Feldman Edmund Burke. Varieties of visual experience

Harry N. Abrams, 1992. — 546 p.Can art expand our knowledge of the world and its
people? The answer, beautifully put forth in Varieties
of Visual Expedience, is a definite yes! In this
fascinating book. Professor Edmund Feldman explores
the vital connections between visual forms and every
day conteinporary life.
The text begins by explaining how art is used, examining
the dynamic interplay between art and personal expression,
art and social communication, and art and the physical
environment. It then goes on to analyze various artistic
styles—the modes of expression that cut across chronological,
geographic, national, and ethnic categories—and provides
an imaginative system of classification for dealing with
the often bewildering array of contemporary art objects.
The discussion moves next to a compelling analysis of the
ways in which the visual elements and the basic concepts of
art are organized and how they are perceived.
In the next section, the major art forms of painting,
sculpture, architecture, photography, and cinema are considered
through historical comparisons and examination of
the works of preeminent artists of our time. Here, the emphasis
is on how technique affects what artists create and
what the viewer sees. Modern art movements such as Pop,
Op, Assemblage, Environments, Happenings, Primary Structures,
Earthworks, Shaped Canvases, and Megastructures are
discussed. The inclusion of handcrafts and industrial design,
helps to provide a balanced picture of our visual world. Tlie
final section of the book offers a practical guide to art
criticism—the process of forming interpretations and justifying
evaluations of individual works of art.