ArtistsNetwork.com 51the passion of Mondrian [1872–
1944]. I like the aggressive images of
Manet [1832–1883]. I like Matisse
[1869–1954] a lot.” He veers off to
talk about the difference between
Manet’s early and late paintings,
about the range of Matisse’s work,
about Arthur Dove (1880–1946) and
how his images aren’t memorable. You
realize that Alex Katz enjoys few
things more than talking about art
and that there’s hardly a better way of
passing an hour or two than listening
to him.
John A. Parks is a painter, a writer and a
member of the faculty of the School of
Visual Arts in New York.
READ THE BOOK
Looking at Art with Alex Katz (2018,
Laurence King Publishing) can be
purchased online and from local
booksellers. The front cover shows a
detail of Girl With a Red Hat (ca 1662; oil
on canvas, 18x16; National Gallery of Art,
Washington, D.C.) by Johannes Vermeer
(1632–1675), a painting Katz identifi es
as one of his “all-time favorites.” He
writes, “Socially, the girl lives today. The
shadows eliminate a lot of defi nition.
What is there is so perfect that the eyes
are completely convincing.”