Review by Choice Review
Russian avant-garde art has been the subject of numerous recent books, with little attempt to relate the topic to Russian cultural traditions. Avant-garde Russian painters were familiar with and influenced by the work of artists in western Europe, yet one can argue that the cleaning and display of medieval Russian icons at the beginning of the 20th century also had a significant impact. Demonstrating these relationships is problematic. One substantive, if controversial, effort was Peg Weiss's Kandinsky and Old Russia (CH, Dec'95, 33-1949). Spira's book casts a much wider net--an approach that has both advantages and drawbacks. Certain comparisons are illuminating, and others contrived and highly subjective. Although Spira acknowledges the assistance of specialists in Russian culture, he himself comes from the gallery world rather than academia. Surprisingly, he does not seem to have a working knowledge of Russian (translators are frequently mentioned). His approach is primarily one of observation, and this leads to questionable assertions in which virtually any painting can be called an "icon." One hopes that some of these provocative comparisons will be revisited in a more disciplined manner. Summing Up: Optional. Professionals/practitioners. W. C. Brumfield Tulane University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
