google is only an overview of web pages that other people have linked to, not really a search of the entire Web. Did you try Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble, looking under “Russian painting modern 20th century” or some combination thereof?
Ah, Komar and Melamid! Haven’t seen those guys in a dog’s age. They did one painting that was absolutely hilarious: “Bolsheviks returning after a demonstration”, a visual pun on getting really drunk. It’s a pity there doesn’t seem to be more on the web than a few individual projects. Would like to look at more of their work!
Thanks again, Duck and samclem – I’d like to share the e-mail I got this morning from the gentleman who was looking for these artists:
"A thousand thanks! What you’ve done is wonderful. I’ve already shared the homepage address with three art-loving friends, and I know they will love it.
I did not hallucinate the book; it exists and I found it in a snap – once you told me who the artists are. Guess what the art-lovers are getting for Christmas?
God bless you and have a wonderful holiday season. I’ve given you full credit with my friends. I don’t know how you did it; it’s miraculous."
I wrote back to him and sent him the url for this thread.
I was tempted to take complete credit for the find, but I wouldn’t have felt right in the morning, if you know what I mean.
And I’m glad he asked – I hadn’t heard of these artists before, and I’m pretty sure one of my sons would like them. Think I’ll see if any of their stuff is at http://www.art.com.
You can always search a used book site such as books and type in either name as author. Amazing how cheeply and easily you can find things out in the world.
Not trying to recommend any one particular site by the above. Just that I have used and been satisfied with this one.
Happy to help.