Bright Stars

Great Artists Who Died Too Young

Kate Bryan, Anna Higgie

$29.99

Hardback

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English

Quarto Books
14 September 2021

Art & Architecture; History of Art & Design Styles; Biography: arts & entertainment; Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000

'Bryan's writing pops and zings like a Basquiat painting - and reminds us why truly great artists are immortal.' - Noel Fielding

'Bright Stars is a compelling reflection on the concept of legacy. Bryan's wide ranging assessment of artists we lost too soon proves that longevity in art is rewarded to the stars that burn the brightest, however fleeting their lives and careers.' - Maria Balshaw, Director of Tate

Some of the world's greatest and most-loved artists died under the age of forty. But how did they turn relatively short careers into such long legacies? What drove them to create, against all the odds? And how can we use these stories to re-evaluate artists lost to the shadows, or whose legacies are not yet secured? In Bright Stars, Kate Bryan examines the lives and legacies of 30 great artists who died too young. Most artists have decades to hone their craft, persuade unimpressed critics and build their reputation, but that's not the case for the artists in this book. In some cases, such as with Vincent van Gogh and Jean-Michel Basquiat, their deaths have been mythologised, playing a key role in their posthumous fame. Others were driven to create knowing their time was limited, such as with Aubrey Beardsley and Noah Davis. For some artists, their early death also meant being written out of the history books, as was the case for Charlotte Salomon and Pauline Boty. And as history goes to show, it can take centuries for forgotten artists to be championed and given the recognition they deserve - as was the case with Caravaggio and Vermeer.

With each artist comes a unique and often surprising story about how lives full of talent and tragedy were turned into brilliant legacies that still influence and inspire us today. This is a celebration of talent so great it shines on.

By: Kate Bryan
Illustrated by: Anna Higgie
Imprint: Quarto Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9780711251731
ISBN 10: 0711251738
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 14 September 2021
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Kate Bryan is an arts presenter, curator, expert tour guide and writer. She is Head of Collections for Soho House & Co. globally and has written and presented television programmes for Sky Arts, Sky Arte Italia, BBC Two and BBC Four. She is a judge on the annual Sky Arts competition programmes Portrait Artist of the Year and Landscape Artist of the Year.

Reviews for Bright Stars: Great Artists Who Died Too Young

'Bryan's writing pops and zings like a Basquiat painting - and reminds us why truly great artists are immortal.' - NOEL FIELDING 'Bright Stars is a compelling reflection on the concept of legacy. Bryan's wide ranging assessment of artists we lost too soon proves that longevity in art is rewarded to the stars that burn the brightest, however fleeting their lives and careers.' - MARIA BALSHAW, DIRECTOR OF TATE 'Kate Bryan marshalls a wealth of fascinating detail about artists's lives cut sadly short ... and in sprightly prose brings their work vividly to life.' - JOAN BAKEWELL A stunningly produced book, covering the work and lives of 30 artists who died before they were 40. Each text is accompanied by a vibrant portrait of each artist by illustrator Anna Higgie, and examples of their key work. Yet Bryan intelligently challenges the often simplistic links between biographical suffering and the work produced. The resulting texts are full of nuance and sensitive analysis. The book's real strength is its focus on artists such as Francesca Woodman, Khadija Saye and Helen Chadwick, managing to not shy away from the suffering they experienced by keeping the lens focused on the power of their work. -- Tom de Freston * The Guardian *